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june

Fresh herbs bring flavor and beauty to food

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By Julia Howard

Burger’s Market Garden, photo by Pattie Garrett

At the farmers’ market, fragrant herb bouquets and pots spilling with over with leafy herb plants offer market-goers an abundance of culinary exploration. While common herbs do compliment specific foods, there are no rules for what to use them in. Fresh herbs may be mixed and matched to your liking.

Common herbs can be put into two categories: woody herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage, and soft herbs such as basil, parsley, and cilantro. Woody herbs can be added earlier in the cooking process while soft herbs are commonly added towards the end of the cooking process or as a garnish.

Herbs can be easily stored upright in a jar of water or between a damp paper towel in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Here are just some of the common herbs available on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the farmers’ market.

Basil, photo by Pattie Garrett

Basil is recognized by its glossy, pointed leaves and sweet-savory flavor. Basil pairs well with tomatoes, strawberries, mozzarella, beef, and shrimp.

Cilantro is a delicate citrusy herb most commonly used fresh at the end of cooking. Cilantro is popular in Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican cuisines.

Mint has a subtly sweet and peppery flavor, and it is used for a variety of culinary and medicinal purposes. Its powerful flavor compliments lamb, feta, mojitos, and even chocolate.

Dill is a delicate and feathery herb with slender stems. Dill pairs with salmon, cucumber, and potatoes, and is commonly used in pickling mixtures, dressings, and egg dishes.

Chives have a subtly oniony flavor with hints of garlic. Recognizable by its grass-like leaves and vibrant green color, chives make the perfect garnish for dishes with eggs or potatoes.

Thyme has small, pale green leaves and pungent aroma that pairs well with hearty meat like pork and chicken. Thyme holds up well to heat and can be used during the cooking process.

Parsley, photo by Pattie Garrett

Parsley is a mild bitter herb that many use as a garnish for food, but it helps dishes like stews achieve a more balanced flavor. As an added benefit, parsley can aid in digestion.

Oregano is a sweet, slightly peppery member of the mint family. This herb is commonly used in dishes like tomato sauce, yogurt sauce, and kebabs, and is a staple in Italian and Greek cuisine.

Rosemary has been prized for its sturdy, aromatic sprigs and oil for centuries. Its needle-like leaves can be used for roasted vegetables, goat cheese, and even flavorful bundt cakes.

Sage is known for its fuzzy leaves and savory flavor with a peppery bite. Fresh sage leaves are commonly used in sausage and gnocchi. Sage can be cooked or fried as a garnish for squash.

 

This week’s recipe: Green Herb Yogurt Dip

Food Preservation Resources: Preserving Rhubarb

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Compiled and shared by Cornell Cooperative Extension, by Martha Zepp, Program Assistant, Penn State Extension

Rhubarb is the vegetable that is enjoyed as a fruit. By itself, it provides a unique tart flavor, but combined with other foods to create sauces, pies, cakes, cobblers and jams provides us with delicious flavor combinations.

Selecting
Although fresh rhubarb is at its peak through May and June, harvesting can continue through the summer if plants have adequate water and don’t wilt from the intense heat of July and August. The quality is best if it can be pulled from the garden and used before stems have a chance to dry. Choose rhubarb stems that are bright pink, crisp, and free of disease or insect damage. Pull the stems from ground level instead of cutting them. At any given time, harvest less than one-third of the stalks from any one plant.

Do not eat rhubarb leaves, as they are poisonous.

Canning
Rhubarb can be canned or used in making jams and jellies. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has recipes for stewed rhubarb and rhubarb-strawberry jelly.

It is not safe to add any type of thickening to rhubarb before canning because the starch will interfere with the transfer of heat to the center of the jar during processing.

If you desire a thicker rhubarb sauce, add a little cornstarch, tapioca, or modified starch after you open the jar prior to serving.

Freezing
Rhubarb freezes well. Rhubarb can be packed into containers or freezer bags raw or pre-heated. Raw rhubarb gives a good quality frozen product without added sugar. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, heating rhubarb in boiling water one minute and cooling promptly in cold water helps retain color and flavor. (Cut stalks in lengths to fit freezer container or bag before heating.) Watch the time closely as overcooking will cause it to lose its shape.

A dry pack simply involves putting either raw or blanched rhubarb into containers without sugar leaving ½ inch head space. Tray packs also work well with raw rhubarb. Spread a single layer of cut rhubarb on trays, freeze until firm (1 to 2 hours), then put in air tight bags or containers.

Rhubarb may also be frozen with sugar or syrup.

  •  For a sugar pack, mix 1 part sugar and 4 parts rhubarb and allow to stand until sugar is dissolved before packing into freezer containers.
  • A syrup pack involves covering the rhubarb with syrup made by combining 1 cup sugar with 2 cups water and allowing adequate head space for expansion–½ inch for pints and 1 inch for quarts in wide top containers.
  • In general, up to one-fourth of the sugar may be replaced with corn syrup or mild flavored honey.
  • When cooking with rhubarb that is frozen in syrup, remember to include the sugar as part of the recipe.

Freezing already cooked rhubarb dishes saves time when serving. Plain sweetened sauces or those thickened with tapioca or ThermFlo® freeze well. Breads, cakes, cobblers, and some pies freeze well, but don’t freeze rhubarb custard pies.

Source: https://extension.psu.edu/preserving-rhubarb, 5-8-2020.

Check out this video on How to Freeze Rhubarb to see both Dry Pack and Tray Pack methods

Provided by Diane Whitten, Nutrition Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension. More food preservation resources can be found at http://ccesaratoga.org/nutrition-food/food-preservation.

Find rhubarb recipes here!

Rhubarb Recipes

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Provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension
Saratoga County (518) 885-8995
www.ccesaratoga.org

Rhubarb Chili: A Tangy Twist to a Classic Recipe
2 pounds tomatoes (about 3 cups)
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef (optional)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 cups rhubarb, diced
30 ounces canned black beans

To prepare tomatoes, blanch, remove skin and chop. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, sauté onion and garlic with olive oil and ground beef, if desired. Drain fat, if necessary. Add broth, blanched tomatoes, raisins, chili powder and allspice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in rhubarb and black beans and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Makes 8, 1 ¼ cup servings, 10 servings if made with beef.

Nutrition per serving without beef: 190 calories; 3 g fat; 0 g sat. fat; 9 g protein; 510 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Iron (15% daily value).

 

Rhubarb Apple Crumble Bars

1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
1 cup peeled, chopped apple
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
4 tablespoon water, divided
1 teaspoon lime juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F°. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, apple, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of water and the lime juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until rhubarb is tender.

Combine the cornstarch with and the remaining 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Gradually stir into the rhubarb mixture and bring back to a boil for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut, salt and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar. Pour in the melted butter and stir until mixture is crumbly.

In a greased 8-inch square pan, pour in half the oat mixture and press down lightly with the back of a spoon. Top with the rhubarb mixture and then spread the remaining oat mixture on top. Bake at 350 F° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition per serving: 299 calories; 10 g fat; 4 g sat. fat; 3 g protein; 162 mg sodium; 51 g
carbohydrate, 3 g fiber. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value)

 

Rhubarb Almond Muffins
½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup rhubarb, finely diced

Topping
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup sliced almonds, crushed
2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin, or line with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, 2 tbsp of melted butter, oil and egg. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup of brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix until just blended. Fold in rhubarb. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, filling cups at least 2/3 full. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, and 2 teaspoons of melted butter. Spoon over the tops of the muffins, and press down lightly. Bake for 25 minutes (20 minutes for mini-muffins), or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing.

Makes 1 dozen muffins or 2 dozen mini-muffins.

Nutrition per serving: Calories:170; fat:6g; sat fat:1.5g; sodium:125mg, carbs:28g.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

1 pound Rhubarb, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 pint Strawberries, quartered
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Shortcake biscuits

Place rhubarb in a medium sauce pan. On medium heat slowly warm rhubarb. After the rhubarb cooks and releases water, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add strawberries and sugar. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, if desired. Allow to cool slightly. Serve over shortcake biscuits or vanilla ice cream.

Makes about 4 cups sauce. Makes 8-10 servings.