If you’re in Iowa, you can grow almost any herb imaginable. It’s easy, and the soil here grows some of the nicest basil, dill, cilantro, thyme, sage, mint, parsley, chives, garlic chives, marjoram, oregano, lavender, rosemary, sorrel, and tarragon, to name most of what I have in my garden right now (late July). Most but a few grow in such abundance and size, that it’s hard to keep up. So if you know anyone who grows herbs, chances are they’ll have some to share; I know I do.
This morning I went out and harvested bunches of parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, and arugula (a green, though I do use it like an herb in some dishes). I’m not sure what I’ll use them in, but if they’re on hand, they’ll drive my thinking about what to make. Yesterday I made a basil pesto, and today I’m planning on making a version of chimichurri. I’m experimenting, so don’t have a ready recipe to share, but I do include below a couple of my standards. With herbs, variation is a good thing (and you never know which herbs will be ready to harvest), so all recipes can be modified, depending on ingredients and preference for taste.
Fresh herbs in soft cheese
This is a recipe for early spring, when the herbs are just coming up. You can do it later in the season, but with different herbs.
Soft Cheese: The soft cheese I use for this dish varies. Cream cheese, nuefchatel, and goat cheese (chèvre) will do. If you want it a bit softer, you can add some yoghurt, sour cream, or labna (sparingly). This recipe calls for 6-8 oz. of cheese
Herbs: I usually use a small bunch each (chopped) of first, early chives, early thyme and oregano, parsley and dill. Early arugula adds a nice dimension if you have it. (I grow reseeding and perennial varieties from EU seeds in my garden, and it’s also one of the first greens to appear each spring.
Shallot or red onion, 1-2 tablespoons, finely minced
Olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons
Red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon or to taste
Salt and white pepper to taste
Incorporate all ingredients in bowl, and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve in a small bowl or on a platter with early radishes, crackers or baguette slices. If there are early edible flowers (Johnny-jump-ups, dianthus, or chive blossoms), I’ll either add them in, or use them for garnish.
Fresh herb mop
This one’s pretty easy, and I’ve seen it written about before, but I don’t think many people make it. Basically, you need some sturdy herbs, since you’ll be putting them to work. Rosemary, oregano, sage, and thyme are good ones for this purpose. Cut 8-10 inch branches of each, tie them together at the cut end with kitchen string. You can add a chopstick or its equivalent for more stability, depending on the state of the herbs.
Then you’ll need a small mason jar. Fill it with 1/2 cup olive oil, 1-2 cloves minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Use the herb mop to baste whatever you are grilling. I often use this when I’m grilling eggplants and zucchini, but it works well with grilling meats as well.
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