, 0°
Wind: mph
In early April, a few days before we concluded our annual six-month stay in Oaxaca, Mexico, our hotel’s office manager came by our studio to tell me that my herbs would be taken care of and watered until our return next October.
I am especially grateful because I can’t imagine cooking without my fresh herbs. How lucky I am that the hotel allows me to plant a variety of herbs in container pots just a few feet from the door of our studio. And then is willing to water them for the six months when we’re back in the States.
In Oaxaca, as in the States, I use basil to generously garnish a Caprese salad, the tomato and mozzarella salad served with crusty, toasted ciabatta bread. I make fresh pesto, and I throw a few leaves into my homemade marinara sauce.
Mint is great in cucumber salads and now and again, I like a mojito—a cocktail of rum, mint, lime juice and club soda. I use flat-leaf Italian parsley in myriad ways, and fresh rosemary adds a savory note to tomato and pesto focaccia bread topped with melted cheese.
As pleased as I was to know that my herbs would once again be carefully tended, I began to regret that my Callicoon garden in April would be devoid of life—with the possible exception of chives and mint, which consistently return year after year. What would my cooking be like without a garden filled with herbs and vegetables?
Returning home to upstate New York and to the chill in the air, I was surprised to see that the mint as well as chives in my home garden had already pushed up through the earth. The rest of the garden was covered with black tarps to ward off weeds until I would be able to plant tomatoes, cucumbers and more herbs the first week of June or, with a little luck, possibly the very end of May.
The wait to garden is always exasperating. In comparison to the hot, sunny days of Oaxaca, April upstate—also known as “mud month” to me—is basically unpleasant. The temps are too low and the skies are mostly molten grey. It rains often.
Weather permitting, I go to the farmers market and enjoy seeing what’s available. This year, I happened upon a bunch of “broccoli leaves.” I inquired as to what they were and asked if they could be used raw in a salad, similar to kale. Yes, indeed, and we enjoyed a platter of broccoli leaves and endive garnished with dried cherries and cranberries, toasted almonds slivers and shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano (made with a vegetable peeler), all dressed with a lemony vinaigrette with a hint of garlic.
While still in Oaxaca, I got an email from Anne and Fritz at The Cutting Garden in Youngsville, NY, asking me what kind of tomatoes and cucumbers I would like them to start for me in their greenhouse. I always choose a variety of sizes and types. This year, I asked for Brad’s Atomic, Juane Flamme, Early Girl, Brandywine, Rebekah Allen, Orange Icicle and Martha Washington.
Cucumbers are the other vegetable I plant every June. Some years they are prolific, which is exciting. Janet could eat cucumber salad at every meal of the day. A crisp, crunchy cucumber with thin skin and few seeds is what I cultivate. I keep a steady eye on their progress, as there’s nothing more disgusting than a cucumber found hidden, lying under curling tendrils, which has grown to the proportions of a child’s appendage.
The rest of my garden is devoted to herbs. Herbs play a daily part in my cooking and their demise at the beginning of autumn makes me feel as though the flavors of my food are diminished. Nothing compares or can be substituted for the flavor derived from fresh herbs.
At Jeffrey’s Wild Yarrow Farm in Cochecton, NY, I always find an amazing array of herbs, as well as other interesting and unusual plants. I grow many types of basil: Thai, purple (or dark opal), sweet basil (or Genevese) and globe basil, which is a dwarf with tiny leaves that grow in clumps forming a globe. I plant either French or Mexican tarragon, preferring the Mexican, which began to show up at nurseries a few years ago. French tarragon trails on the ground and Mexican grows upright, making it easier to use. I always plant dill, rosemary and flat-leaf Italian parsley. Some years I grow oregano, and I try to grow cilantro, a favorite of mine, with varying success. I’ve never grown greens, but this year decided to plant Swiss chard and kale in big container pots on the front porch. I’ve heard they are easy to grow and I will use both in many ways.
I sometimes wish my garden were bigger, but then I remind myself of how much work and time it takes up. My garden informs my daily cooking for the entire season. I try to come up with new ways of using all that grows. This year I concocted a savory bread pudding, a strata, using bread cubes, cheese, sundried tomatoes and lots and lots of fresh herbs. A revelation! And once my tomatoes, cucumbers and greens sprout, I’ll have many more options. I can hardly wait.
Serves 2
Salad:
4 small firm, ripe tomatoes (larger than cherry tomatoes)
2 Persian cucumbers or 1/2 English hothouse cucumber
1/2 small red onion
Herbs:
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon snipped (thinly sliced) chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon aged Spanish sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar, preferably fine
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (or kosher salt)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Cut each of the tomatoes into four wedges and place in a shallow serving bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, strip the cucumbers of some of their skin, leaving some skin on. If using slim Persian cucumbers, cut them across into 1/4-inch slices. If using hothouse, cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then again, so you have four long pieces. Slice into 1/4-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Slice the red onion very thinly and add to the bowl. Add all the fresh herbs.
To make the vinaigrette, combine by whisking the vinegars with the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the sugar, salt and black pepper.
Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and herbs in the serving bowl and chill in the refrigerator for up to one hour. Check for seasoning before serving.
Serves 6
This strata can be prepared in advance. If you do so, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before baking to allow it to come to room temperature.
1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
6 ounces (2 cups) grated Gruyere cheese
1 1/2 cups half & half
5 cups torn or cubed ciabatta bread; bottom crusts removed
3/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (in oil)
5 large eggs
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish.
Mix all the herbs in a small bowl and toss them together with a spoon.
Layer half the bread on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half the grated cheese, half the chopped sundried tomatoes and half the mixed herbs. Repeat with the bread, sundried tomatoes and herbs. Finish with the second half of the cheese. Press down with a wide spatula.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and half & half. Carefully pour the mixture over the casserole and press down again with the spatula. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here