Herbs stimulate the appetite, add zest to food and enhance taste and flavor. Basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, oregano, mint, chives and more thrive during the hot summer months. From lemony cilantro to zesty basil and fresh, peppery parsley, culinary herbs are essential to good cooking.
Whether you’ve been a bit zealous in purchasing them at the farmers market or are lucky enough to grow your own, an abundance of herbs can also be a responsibility. If you have a garden, you might be swimming in them. Most recipes call for a tablespoon here or there, and you’ve got an entire bunch soon-to-be wilting in the fridge. What’s a zero-waste-minded cook supposed to do? Make herbs the main ingredient as well as the garnish.
There are two types of herbs. Woody herbs, like thyme, sage and rosemary, are a little complicated and must be used judiciously. But tender leafy herbs like parsley, cilantro, chervil, dill, tarragon and mint can be used with wild abandon. Know that if a recipe calls for a smidge, the reality is that you can add more. Too much parsley is not likely to ruin a dish. In summer, I use an aggressive amount of tender herbs and include them in nearly everything. Whether it’s adding a handful of picked leaves to a green salad or scattering handfuls of chopped herbs on grilled vegetables, be heavy-handed with herbs. You’ll use them up and add tremendous flavor to your food.
If you are not able to grow your own, look for herbs in the produce department of the grocery store, international market or farmers market. For fresh herbs, choose bunches with fresh, vibrant leaves and with healthy-looking sprigs. Avoid any herbs that are wilted, bruised or moldy.
When fresh herbs are abundant, look for recipes featuring herbs as the main ingredient, not just the garnish. Many cuisines feature herb-forward sauces and condiments. Perhaps one of the most famous of these is Italian pesto, made with basil, pine nuts and Parmesan. Other herb-forward dishes include North African chermoula and Argentinian chimichurri.
The following green chutney recipe was inspired by a recipe from Nandita Godbole, an Indian American, Atlanta-based cookbook author and writer of the food blog, currycravingskitchen.com. Cilantro typically has a bright, fresh and citrusy flavor with a mere hint of pepper. (For some, it also has a soapy or metallic taste, which is because of an individual’s genetic makeup.) Mint has a cool, refreshing and mild sweet taste. This combination, paired with tropical coconut, is positively craveable.
French-inspired Chilled Basil Zucchini soup is fresh and light, bursting with summer flavors. This recipe utilizes two types of prolific summer produce: basil and zucchini. This duo pairs together exceptionally well, lending support to the expression, “what grows together, goes together.”
Fresh basil is known for its vibrant, pungent flavor. It has a sweet and savory taste profile with notes of pepper, mint and anise. The flavor can vary slightly depending on the variety, with some, like purple basil, having a spiced clove-like flavor, while others, like Thai basil, having a mild licorice taste. Try sweet basil, Genovese basil or Thai basil in this soup for best results.
Zhoug is a spicy, herbaceous sauce or condiment from Yemen that is popular throughout the Middle East. Hot green chiles, zesty garlic and grassy herbs are blended with warm spices including cumin, coriander and cardamom. The result is a versatile condiment that can be used for dipping or drizzling and as a sauce and marinade.
The dominant herbs in zhoug are typically parsley and cilantro, but instead of sticking to the script, I change up the herbs in this recipe and use whatever I have on hand. In addition to a parsley base, dill, chives and tarragon make great additions. Frozen in ice cube trays for later use, zhoug cubes are premade flavor blocks that can amp up the taste of nearly everything from appetizers to main dishes.
RECIPES
This trio of recipes leans into the bountiful flavors that summer herbs can bring. In these recipes, herbs are the main ingredient, not merely the garnish.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Indian Green Chutney with Tandoori Chicken
This green chutney recipe, inspired by Indian American food writer Nandita Godbole, makes 1 cup of chutney, perfect to serve four people alongside the chicken. It can be easily doubled or tripled.
The chicken will need to marinate for at least one hour and up to overnight.
- 1/3 cup store-bought tandoori marinade paste, such as Patak’s
- 6 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
- 4 (1 1/4 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup grated unsweetened tender coconut meat, freshly grated or frozen
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 jalapeno cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- Combine the tandoori paste and yogurt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat. Refrigerate to marinate, at least one hour, overnight or according to the tandoori paste bottle instructions. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature at least 15 minutes before cooking.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat an ovenproof grill pan over high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove thighs from the marinade, shaking off excess. Add the thighs to the grill pan and sear on both sides, about 3 minutes. Discard remaining marinade.
- Transfer the grill pan to the oven and bake until the juices run clear when pierced with the tip of a knife and the internal temperature registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade, combine the coconut, cilantro, mint, cumin, lemon juice, ginger, jalapeno, salt, sugar and water. Pulse until well-combined and smooth. (Thin with additional water as needed. The mixture should be thin enough to use as a dip or spread.)
- Serve chicken with green chutney on the side. If making ahead or for other use, store green chutney in a glass jar with a lid for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 4 weeks in the freezer.
Serves 4.
Per serving with 4 tablespoons sauce per portion: 396 calories (percent of calories from fat, 59), 31 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams total sugars, 8 grams fiber, 26 grams total fat (19 grams saturated), 130 milligrams cholesterol, 663 milligrams sodium.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Chilled Basil Zucchini Soup
Spinach helps preserve the bold green color of the soup. You can also use arugula if you prefer a more peppery bite.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds 1/4-inch thick
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
- 10 basil leaves, preferably Genovese or sweet, plus more for serving
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add zucchini and cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. Add water and season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook until the zucchini is very soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add spinach and basil leaves. Stir to combine. Let cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- To finish the soup in the stockpot, use an immersion blender and puree. Alternatively, let the soup cool to room temperature and, working in batches, ladle the soup into a blender and puree. Transfer to a pitcher with a lid. Refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 1 hour.
- Serve chilled, with an optional drizzle of olive oil and garnished with additional basil. Store in a sealed container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 92 calories (percent of calories from fat, 39), 4 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams total sugars, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 349 milligrams sodium.
Credit: Virginia Willis
Credit: Virginia Willis
Zhoug with Cucumbers
This recipe makes 1 cup and can be processed to be chunky or smooth, according to your preference. Freeze the sauce in cubes to use as a flavor boost in all sorts of recipes from sautés to sandwich spreads.
- 1 bunch parsley, stems removed (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups tender leaves from herbs such as cilantro, dill, basil and oregano, stems removed
- 3 green chile peppers, cored, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 English cucumber, sliced, for serving
- Combine the parsley and mixed herbs, chile peppers, coriander, cumin, cardamom, garlic, oil, water, salt and black pepper in the jar of a blender. Puree until smooth.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional olive oil and top with red pepper flakes. Serve as a dipping sauce with cucumbers.
- Store in a glass jar with a lid for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or pour into ice cube molds, freeze, transfer to a sealable container and store in the freezer up to 3 months.
Serves 4.
Per serving with 4 tablespoons sauce per portion: 122 calories (percent of calories from fat, 74), 1 gram protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 10 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 302 milligrams sodium.
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