Fresh Herbs Add Special Flavor to Meal

By Mary Ellen Psaltis, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Nov. 21–If the herb rosemary were a person, she would be a jack of all trades.

Interestingly, the name is not about roses or Mary, but a derivation from the Latin name rosmarinus, meaning “dew of the sea.” The astringent taste of this woody perennial allows it to pair excellently with lamb or an oily fish. You can lay it onto the coals in your grill or into the cavity of your holiday bird to add its distinct flavor. As a pestresistant bush in your backyard, it can be pruned into a prize-winning topiary.

And if that is not enough, rosemary has a reputation for improving memory.

I became reacquainted with rosemary on a visit to Fairie Gardens, an extraordinary oasis in a residential part of Tumwater. Owner David Baird has transformed his yard into a series of themed gardens — displays of colors, sounds, textures and scents. There are plants to look at and to buy, but they are there to whet your appetite for creating a magnificent focal point in your own outdoor spaces.

Maybe you dream of a lively koi pond, an imaginative rock garden, or a medicinal garden with creative walkways. Baird, who began selling herbs and other perennials, has developed his business to include the design of entire projects as well as overseeing the implementation of them. He works with his clients to create an environment tailored to their property and the ideas in their heads.

Herbs can be practical, useful and lovely additions to your garden. Many are drought resistant, tolerant, easy to grow in pots in your house, and adaptable to living outside in fairer weather.

The timeless art of using herbs can be brought to life in your own home. A few snippets of fresh parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme add character to a dish that you won’t find in a can. If you have no herbs at home, you still can find packages of fresh-cut herbs in the grocery store.

Baird suggests cutting a few stems of rosemary to use as skewers for kabobs. You can put cubes of meat on them and make others that have fruits and vegetables on them.

If you happen to have access to a rosemary bush, bring in a few stems to interweave with your holiday greens or table arrangements. They will fit right in and add another layer of aromatic enjoyment The holidays are a feast of the senses, and using herbs can add a big punch (with virtually no calories!).

Happy Thanksgiving and bon appetit!

Rosemary Skewers

Baird selected a recipe from Melissa’s/World Variety Produce Inc. It is the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States. With more than 800 items available at any given time, Melissa’s imports and distributes exotic fresh fruits and vegetables from around the globe. The Web site is www.melissas.com.

1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into half-inch pieces 1 pint cherry tomatoes Pineapple, cubed 1 package button mushrooms, leave whole 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and rainbow peppercorns, ground to taste 10 rosemary stems 1 cup red tamarillo-mango barbecue sauce (recipe follows)

Combine vegetables and fruits in a bowl. Lightly dress with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Soak rosemary stems in water for 5 minutes. Thread vegetables and fruits onto the rosemary from the bottom of the stems. Brush with red tamarillomango barbecue sauce.

Grill 3-4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Melissa’s Red Tamarillo-Mango BBQ Sauce

2 quarts water 5 red tamarillos 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium shallot, peeled and minced 1 Maui onion, peeled and diced small 2 tablespoon organic garlic, roasted and minced 2 tablespoons ginger root, minced 3 organic mangos, peeled and diced small 1/2 cup cider vinegar 6 medium organic Valencia oranges, juiced 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground allspice

In a large sauce pot, boil the water. Score an “X” with a sharp knife on the end of the red tamarillos opposite the stem end. Place the tamarillos into the boiling water and cook until the skin begins to peel back. This will only take a couple of minutes.

When they start to peel, take them out of the pot and immediately place them into ice water.

This will stop them from cooking. Once cool, cut off the stems and peel the skin off. Cut into cubes.

In a large saucepan over high heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking.

Add the onion and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized (should be sweet with a caramel color). Add the roasted garlic, ginger, mango and tamarillo. Continue to cook over medium-high heat stirring frequently until tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar, orange juice, brown sugar, allspice and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half and slightly thickened.

Adjust seasonings and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Refrigerate when not in use. Recipe yields about 4 cups.

Bonus holiday drink

I know you are thinking that lemonade is for the sultry days of summer. It also can be a delightful nonalcoholic drink for the holidays.

Whether you choose to use “regular” lemonade or the pink variety, both are colors of the season.

Lavender Lemonade

1 quart fresh-squeezed or premade lemonade 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon culinary lavender 1 cup boiling water

Pour boiling water over the lavender and allow to steep for 10 minutes.

Strain out lavender and add to lemonade.

Serve well chilled.

Mary Ellen Psaltis lives locally and eats globally. You can reach her at TheRecipeWriter@hotmail.com.

—–

To see more of The Olympian, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theolympian.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.