Past Herb of the Year Recipes
2010 Herb of the Year – Dill
Bestever Potato Salad (with dill, of course)
1½ lb. small red-skinned potatoes
1 sweet yellow pepper
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 green onions
sliced 4 oz sugar snap peas
3 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
In saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; let cool slightly and halve. Core, seed and cut yellow pepper into chunks. Whisk together oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. In bowl, toss potatoes, peppers and onions in half of the dressing; let cool. In pot of boiling water, cook peas for 1 minute or until bright green Chill under cold running water; drain. Just before serving, add peas, dill, and remaining dressing to salad; toss.
2009 – Bay Laurel
Bay Rum Aftershave
(courtesy of SpaIndex.com: Guide to Day Spas and Stay Spas. The web’s most comprehensive resource for Spa Enthusiasts)
4 Ounces Vodka
2 Tablespoons Jamaican Rum
2 Dried Bay Leaves
1/4 Teaspoon Allspice
1 Stick of Cinnamon, broken in pieces
Fresh Zest from a Small Orange
Combine all ingredients in a container such as a bottle or mason jar with a tightly fitting lid. Put the closed container in a dark, cool place (not in the refrigerator). After two weeks, strain mixture through several layers of cheesecloth, paper towels or a coffee filter. If necessary, repeat until no residue remains. Put in an attractive bottle or atomizer and splash on or spray face after shaving.
Kumquat and bay leaf tree
(tabletop Yule decoration)
3 pounds kumquats
Round toothpicks
1 package (1/2 ounce) fresh bay leaf
1 green florist’s foam piece in pyramid shape, 12×4 inches
Method:
1. Push each kumquat onto end of toothpick; spear bay leaf with other end of toothpick.
2. Push toothpicks into foam pyramid (with bay leaves against pyramid), starting at top and working downward in spiral fashion, until pyramid is completely filled.
Bay Leaf Rice Pilaf
(from epicurious.com)
3 Turkish bay leaves or 1 1/2 California
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup water
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (6 fl oz), or vegetable broth
Cook bay leaves in oil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, turning over occasionally, until leaves are lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add rice, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring gently to avoid breaking bay leaves, 1 minute. Add water and broth and bring to a full boil, uncovered, over high heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, then reduce heat to low and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand, undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and discard bay leaves.
Sole wrapped in prosciutto with bay leaf sauce
(By Gennaro Contaldo of Saturday’s Kitchen)
For the paste
20g/¾oz capers, drained
¼ garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the sole
8 slices prosciutto
8 fillets lemon sole, weighting about 100g/3¾oz each (or 4 fillets of sole, weighing about 200g/7oz each, cut in half lengthways)
8 small sprigs fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 fresh chives
For the bay leaf sauce
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 fresh bay leaves, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
200ml/7fl oz white wine
½ tsp cornflour
To serve
500g/1lb 2oz baby potatoes, boiled
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. For the paste, place the capers, garlic and olive oil in a mortar and grind with a pestle to make a paste.
3. For the sole, line up the slices of prosciutto on a clean work surface, well spaced apart.
4. Place one sole fillet on each slice of prosciutto, brush the fish with a light layer of the caper paste, then top with a sprig of parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
5. Carefully roll up each fillet in the prosciutto slice and tie to fasten using a chive.
6. Line a baking tray or an ovenproof dish with greaseproof paper and place the wrapped and rolled fish fillets on the dish. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked.
7. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and add the bay leaves, shallot, garlic and parsley. Fry on a medium heat for about seven minutes, or until the shallot has softened.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the wine and cornflour. Add the cornflour mixture to the pan. Stir well and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for a further five minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
10. Remove the sole fillets from the oven and transfer them to a large serving dish, or onto four individual plates, and pour over the sauce before serving. Serve with the boiled baby potatoes.
Meaty Spaghetti Sauce
(by Stacy)
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound pork sausage
2 ounces sliced pepperoni sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
3 cubes beef bouillon cube
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup beef broth
Directions
In a large stockpot cook the ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain into a large colander to drain grease.
To the large saucepot, add the mushrooms, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, black pepper, sugar, and beef broth and stir well. Pour the meat mixture into the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 2 hours.
