Urban Farm Hub

A zesty arugula plant

This week I think my arugula plants have grown about three inches.  This spicy plant can be eaten in salads with an oil and vinegar dressing or used as a zesty garnish.  We really like to top a just baked pizza with this richly flavored plant.

Arugula likes cool weather and a nitrogen rich soil.  You can plant it when soil temperatures are between 45 and 60 degrees.  Scatter the seed then cover with 1/4 inch of soil.  It likes to be moist but not soggy.  Because this plant grows so quickly I like to plant some about every two weeks to keep a good supply on hand.

Here’s a tasty recipe for a quick summer dish:

Arugula with Pasta and Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

One package of pasta, (I like to use whole wheat)
About 8-10 cups arugula
Olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved, (you can also use dried tomatoes that have been soaked for 20 minutes in boiling water to soften them up)
2-3 ounces goat or feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta and drain it.  Chop the arugula if the leaves are big. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat and add a little olive oil. When it is hot, cook the arugula, letting the first few handfuls wilt completely, and leaving the last few just barely cooked.

Add the basil, tomatoes, cheese, and pasta with the last handful of arugula. Turn the heat to high and cook for another minute or two – until everything is hot. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Now that you have dried herbs making your own blends is easy! These make great gifts as well as stepping up the flavor of your own dishes.

Lavender

Here are some of my favorite blends:

Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence usually contains basil, bay leaf, marjoram, rosemary, summer savory and lots of thyme. Lavender can be included too but don’t add too much as it’s pretty strong.  Here is a base recipe to start with but feel free to play around to get the flavor you like.  If you don’t have all of these herbs it’s fine to leave some out.

• 2 Tablespoons dried basil
• 1 Tablespoon dried marjoram
• 1 Tablespoon dried summer savory
• 2 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon lavender flowers
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ Tablespoon dried rosemary

Rosemary

Rub for Grilling

• 3 Tablespoons dried basil
• 2 Tablespoons dried rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon dried savory
• 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried fennel
• 1 bay leaf

Oregano

Italian Seasoning

This tastes great in spaghetti sauce, on pizza or in salad dressings.

• 4 Tablespoons dried basil
• 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic, (you can leave this out and use fresh instead when it’s time to cook)
• 1 bay leaf

You can put these blends into small jam jars or metal containers.  Keeping air and light out will help the flavors stay bright.

Drying your own herbs is a great way to spice up your dishes, make nice presents and save money.   The fragrant oils are at their peak around mid-morning so this is a great time to harvest.  If you need to wash them then give a light spray with the hose first thing in the morning and pick them when they are dry.

Chives

I like to pick them with long stems so they are easy to tie together.  Once they are picked then tie them with twine or wire in a small bunch.  They will keep their flavor best if dried in a cool, light free area.  I tie a rope across the rafters in the basement and hang my bunches from there.

Sage

Check them frequently and take them down when the leaves are dry enough to crumble in your hand.  Too dry and they will lose flavor, too wet and they might mold.

Calendula flowers

Tomorrow I will talk about different blends you can make with your lovely home dried herbs.

Lemon Balm tea

Do you have lemon balm, (Melissa officinalis) coming out your ears this time of year?  Mine is ready to take over the entire perennial bed.  In addition to tasting great it’s also supposed to decrease stress and increase mental function so it’s time to get cooking!

Here are some of my favorite ways to use this abundant herb.

Iced Lemon Balm Tea

Ingredients for one glass:

• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup balm (fresh lemon, leaves)
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste
• 2 cups boiling water
• ice
• 1 lemon balm sprig for decoration

Directions:

Put leaves in boiling water, add sugar and let steep until desired concentration is reached.  Squeeze in juice from one lemon, adjust sugar, add ice and sprig – enjoy!

Hot Lemon Balm Tea 

Ingredients for one teapot full of tea:

• 1/2 cup lemon balm
• 1 tsp lemon zest (grated)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 cups boiling water

Directions:

Put leaves and zest in pot, add boiling water.  Let steep about 5 minutes, add honey to taste.

German Erdbeer - This is a summer wine often imbibed at picnics

• 1 pounds of fresh strawberries
• 2 cups lemon balm leaves
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 bottle white wine

Directions:

1. Halve the berries, then place them in the bottom of large punch bowl or glass pitcher.
2. Sprinkle the powdered sugar over them.
3. Add the lemon balm leaves to the berries.
4. Pour wine over the berry mixture, cover, and cool in the fridge.
5. Garnish with a sprig of lemon balm

Lemon Balm happily growing

Lemon Balm Simple Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh lemon balm leaves loosely packed

Directions:

1. Stir together all 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes.
3. Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into an airtight container, removing lemon balm leaves.
4. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Syrup may be stored in refrigerator up to 1 month or kept frozen for up to one year.

Fancy Fruit Cup

This one is so simple I hate to even call it a recipe.  Cut up your favorite fruit into equal size pieces.  Add chopped lemon balm and drizzle with honey.

Sambucus Cerulea or Blue Elderberry

Elderberries are in bloom now in the lower elevations of Puget Sound.  The Blue Elderberry is the one to use instead of the Red Elderberry.

These fragrant white flowers can be gathered, steeped then the liquid sugared to make a delicious syrup.  If you have the patience to wait, the dark blue berries can be gathered in the late summer to make into a dye, syrup or wine.

Here is a recipe for making a quart of syrup:

Ingredients:

• 30 elderflower heads
• 1 quart water
• 4 cups  sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons
• zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons citric acid

1. Zest the lemons and put in a large bowl, then the citric acid and lemon juice.
2. Remove the flowers from the stalk and add to the bowl
3. Bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve.

Close up of flowers.

4. Pour the syrup into the bowl and stir to combine.
5. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it sit for 2-4 days.
6. Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean jar. Store in the fridge for up to six weeks.

This syrup has a very delicate flavor and scent.  It tastes good mixed with seltzer water or even better with some champagne.

Blue Elderberry

What to do with all those dandelions?  Roast the roots and make coffee!  I had wanted to try this beverage out for a while and with a nice pile of roots from recent weeding gave it a go.  I was really surprised at how good it tasted; it actually does taste very much like coffee with a smoky tang and a nice bitter bite.

Here’s how to make it:

First find a large dandelion plant that has not been sprayed with any kind of weed killer.  If the soil is soft it’s easier to dig them up, plants that are 3-4 years old will have bigger roots.

Dandelion

Roots

Wash the dirt from the roots with a good soak if the dirt is really sticking to them.

Clean roots

Next roast the roots; this can be done in a cast iron pan or in the oven.  If you use the oven put it on low heat, (about 250 degrees), for 1-2 hours.  I like using the frying pan method more as it’s faster and you can get a nice roasted flavor.

Roasting roots

Once they are dried and roasted put the roots in a coffee grinder and pulse.

Roots ready to be pulverized.

Ground roots

Now put the ground roots into a either a French press or a teapot and let them steep for 3-4 minutes.

Steeping roots

Pour into a cup and enjoy!  You can add sugar and cream or drink it black.

Good morning!