SAGE ADVICE

from Pullman Local — Summer 2020, Issue No. 3

SHOP LOCAL: MAKER MARKETPLACE

FROM SMOOT’S FLAVOR FARM & THREE FORKS NUTRITION

By: Anna Grindeland & Lindsey Myron

Incorporating fresh herbs into your kitchen can open up your home cooking to abundantly simple, yet delicious flavors. Not only are they full of flavor, herbs are packed with health-promoting vitamins, antioxidants, and compounds that can ease digestive issues, improve blood pressure, and beef up the immune system. Health benefits aside, creating flavorful food makes eating a more pleasurable experience and can bring your nutritional goals within reach. Not sure where to start? We’ve teamed up to bring you five tips to get you started.

Spice up your salads

We all know dressings add flavor and healthy fats to salads, but have you tried adding fresh herbs straight into your greens? It’s a great way to add a burst of flavor in every bite. Try tossing in whole or thinly sliced leaves of mint, basil or chives to your green salad and dress it like you normally would.

Know when to add them

Herbs can be classified as either tender or woody, a distinction that will help you know when to add them in cooking. Tender herbs have soft stems and delicate leaves, whereas woody herbs have stiff stems and tougher leaves. The delicate flavors of tender herbs are easily lost in cooking and are best added as a garnish or at the very end of cooking (during the last five minutes or less). The more pungent flavors of woody herbs are often too intense to serve raw and can endure longer cooking times at higher temperatures.

Pro Tip: The soft stems of tender herbs are full of flavor too and all parts can be used. If you’re using woody herbs, you’ll need to de-stem the leaves first. Simply pinch the tip of the sprig and run your fingers down the stem, top to bottom, and discard the stem.

One of our favorite herbal recipes is a Green Goddess Dressing. It’s a quick and easy blended sauce that can be paired with just about anything (more vegetables, anyone?). Blend 2 cups of stemmed herbs (try chives, tarragon and parsley), 2 cloves garlic, 2 anchovy fillets (packed in oil works best), the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar until smooth. Add ½ cup each of plain Greek yogurt and canola oil, blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Learn how to chiffonade (“shif-oh-nod”)

Chiffonade is a slicing technique to create thin strips of herbs for an elegant garnish. You can fancify even the simplest of foods, like pizza, with this simple technique. Mint, basil and flat-leaved herbs can all be cut chiffonade style and the preparation will release even more flavor.

So how do you chiffonade? De-stem your herbs and make a stack of 4-5 leaves. Gently roll the leaves lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, gently slice the roll of herbs into thin strips.

Find the right pairings (with chart)

There are dozens of culinary herbs to choose from, but don’t let the options overwhelm you. Use this chart to help you pair the right herbs with the right ingredients.

If you’re eager for more, visit our blogs for more recipes and consider joining Smoot’s Flavor Farm’s herbal subscription this summer. Each week you’ll receive a bouquet of fresh herbs paired with simple recipes for you to foster the flavor in your kitchen. There are a limited number of spots available for 2020. Contact Lindsay for more information.

Smoot’s Flavor Farm was started in 2019 by Pullman local, Lindsay Myron. Rooted at the base of Smoot Hill, 10 miles north of Pullman, Smoot’s Flavor Farm specializes in culinary and tea herbs for professional chefs, fanatic foodies and experimental enthusiasts across the Inland Northwest.

lindsay@smootsflavorfarm.com Smootsflavorfarm.com IG: @Smoots_Flavor_Farm

Anna Grindeland is a local dietitian who believes in separating fact from myth when it comes to good nutrition. She offers individual nutrition counseling to adults and children at her independent nutrition practice, Three Forks Nutrition, located in downtown Pullman. anna.grindeland1@gmail.com threeforksnutrition.com IG: @threeforksnutrition