The growing season is
upon us, and if we're smart, we're taking advantage of the
fresh herbs that are either flourishing in our gardens or sold
at the farmers market. But with excess comes some guilt: A
little herb goes a long way, and that generally means we
aren't using the bounty to its full advantage.
It doesn't matter if the herbs are growing
in a pot on the patio or waiting in your fridge. In the former
case, it's important to clip herbs—pinching helps them grow
fuller while preventing them from flowering. (Once it has
flowered, an herb has finished contributing to culinary
society, and the flavor party's over.) If they're just sitting
in the fridge, their power wanes with each passing day, and
your money is being wasted.
Here's a simple idea: Make herb-inspired
simple syrups. They're called simple for a reason, and are
delicious added to iced teas, carbonated waters, cocktails.
(Start with 1 tablespoon per cup of liquid, then add according
to taste.) Herbal syrups also can be fun mixed into granitas,
dessert sauces, vinaigrettes and marinades, depending on the
herb being used.
This basic recipe comes from chef Jerry
Traunfeld in "The Herbfarm Cookbook," but we use a
lot more herbs than he does:
Heat 1 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar in a
medium saucepan over medium heat to a boil, stirring
occasionally so the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the
heat. Add 5 (Traunfeld) to 10 (us) sprigs of your herb of
choice. Steep 30 minutes or more; the longer it stands, the
stronger it gets. Pour the syrup through a sieve into a
container; discard spent herbs and let mixture cool. The syrup
will keep, refrigerated, for many weeks.
