Thursday, July 01, 2010

herb garden

Welcome to my herb garden which me dear husband planted.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.
Fresh Basil too.
These are a few friends of mine.

Basil is one of the few herbs that enhances the flavor. Always add last, overcooking kills the flavor. My great aunt put basil in all kinds of things. I once saw her put it in her hot oatmeal. I ask her why and she said she was a little conjested and this was as good a way as any to break up the phlegm. Basil has particular phlegm breaking flavonoids and volatile oils. In the fall she would put a few stalks and leaves in a bottle of vinegar and in a bottle of olive oil. She used these through the winter. The vinegar is great with greens and on salids. The olive oil makes a wonderful cooking oil. You can dry basil but never freeze it. I tried it and it turns into a useless mess. Not to worry, dried basil will keep for months and it is easy to keep a couple plants growing on the window seal through the winter. (found here)

Fresh Pesto Recipe

2 cups fresh basil leaves 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/3 cup pine nuts and or walnuts 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil salt & pepper to taste

Cook the garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned. Let the garlic cool, and remove the skins. Toast the nuts in a pan until lightly brown. Use a mortar and pestle or a food processor to mix the ingredients. Serve with pasta, over baked potatoes or spread over toast.

By Harvey Robinson (years to your heath.com)

17 comments:

BALLET NEWS said...

Oh my goodness ! The heaven of fresh pesto every day. How lovely does that herb garden look in the sunlight. Wonderful !

pve design said...

Ballet News /Elise,
Love to serve you some fresh pesto~
pve

La Maison Fou said...

We did veggies this year;
next year will be herbs for me!
Love that rock wall in the background.
L.

pve design said...

La Maison Fou-
We have some wonderful rocks all around us...perfect for planting controlled gardens.
Mint is in pots as it takes over like the boss!
pve

Anonymous said...

fresh pesto, delicious! Wonderful to have such a lovely herb garden too.

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

What a gorgeous garden. How lucky are you??

Jo said...

My husband built me a raised herbed {kitchen garden} garden a few years ago when he built our patio. I love to use them when I cook. Your pesto sounds delish ~ perfect for a summer supper.

Jo

Emily said...

I love your patio and herb garden. I could just picture you walking quietly along the stone bench with a glass of wine white, snipping a few herbs here and there for a yummy dinner. I love your aunty's advice on the health benefits of basil.

Simply Mel {Reverie} said...

Gorgeous herb garden ~ these little tasty treats from nature make any recipe taste better...especially when picked fresh from the garden!

Unknown said...

Lovely little spot and so near your kitchen, you just step outside and there it is! Well, until your house starts growing...
XX
V.

My Notting Hill said...

Love your garden. The stone walls are fab w/your slate patio.

Summer Wind said...

LOVE pesto! Your little garden is so pretty!

René said...

Oh I adore your herb garden. What a calm and peaceful space filled with lovely fragrance. Something tells me that you are a wonderful cook.

-Rene

Jennifer said...

love your work!

Janet said...

We don't quite have enough basil to make pesto, but as soon as we do, I will be using pve's pesto recipe! Thank you, and bon apetit.

Megan // Honey We're Home said...

Your herb garden is fabulous. We are moving to a new home next Saturday and I specifically asked the landscaper to create a small spot where I could plant an herb garden- never done it before, crossing my fingers!

LindsB said...

I'm so jealous! What a fabulous garden to have right outside your back door!