Four Ways to Enjoy Fresh Herbs This Summer

Fresh herbs can add flavor, color, and nutrients to pretty much any dish and drink. Fresh herbs transform any meal from something ordinary into something special. Next time you visit your favorite farmers’ market stand, ask how they can be best enjoyed for maximum flavor and freshness. A few ideas to take advantage of the abundance of fresh herbs during the summertime…

Nasturtium harvesting at Craigardan, by Jeff Mertz

Picking and washing parsley at Essex Farm, by Ben Stechschulte

Rosemary at Oregano Flats Farm, by Ben Stechschulte

1.  Make a chimichurri sauce, to put on everything. This fresh and tangy sauce makes a great marinade or dressing for grilled meat and veggies. But it also would be great on tacos, a sandwich, salads..the list goes on. Most recipes call for parsley, oregano, and cilantro, but use whatever tender herbs that you like best. Find a recipe on Bonappetit.com
2. Flavor your favorite dessert. Lavender is in full bloom around the Adirondack region right now, and you can pick your own at Lavenlair Farm and the Adirondack View Vineyard and Lavender Farm. Lavender pairs especially well with lemon, like in this lemon lavender cake from My Saratoga Kitchen Table. See the recipe on MySaratogaKitchenTable.com
3. Brew fresh herbal iced tea. For a refreshing drink, simply pour hot water over your desired herbs (mint, lavender, lemon balm, tulsi, thyme, chamomile…) in a heat-safe vessel and let steep. Strain out the herbs and chill in the refrigerator. Find a more detailed recipe here.
4. Add herbs to your summer salads. Tear a few leaves of basil, cilantro dill, or parsley into your salad for an instant flavor boost. Or, make your own dressing and stir in fresh herbs. This herby buttermilk dressing from our friends at Essex Farm will impress even the veggie skeptics in your house. Find the recipe at essexfarmcsa.com

Tips for Storing and Using Fresh Herbs

• -Try to purchase or pick herbs just before using them
• -Store them like cut flowers in water on the countertop or in a damp towel or open plastic bag in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator
• -Substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs in recipes by using 3 times as much as you would use of dried herbs
• -Add delicate herbs, like dill, parsley, and cilantro just before serving, and more sturdy herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage while cooking