The changing world - how herbs can help - Weekend Recipe Marinades!

 At Backyard Patch Herbs we are always trying to be helpful and informative about why herbs are so great.  I know, I think they are really great, but you only have to go as far as you want! Some of the things we are trying to do to be more helpful, is demonstrate the easy ways to use herbs at home.

Food prices are going up so we all need to get the most out of our food budget, the Herb Mixes of Backyard Patch Herbs are still a reasonable price with a long shelf life (18 guaranteed) even though they have no preservatives.  Some of the quickest and easiest to use for cooking are our rubs, marinades and dressings.

I created some fliers about how to use herb marinades. rubs and dressings which I will share over the next few days along with a few recipes.  We will start with marinades to help get the most flavor even from a cheap cut of meat.

MARINADES

            Marinades are particularly well suited to beef and game, but can be used to liven up the mild flavor of chicken and all its relatives.  Marinades are created using a blend of oil, vinegar and seasonings that is then used as a soak for the item before it is cooked.  The ratio is generally 2/3 cup oil to 1/4 cup vinegar (or lemon juice) and herbs to taste usually around 2 tablespoons of dry herbs, more if you are using fresh. Add the dry herbs to water before adding them to the vinegar and oil.  If they are fresh just chop fine. 

The high acid content of a marinade (from vinegar) helps tenderize meat as well as impart wonderful flavors.

Always prepare your marinade in a shallow non-reactive dish or pan just large enough to hold the meat comfortably.  Be sure to turn the meat so the flavor will permeate all surfaces evenly.  Very thin cuts of meat can be marinated an hour or so at room temperature, but roasts and larger cuts should stand longer, even up to two days in the refrigerator.  Just remember to turn the meat every few hours and let it return to room temperature before cooking.

When marinating chicken, a few hours to overnight is generally long enough.  Lemon is a perfect flavor for chicken so substituting Lemon juice for the vinegar is perfect.  If you are marinating fish no more than an hour in the marinade is recommended.  The soft flesh of fish easily absorbs marinade and the acid actually “cooks” the fish, so too long can damage the texture and flavor. It is recommended to place the marinade on the fish and then cook immediately in foil, or use as a baste while grilling.

Marinade on vegetables does not need as much acid as meats and can be made with just oil.  With vegetables, one can soak them in the marinade or brush it on during grilling. Adding a bit of honey can sweeten bitter vegetables.

Backyard Patch Herbs makes a selection of Herb Seasonings to create marinades as well as dressings that double as a marinade.  For a complete list of these, check out our on-line catalog: marinades and dressings.

The Marinade Mixes at BYP include one specifically for chicken as well as several that can be used on any kind of meat or on vegetables.

Lemon Sage Turkey Rub

• 1 package BackyardPatch Lemon-Sage Marinade
• 3 Tbls Lemon Juice
• 4 Tbls olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together Lemon-Sage Marinade, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a paste.  Rub mixture over and under skin of turkey. Roast as usual.

Mediterranean Marinade

• 1 ½ Tbls. BYP Italian Dressing/Marinade Mix
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbls. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel

DIRECTIONS

Mix together.  Use to marinade meat, poultry, seafood or vegetables.  Can also be a baste on meats and vegetables.

Grilled Provençal Shrimp Skewers

• 1 1/2pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1/2cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Backyard Patch Provencal Marinade
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the mayonnaise, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper.  Thread the shrimp onto 8 skewers (soaked if wooden) and grill, uncovered, until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

 

Windy City Antipasto Salad - recipe theme

Another recipe in the monthly theme of appetizers this recipe, that I think was first shared by Kraft, gives you two for one.  A salad and an antipasto appetizer. It is wonderful served as a main dish or spread the ingredients over a bed of lettuce on a platter drizzled with dressing and served as an appetizer.  We recommend using Backyard Patch Italian Dressing / Marinade, but any Italian dressing will work for this recipe.

Windy City Antipasto Salad


6 ounces (2 cups) uncooked dry radiatori pasta (pasta nuggets)

radiatori pasta

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup pitted black olives

1 cup cubed red pepper

½ cup prepared BYP Italian Dressing / Marinade

2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained

8 ounces of cheddar or asiago cut in ½-inch cubes

8 ounces hard deli salami ½ inch cubes

3 slices red onion, cut in cubes
1 Tablespoon dried basil or 2 Tablespoons torn fresh



Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Rinse with cold water; drain.  In large salad bowl combine all salad ingredients; mix lightly.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to blend flavors before serving.  Make 8 1 ½ cup servings as a main dish (or 12 to 18 smaller appetizer-sized servings.)

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr)

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - StirFry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Fast Recipe for a Busy Weekend - Saucy Chicken

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
• 1 cup prepared BYP Italian Dressing and Marinade
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar

In a glass baking dish or zip-type bag, mix the prepared BYP Italian dressing, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard, ginger and brown sugar. Place chicken in marinade and allow to marinate overnight, or for at least eight hours.

Preheat grill to high heat or prepare charcoal as needed. Discard marinade and place chicken on grill. Grill chicken for about 30 minutes, turning often until juices run clear. Smaller parts may take less time. Serve with rice or noodles.  (This is great over boiled ramen.) Serves 4 

OPTION: You can also roast the  chicken in the oven, just place on a foil lined roasting pan and cut holes to allow juices to drain off.

Make a Famous Salad Dressing

Joe Marzetti introduced Americans to his now-famous dressings (from his native Italy) when he

opened his Columbus, Ohio, restaurant in 1896.

Richard Hellman, who owned a deli in New York City and had won numerous culinary awards, began bottling and selling his mayonnaise in 1912, first in wooden containers, then in glass jars. The

Hellman's Real Mayonnaise that we use today is basically the same recipe Hellman originated.

Caesar Cardini is credited with inventing Caesar salad in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico (although there are

those who believe it was more likely invented by Giancomo Junia, an Italian chef in Chicago, around

1903).

Ranch dressing - arguably the most popular on the market today - can be traced back to the Hidden Valley Guest Ranch near Santa Barbara, California. The owners began serving the dressing in the 1950s. Guests liked it so much that Hidden Valley began producing its instant, dry mix.

Thousand Island dressing, traditionally made from diced green olives, peppers, pickles, onions and hard-boiled eggs in a mayonnaise and chili-sauce base, dates to the early 1900s. Although often credited to a chef at New York City's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, actress May Irwin actually brought the recipe to the chef there from George and Sophia LaLonde's fishing resort in Clayton, New York.

Green Goddess, made from mayonnaise, anchovies, tarragon vinegar, parsley, scallions, garlic and spices, originated at San Francisco's Palace Hotel, where George Arliss stayed while performing the play The Green Goddess.

I always try the “house’ dressing when I go to a restaurant.  I want to know what the local chef or cook has made to dress his or her salads.  Usually a vinaigrette with a special combination of herbs and a certain acid like a flavored vinegar or a local balsamic I have never been disappointed ordering house dressing.  I think it was this virtually endless array of possibilities that first got me interested in making herb mixes. My first two blends were Dill Dip and Italian Dressing – my own version of a house vinaigrette. Since that time I have developed 11 more dressings, including my own RanchBlends and a Lemon Chive Combo that can be made into three different dressings.

Some recipes for dressing cannot be easily made into a mix however, so I thought I would share a couple of those recipes with you today.

The key to blending your own world famous dressing is to use the freshest ingredients possible.  Choose freshly squeezed lemon juice over bottled and try fresh herbs over dried. The spring cuttings from the herb garden are the sweetest and most wonderful for making and herbal dressing. Choose your vinegar based on the kind of dressing you're making: red wine, champagne, rice, white wine and apple cider vinegars all have excellent flavor. Avoid using a plain white vinegar because its flavor is sharp and severe, but if you have a white vinegar infusedwith herbs (LINK) this is a perfect time to use it.  Use a light vegetable oil, like sunflower or a canola blend, or a good-quality olive oil. Typically, dressing recipes call for two to three times the amount of oil as the amount of vinegar. I like less oil, especially if using a flavored vinegar, such as a raspberry or tarragon. Experiment to suit your taste.

Dressing in a Hurry

Fast enough to put together even after dinner guests have arrived, this is great on any combination of greens.

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 sprigs fresh, chopped, stems discarded

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 sprigs fresh, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill or 2 sprigs fresh, chopped fine (no stems)

1 clove garlic, minced

Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, honey and mustard in a bowl until blended. Slowly pour in oil, whisking constantly. Blend in the herbs and garlic. Makes 3/4 cup.

Herbed Buttermilk Dressing

2 cups buttermilk (is best, but if you do not have it you can use 2 cups milk less 2 Tbls with either 2 Tbls white vinegar or 3 1/2  teaspoons cream of tartar)

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 sprig fresh parsley, diced

5 to 10 strands of chives, sliced thin

2 green onions, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in blender and pulse blend for a few pulses. Chill before using. You can toss this with any salad.  Especially good with an abundance of vegetables. Makes 2 cups.

If you want more information on blending herb dressings and making salads they check out the book by Jim Long “The Best Dressed Salad” (Long Creek Herbs, 2006). Jim is an herb grower and lecturer who has been around longer than me and he has much information to share.

Seasoned Beef Empanadas - Weekend Recipe

Time for a quick and easy weekend recipe that has bright spring-like flavors. I made this in 15 minutes excluding the marinading.  We enjoyed it fresh and warmed up the next day.  I am sure you will love it too.

Seasoned Beef Empanadas

1/2 cup prepared BYP Italian Dressing or French Dressing

1/2 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1/3 cup regular or golden raisins

3 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

salt and black pepper

2 store-bought refrigerated rolled pie crusts

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon lime zest

Place uncooked ground beef in ½ cup of dressing and allow to marinade for an hour or overnight.

Heat oven to 375º F. Place a bit of oil in a large skillet and warm over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the marinated beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the raisins, ketchup, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Using a 2½-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles from the pie crusts. Divide the beef mixture among the circles, use your finger to wet the edge of each circle with some water, fold in half, and press with thumb or fork to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Put the sour cream in a small bowl and stir in zest.  Sprinkle a bit more on top and serve with the empanadas.

Blog Hop - Herbal Picnicking

This is a post that is part of a special Blog Hop!

Those who follow the Blog Hop all the way to its conclusion will collect letters.  You gather all the letters and you can cash them in for a set of electronic recipe cards. (The info you need is at the bottom.)

I’ve never done one of these before so this should be fun!

The theme for all the blogs in the hop is FOOD!

That was an easy one for me…

Today I thought I would share a perfect Herbal Tea Picnic.  It consists of three salads and an Herbal Tea.  You can make everything in advance and chill overnight in the refrigerator, then load into you cooler and have a grand time outside in your favorite herb garden.

These are all crafted from the savory flavor family, so the blends are not sweet and have a hint of mustard in each recipe.  I am still experimenting with the items I picked up while visiting the National Mustard Museum – check out my post!

Carrot Salad with Fennel

2 Tbls. fennel leaves, chopped

3 Cups grated carrots

2 Tbls. olive oil

1 Tbls. lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Mix together the fennel and carrots.  Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and mustard together, pour over the carrots and toss well.  Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.  Stirring occasionally.

Chilled Italian Herb Vegetables with Herbs

2 lbs. new potatoes, cut into chunks

½ tsp. salt

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tbls. red wine vinegar

1 small clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. basil, crumbled

1 tsp. oregano, crumbled

1/8 tsp. rosemary

dash ground red pepper

1 cup fresh or frozen cut green beans

1 cup chopped red pepper

¼ cup scallions

2 Tbls. capers

1 Tbls. chopped parsley

Cook potatoes with ½ tsp salt in water to cover, 12 minutes or until tender, but still firm, drain.  Mix oil, vinegar, and garlic with mustard, black pepper, ground red pepper and herbs.  In a large bowl, toss cooked potatoes, beans, red pepper and scallion.  Add dressing, toss to coat.  Cover.  Chill for 2 hours.  Serve topped with capers and parsley.

Summer Spiral Salad  

1 12-oz. bag tri-colored spiral pasta, cooked

2 cups cucumber, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

¼ cup green pepper, chopped

¼ cup green onion, chopped

1 can crab meat, flaked

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup dressing made with Backyard Patch Italian Dressing

1 Tbls yellow or grainy mustard

1 tsp. dill weed

Combine pasta, cucumber, tomato, green pepper, green onion and crab meat in a large bowl.  Combine Mayonnaise, Italian Dressing, mustard and dill and whisk together in a small bowl.  Mix dressing mixture into pasta and chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Lemon grass

Harvest Iced Tea

1 quart boiling water

2 Tbls. raspberry leaves, dried

2 Tbls lemongrass, chopped

1 Tbls. hibiscus flowers, crumbled

Pour boiling water over herbs.  Steep for 20 minutes.  Strain into ½ gallon container.  Fill with cold water.  Serve with ice and an herb leaf for garnish.

My letter for the Blog Hop is E

 

Link to the next blog:  Lilac Lane --   http://melissaslilaclane.blogspot.com/

If you want to start this Blog hop from the beginning: go here: Supporting Artist Blog Hop