Fragrant Fried Herbs
Crisp-fried herbs are an unexpected (and delicious!) garnish for the likes of pastas, salads, soups and more.
Ingredients:
Fresh herbs of your choice, such as basil, mint and sage leaves, plus parsley, thyme and rosemary sprigs
Neutral frying oil, such as canola or vegetable
Method:
1. Wash and dry all herbs thoroughly. The herbs need to be very dry to prevent splattering when fried.
2. Pour oil about ¼ -inch deep in a small pot and bring to 325°. (To test the heat, drop a small piece of bread into the oil and it should turn golden brown in about 30 seconds).
3. Working in batches, drop a few herbs at a time into the hot oil. Cook for 30 seconds. Flip over using tongs and continue cooking for 30 seconds to 1 min, or until the herb appears slightly darkened in colour and evenly fried. Gently remove from oil with tongs and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Allow to cool before serving.
Sun-Ripened Recipes
No matter how you pronounce it, the word ‘tomato’ practically sings of summer, as well it should as the vine-ripened beauties are now ready to be plucked from the vine—and headed straight for your box. Thus, this week’s delivery pays homage to the ripe, juicy tomato with the first of the heirloom varieties and a bevy of complementary ingredients like Pain au Levain bread, farm-fresh eggs, Tomme-style sheep’s cheese and summery basil, plus other seasonal produce like cucumbers, fennel, fava beans and ripe apricots. So, uncork a bottle of wine, peruse a few recipes and enjoy these bright and beautiful summer favorites to their fullest.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
How-To: Prep Fava Beans
Our quick guide to peeling and prepping fresh fava beans.
Fava Bean Dip
This simple, fresh dip enhances the inherent nutty flavor of fresh fava beans.
Grain Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
Drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette, this crisp salad is accented by green olives and sweet onions.
Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Bread Panzanella
The beauty of this summery salad is in its simplicity: Be sure to use good-quality olive oil and season generously!
Shaved Fennel Salad with Beets & Raspberries
Tossed with a raspberry-honey vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.
Roasted Apricots with Rosemary
Topped with a honeyed yogurt cream, these baked apricots make for a lovely summer dessert.
Roasted Apricots with Rosemary
Topped with a honeyed yogurt cream, these baked apricots make for a lovely summer dessert.
Ingredients:
10 apricots, washed and dried
3 large sprigs rosemary
½ vanilla pod (reserve the other half for the serving cream)
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup orange juice (from roughly 2 oranges)
3 tablespoons honey
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Honeyed yogurt cream:
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup heavy cream
Seeds from ½ vanilla pod
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Cut the apricots in half (leave the pit in – it looks nice and helps to keep the fruit from collapsing completely) and arrange, cut-side up on a baking dish large enough to accommodate them in one layer. Tuck the rosemary sprigs, ½ vanilla pod and the orange peel in and around the apricots, then pour the orange juice all over to moisten the apricots.
2. Drizzle honey all over and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, basting and gently shaking the baking dish from time to time to make sure the fruit doesn’t burn. The apricots are done when they are soft but have not collapsed completely.
3. To make the yogurt honey cream, combine all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until soft waves form. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Transfer the apricots onto serving plates and drizzle over the sticky juices. Dollop a large spoonful of the yogurt honey cream on the side and scatter the toasted almonds on top.
Rosemary-Honey Marinated Oranges
Kissed with sweet honey and fragrant rosemary, these oranges are incredible served with ice cream for dessert!
Ingredients:
1 (20-ounce) jar with a lid
4-6 small-medium sized Cara Cara oranges
2 tablespoons honey
Sprigs of fresh rosemary, washed and dried
Juice from 1 small Cara Cara orange
Method:
1. Peel the oranges by slicing about ½-inch off of each end. Then, standing them on one of their flat bases, use a paring knife to carefully cut just between the pith and flesh, moving the knife downwards and following the curve of the orange. Remove any excess pith, then cut the oranges horizontally into thin (approximately ¼-inch) round slices. Set aside.
2. Gently remove the leaves from one or two of the rosemary sprigs and set aside.
3. Add a few slices of the oranges into the 20-ounce jar, drizzle with about ½-teaspoon of the honey and a few of the rosemary leaves. Repeat this process until you’ve reached the top of the jar. If you’ve reached the top and still have a few orange slices left, gently press down of those already in the jar. Add a few rosemary sprigs to the jar, along the sides, between the sides of the oranges and the glass. Lastly, pour in the juice, then close the jar tightly and let the oranges marinate for at least 24 hours, and up to 5 days, in the refrigerator.
