A Botanical Superhero

As national herb week wraps up today, I hope you have drawn inspirition to plant and cook with more fresh herbs in your daily diet. Last year dill held the title spot and this year horseradish is herb of the year. It happens to be one of those ingredients that I have integrated in many of my cookbooks + TV show recipes over the years to add a little kick in flavor and dress up even the most ordinary dishes to be more memorable, like smashed potatoes. Caution, fresh horseradish is one of those flavor profiles that sneaks up on your palate, and is usually followed by a teary eyed "wow that's got bite!" response.

Fresh horseradish root has a shelf life of a few weeks in the refrigerator. It's also always good to have prepared horseradish in long lasting jarred condiment form on hand, like Golds, for those impromptu entertaining moments to quickly fix up dips, sauces or dressings.

Horseradish is also considered a botanical superhero, recorded since ancient times with great medicinal properties; ideal for healing sinus conditions and boosting circulation. It's easy to grow in your garden, but been known to be a bit invasive, aka a root bully.

As per many hollywood movies, the bloody mary has the reputation for being a hangover helper, but today's inspiration is all about horseradish and making this refreshing cocktail for a late spring evening cocktail which can be enjoyed with or without liquor.

The Bloody Mary

It's one of those cocktails that doesn't have an exact recipe, per say. Everyone seems to have their own rendition of this recipe. I prefer mine with a bit of spicy kick; horseradish and a little hot sauce. 

To Make Bloody Mary Mix | from George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series
Fill a two quart glass pitcher with: 
46 ounces tomato juice
2-4 Tablespoons horseradish
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon crushed celery seed
2 teaspoons hot sauce
Juice of two limes 

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
 

For a Virgin Mary, serve Bloody Mary Mix over crushed ice and garnish.

For a Bloody Mary Cocktail; add 1 oz vodka to a highball glass filled with ice, then fill glass with pre-made bloody mix. Stir, garnish and serve. 

Garnish should include a celery stalk and lime wedge. Optional additions may include olives, pickles, pickled asparagus spears, carrots, cured meat, smoked fish and semi-hard cheeses. 

Agretti

Agretti, meaning little sour one, is a salty-like heirloom herb with a succulent texture and a pleasantly acidic bite. I predict agretti soon to be a very popular green in the US. Originating in the mediterranean, it is now being harvested in California and available at Italian specialty markets. You may also see it identified at roscana aka in Italy.

It has a short harvest season in early spring. You'll find them packed in bunches that resemble the grass like look of spring chives. Agretti is best eaten when young and enjoyed fresh or cooked. 

Simply served chopped and tossed fresh in mixed salads for a slightly salty crunch. To cook, chop and sauté with olive oil, garlic and pepperchino as great by itself or mixed, better yet served with a little fresh pappardelle. 

Agretti's botanical name is Salsola soda, a relative to the tumbleweed, Salsola tragus. Ukrainian immigrants settling in the Great Plains are thought to have brought these plants to establish their fragile roots into U.S. soil.

A bit more:  Agretti should not to be confused with Russian Thistle - the plant commonly known as Tumbleweed. You wouldn’t want to eat it, the thorns on Tumbleweed would be a little rough on the digestion, even though in times of drought ranchers of yesteryear fed it to cattle during excessive droughts.

Cinco de Mayo

As one of the most popular herbs today because of its big, bold flavor - cilantro makes a statement with its leaves for Mexican cuisine, and coriander seeds in Middle Eastern cooking. Cilantro’s appearance may sometimes be mistaken for Italian Flat Parsley, but one whiff of its fragrance, will set you straight. 

Cilantro or Coriandrum sativum (for you Latin lovers) has medicinal properties that rivals its role as a spice. Cilantro has been used since before BC. as a digestive aid to relief indigestion, and recent studies show that cilantro also has anti-inflammatory properties as well. I hope by now you are understanding the connection between how good fresh herbs are for you - even beyond the kitchen. But you wouldn’t know that by seeing all those TV commercials pushing OTC meds.

This week Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated worldwide honoring Mexican heritage; marking the defeat of the French Army after invading the Americas. But believe it or not, this commemorative holiday is celebrated by more people in California than Mexico. And, many festive ways are used to mark the occasion beyond cervesa and tequila. Dances and music mark the occasion to preserve & educate the public of its historical significance and culture.

But as with any celebration, food does take center stage. So with honor to the Mexican people - May 5th, I give a nod to the big bold flavor of the cilantro leaf, also known as Chinese parsley.

If you are looking for dishes with bold flavor; I created this for my visit on Live with Regis & Kelly. You will certainly want to try my Mexican Calzones. Yes, they are as good as it sounds! Enjoy the calzone with my 60 second guacamole, salsa and tomatillo dipping sauce. 

Herb of the Year

In 1991, the International Herb Association (IHA) established National Herb Week, to be celebrated during the week prior to Mother's Day. This year they named dill, Anethum graveolens, aka dill weed, as the herb of the Year for 2010.

The herb dill brings to mind the image of a crispy dill pickle. The pickling process is with the use of dill seeds. Dill seed is used as a spice with a flavor somewhat similar to caraway; but resembles fresh or dried dill weed. The seeds are stronger and more flavorful than the leaves and are most commonly associated with the cuisines of Scandinavia and Germany.

Dill weed is also a beautiful garnish; its green leaves are wispy and fernlike and have a fresh, sweet taste.

Using Dill Ideas:

Excellent herb to use when cooking fish, especially salmon and trout, as the delicate flavors complement each other.

Use dill weed as an added ingredient in sandwiches such as tuna, ham or grilled chicken.

For a meza or appetizer: Combine dill weed with Greek yogurt and chopped cucumber for making Tzatziki.

Add dill to your favorite egg salad or top deviled eggs.

Go French, with a cool Nicoise Salad made with grilled tuna steak, steamed Yukon potatoes, green beans, tomatoes and white beans. Mix with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

And, where would gravlax be without dill? Serve on multi-grain dark bread with fresh dill while toasting the year of this 2010 herb with ice frozen Aquavit from Scandinavia flavored with dill seed.

Skoal! 

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