Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Grilled Scallops with Lemon Ginger Sauce; the Update

The other night, after the giant spider incident, I dreamed one was chasing me around the house.  Smart woman that I am, I ran outside, hoping to lead it out.

It stopped at the door.

And waved good bye.

I've seen one each evening since that night.

Mon mari has dutifully dispatched them.

Mon mari has asked me to, please, stop looking at the walls and ceilings.

As if!

We're quite certain we know the reason why we are having this invasion.

Mon mari pissed them off.

They used to, very happily, stay in their area of the house.... That used to look like this:

 

Now it looks like this:

 

You can see why they might be a bit cross with us.

Mon mari hauled 6 trailer loads of that lovely insulation away last week.  We're getting ready for the stairs, which we'll be in the center.  Once those are in he can start work on the 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms that will fill this space.

The rafters and wires were used to dry tobacco.  We thought we had left the tobacco fields behind when we left Andorra, but it's a major crop in this area as well.

The current access is up these lovely stairs in the barn:

In other news this week, he tiled half of the hall:

 

We now have tile coming out of the kitchen into the hall.

Ain't life grand?

For my part.... I feed him well.....

Grilled Scallops with Lemon Ginger Sauce

Scallops cook quickly on the barbecue. You can use a grill pan or mat to cook them on, but, for easy handling, skewers work well, not through the 'center', but from side to side, so they lie flat. Be careful not to over cook the scallops or they can be tough

12oz (350gr) sea scallops (large scallops)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp paprika, hot or sweet
1 tbs olive oil
skewers if scallops are small - makes it easier to grill
Lemon Ginger Sauce

If using wooden skewers soak in water for a few minutes.
Mix oil, soy sauce and paprika. Toss scallops with sauce. Thread onto skewers, if using. Grill over direct heat 3 - 5 minutes per side, until they are opaque. Remove and serve with Lemon Ginger Dipping Sauce - either on the skewers or off.

Lemon Ginger Dipping Sauce

1/2 tbs minced ginger - the equivalent of 3 'quarter' or '1 euro' size slices
1 shallot
2 tsp walnut oil
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml white wine
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp soy sauce

Finely chop shallot. Peel and mince ginger. Squeeze lemon, you should have 1 1/2 - 2 tbs juice from each half. Heat oil in small saucepan. Add shallot and ginger and sauté briefly. Add chicken stock and white wine. Bring to a boil and boil until reduced by half. Add lemon juice and soy sauce, heat briefly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Now, the bad news:  Once again my cooktop is in the shop for repair.  If they don't get it fixed properly this time I'm going to send the spiders after them.

So there!

Chard, Chicken and Mushroom Quiche; Misbehaving Butternut Squash

This is what happens when butternut squash misbehaves:

 

It rather makes one wonder what goes on out there in the garden in the middle of the night, doesn't it?

For reference, this is what a proper butternut squash looks like.

 

I believe the green squash is the result of an illicit affair with either the 8-ball zucchini across the path or the cucumber next door.

I haven't quite decided what action to take regarding this situation.  I was in the garden this morning, debating, when I noticed 2 more.

This was a very bad butternut, indeed. 

I think I'll harvest one tonight and see what's inside.... Stay tuned ;-))

The sunflowers are well on their way to harvest time; barely a hint of yellow left in the field:

They are, now, all contemplating their roots

Last:  the newest creature to join us in our house....

 

Occasionally they are neither ugly or scary.  He was a little over an inch (3cm) from wingtip to wingtip.

I did not kill him.

I did assist him in finding his way back outside, however.

I've been on a quiche kick lately.  I decided that it's a lot like risotto: a great way to clean out the fridge.

And use up whatever the garden offers that day.

I make it with my brown rice crust, as usual.....

Chard, Chicken and Mushroom Quiche

2/3 cup quick-cooking brown rice    substitute Basmati
1 1/3 cup chicken stock
1 egg
1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) shredded cheese, any flavor   it helps to bind the crust
1 chicken breast
7oz (200gr) chard
4oz (120gr) mushrooms
3oz (90gr) Brie    or other strong, soft cheese
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp olive oil plus a bit for the dish
3 eggs
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) milk

The Crust: Cook rice in stock according to package instructions. When done, spread out on a plate for 5 minutes to allow to cool a bit.
Lightly oil a 10" (25 cm) pie or quiche plate. Lightly whisk 1 egg. Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese and the cooked rice. Mix well. Pat into the quiche plate, working it up the sides as best you can. Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 8 minutes. Remove.

The Filling:   Wash the chard and trim any bad bits. Stack the leaves together and fold over, the long way. Slice into thin strips, using both leaves and stems.
Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add the chicken breast and sauté until cooked through.  Remove and set aside.  Add the chard to the skillet and sauté until wilted and tender, about 7 minutes.  Remove from heat. Clean and slice mushrooms. Slice Brie, 1/4" thick.  Slice chicken.  Whisk eggs and milk together.

To assemble: Lay the mushrooms on the crust,  Top with the sliced chicken, the Brie and the chard.  Sprinkle with oregano.   Pour the egg mixture over all and bake for 30 minutes, until center has set. Remove and let rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Note: When baking quiches or tarts, I put the dish on a sturdy baking tray, before pouring in the egg mixture, for easier handling. The dish can get very full.

I'm really enjoying the Rainbow Chard I planted.... A new vegetable!

I think I know where the spiders are coming from..... Tell you tomorrow

Mushrooms Stuffed with Browned Shallots and Chevre; it was a BIG spider

I used to love this time of year.

I loved watching the leaves slowly turn from summer greens to brilliant reds, oranges and golds.

They don't really do that here.

I loved the cool crisp evenings with the bright harvest moon of October.

Here, the nights skip cool and go right to cold, rainy winter.

I loved getting out the colorful knit sweaters and warm wool clothing.

Here I have a few more months before I shed the sleeveless tops.

We do, however, get all of the wonderful fall foods: wild mushrooms, winter squashes and pumpkins, apples and nuts.

I could adjust to fall here, with it's modest 'change of season' ritual.... 

If it wasn't for the one ritual I have learned to dread since deciding to live in ancient French farmhouses.

The annual spider migration.

All summer long we've had small to medium size daddy-long-leg type spiders everywhere.  They spin webs faster than the blink of an eye and are in every corner.  At least once a week I suck them all into the Hoover, plus a few flies to feed them, and that's that.

I don't even scream when I see them, and have been known to actually brush them off the furniture with my very own bare hands.

I'm not happy with the webs everywhere, but I can live with it.

Last night the big guys showed up.

Every year in the fall, at our house in the Vendée, the big spiders would start moving into the house.

Every year mon mari would be required to drop whatever he was doing at my first scream and deal with the spider.  I don't actually require that they be killed (although he does); I just want them out of my presence.... and house.

In my opinion, they were big spiders.

Mon mari always pooh-poohed, saying they were mere babies and I didn't know what a truly big spider looked like.

Now I do.

He was big....

At least 5 feet across....

Okay, okay, 5 inches (12cm).

And that is not an exaggeration.

His body was probably an inch across but his legs were enormous!

I screamed (naturally).

Mon mari groused (naturally).

And walked into the bedroom (why are they always in the bedroom?) with a tissue - his customary WSD (Weapon of Spider Destruction).

He took one look at it and went out to the barn to get his heavy-duty broom.

I told you it was big....

I assume they spend the summer in the walls and start to move inside as the days get shorter.

Our walls are 2' (60cm) thick (I measured).  They're built of stone.  One would think the spiders could find a perfectly adequate space to live in somewhere in the walls if they didn't want to move on to new digs.  

Unless....

They grew too big for the walls.....

I wish I could explain to them that, they can have the walls but if they come inside they die.

I'd be perfectly happy if they kept to their place and I could keep to mine and never the twain shall meet.

I think they know they have the upper hand, though.... At least with me.

Apparently my screams aren't nearly as irritating to them as they are to mon mari.

He did make a deal with me, though.....

After all my trips to the hospital - some unplanned at a moment's notice, he promised to kill all spiders without complaint.

I guess he doesn't consider grumbling under his breath as actual complaint.

Whatever....

The other thing I like about fall is stuffing vegetables.  I stuff them all, any kind, any size... First course, main course, side dish....

Stuffed Mushrooms with Browned Shallots and Garlic

6 large mushrooms, (1 1/2 - 2" diameter, 4 - 5cm)
2 shallots
3 cloves garlic
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp soy sauce
3oz (90gr) soft goat cheese it comes in a little 4-sided pyramid shaped carton; my 'brand' is Chevraux, I think in the U.S. it's Chavrie
Tomato Sauce

Clean mushrooms, removing stems.
Roughly chop the shallots and mince garlic. Heat 2 tsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until shallots start to brown, about 10 minutes. Put shallots, garlic in a small bowl, add goat cheese and mix well.
Add 1 tsp oil and soy sauce to the same skillet. Add mushroom caps and sauté until light brown, 3 - 4 minutes, turning once. Remove and place on a baking sheet - with a lip so they don't slide off.
Spoon goat cheese mixture into mushroom caps, dividing evenly. Bake in 375F (180C) oven for 10 minutes, until they are light brown.
To finish: When mushrooms are done remove from oven. Spoon some tomato sauce onto the bottom of 2 small plates. Divide the mushrooms and arrange on sauce. Serve, garnished with olives if you have them.

Tomato Sauce

4oz (120ml) tomato sauce
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp dried basil

Heat all ingredients in a small saucepan.

In addition to the above, for the week of August 28 we have Barbecue Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Salmon with Tomato Tarragon Sauce, Cobb Pasta Salad, Potato Tomato Gratin, nd more....

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list each Thursday.  First two weeks FREE.   (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin; Enlightening travel

Years ago, before we lived here, we were in London, window-shopping with another couple.  The wife spotted a figurine she wanted to add to her collection.  They discussed it a bit, as it was rather expensive, then decided to buy it.

She asked if the husband had a check. 

He did.

He opened his wallet and pulled a single, unattached, folded, check out and handed it to her.

As an American who never left home without a full checkbook, and regularly had at least 50 to reconcile at the end of the month, I thought that was more than just a bit bizarre.

Then we moved to Ireland.

I soon learned that carrying around a single check was the norm, not the exception.  Checks were only used when one didn't have time to get the cash to pay someone who didn't accept bank cards.

In other words: rarely.

We lived there a year and I think I used about 25 checks.

I've been writing a few more than usual since we've moved: to pay for the windows, the first electric bill, first phone bill (while setting up the auto-pay).  Last week I wrote one to pay for the stairs we ordered.  I noted that there were only 5 left in the checkbook.... And wondered if I needed to do something.  I didn't get a chance. 

Like magic, three days later a new checkbook arrived in the post.

I haven't carried a checkbook since we've lived on this side of the pond.  I do carry a single check in my wallet.  I've even used it on occasion.

It's a little thing, this difference in handling checks; but it represents something huge.

The first time I saw my friend pull out a single, folded check I remember thinking: What's with him?  Doesn't he know he can carry the whole checkbook with him?  Is he afraid he can't control his spending if he has more checks?  How weird!

I hadn't traveled much at that point.

People who don't travel tend to see the world through their own, often narrow field of vision.

They look at other cultures actions and reactions as their own.... And don't understand when they are different.

I know many people who don't travel - and, yes, not traveling tends to be American rather than European.

The reasons are many and varied, but often come down to things like:

Why should I leave this country, I haven't seen everything here yet.

Why should I travel to 'X' country, they hate Americans.

Here's why you should:

If you traveled, you wouldn't be surprised when I said we didn't have a local cupcake shop.

If you traveled, you wouldn't be surprised to learn that you can't get lunch in a restaurant before 12:00 in France; or after 2:00.  But, in Spain you can't get lunch before 2:00....

If you traveled you would learn that it's disrespectful to enter a church: with a baseball cap on, or in short shorts, or without your arms covered, or without your head covered, or without shoes, or with shoes or all of the above, or none of the above.

If you traveled you would learn that behavior that is acceptable in your country may not be acceptable elsewhere.

If you traveled you would learn that behavior that is unacceptable in your country may be acceptable elsewhere.

If you traveled you would learn that people are different in different cultures.  You may grasp the fact, intellectually, without ever leaving your hometown.  But, without traveling, without meeting new people, seeing new places, experiencing new cultures, you won't understand it.

Without understanding it, we are doomed to thinking that our own culture is the best and we have a right and duty to help the rest of the world see the error of their ways.  We know that, once enlightened to the superiority of our ways, these lesser cultures will be forever grateful.

Does anyone know how many different countries/cultures know that theirs is the best?  And feel pity on anyone not blessed to be 'one of them'?

I can think of at least 6.....

Kind of scary isn't it?

On a lighter note.....

You all know about the famous or infamous 'rude' French waiters, right?

Did you all know that there is no French word for 'rude'?

Barbecued Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

It doesn't take a lot of stuffing... And it kind of oozes out the top.... But, it does get nicely caramelized on top and keeps the pork moist. Cook the pork, stuffing side up, without turning, in a covered grill.

1 pork tenderloin, 14oz, 400gr
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms about 1 oz (50gr)
1 1/2 tbs bread crumbs
1 tbs ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs snipped fresh rosemary substitute 1 tsp dried
1 tbs snipped fresh chives substitute 1 tsp dried
Barbecue Sauce

Chop mushrooms and mince or crush garlic. Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add paprika and sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes, until starting to brown and soften.
Meanwhile, butterfly pork tenderloin - cut it in half lengthwise leaving 1/4 inch intact - so that you can open it like a book. Open it and give it a couple of whacks with a meat mallet so that it lies flattish... or pound lightly with the edge of a plate. You just want it to be flat and easy to work with. When mushrooms are done put into a small bowl and add bread crumbs, herbs, Worcestershire and ketchup. Mix well and spread on one side of pork about 1/8 inch from the edge. Fold other side over and tie with kitchen string. Cut five 6 inch lengths of string and wrap around pork and tie every 2 inches - making certain that you do one as close to each end as possible.
Cook pork on barbecue grill for 30 minutes or until done, basting during the last 10 minutes with Barbecue Sauce. When done, slice and serve with more Barbecue Sauce on the side.

Barbecue sauce

1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) ketchup
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) tomato sauce
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs molasses
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring frequently. Simmer 10 - 15 minutes, remove from heat and use when needed. Sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

What is also kind of scary are the trips my mind can take on the way back from our letter box......

Pasta with Avocado and Chevre; the Update

Lest you think mon mari is totally ignoring my kitchen cabinets......

 

He did manage to get 4 more doors done....

That would be 10 down, 18 to go.  But, who's counting?

He finished another ceiling, but this one was easy....

 

Just a bit of patching, sanding and a coat of white paint.

Then, shall we say, he bent his attention to the floor.

 

He filled in the gaps in the door openings with cement, to finish leveling the floor so he could lay tile

In his spare time he managed to fetch some firewood

 

And do some of the, much-hated, plumbing, to get an outdoor faucet near the house and another by my garden.

(Can you hear the sound of the whip being cracked?)

I, on the other hand, am lazing around the house nibbling bon bons.

Well, I did manage to freeze 15 kilos of tomatoes in various forms of sauce, chopped, etc., as well as at least that much zucchini (courgette) in various forms as well. 

My freezer is now full.

What am I going to do will all the butternut squash that are ripening?!?!?

You'll have to forgive this next recipe.....

it's incredibly simple with only 4 ingredients - but you can pretend you slaved all day.

And it's high fat, with the goat cheese and avocado - but mainly heart-healthy fats.

I'm still trying to fatten him up after his last hospital stay.  If only I could give him the calories from my half, as well.....

Pasta with Avocado and Chevre

1 1/4 cup pasta
 1 ripe avocado
3oz (90gr) soft goat cheese (Chavrie, Chevraux)
1/2 cup Greek olives

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.  Do not rinse.
Cut avocado into small cubes.  Pit olives and cut in half.  Combine goat cheese and pasta; stir well to combine.  Add avocado, olives, stir gently and serve.

 

It's simple.... but tasty....

Tortilla de Calabacín; Flowering Villages

Once in a blue moon the travel gods smile down and we stumble into fairyland for a brief moment.

As we drove into this village last week, we were fascinated by the 'flowers' covering the street.

It was so beautiful and fantastic..... But hard to capture with a few photos

Every street was festooned in a different color

 

The village square had a pole in the center, from which purple flowers went all around.

Beneath the walkways wisteria hung down.

It took the town's residents 6 months to make and hang the garlands of flowers. 

The occasion was a 2-day festival  the first weekend in July, honoring the poetry and music of the language of Occitan.  This is a roving, annual festival; it was in this village, this year. 

A neighboring village was celebrating it's 750th anniversary.  In honor of the occasion the Maire (mayor) asked the primary school children to create tiles, painted in the village colors, of their favorite sights from around the town.

 

The art teacher coordinated their efforts with this mosaic, from 170 students, the result.  It will hang in the Mairie (Town Hall).

It was a good day.....

Still have zucchini in the garden?

Try this....

Tortilla de Calabacín (Spanish-Style Omelet with Zucchini)

Zucchini is everywhere in summer! If you don't have it in abundance or simply don't want it, you can substitute fried, sliced potatoes, sautéed onions or sliced tomatoes. Everything else stays the same. You can trim the rind off of the brie, or not. I didn't. It left interesting white strips on top of the omelet. I don't flip this omelet because the brie gets rather runny ...which is why it's so good! You can use another, harder cheese - cheddar, Gruyère if you prefer.

1 small zucchini, (6 inches, 15cm)
1 tbs olive oil
2oz (60gr) Brie cheese
3 eggs
2 tbs fresh snipped parsley
olives for garnish if you have some on hand

Cut the zucchini in 1/8" (.3cm) thick slices. You want enough to cover the bottom of the pan in one, non-overlapping layer.
Heat oil in medium, 8 - 9" (20cm) nonstick skillet or omelet pan (20cm) over medium heat. Add zucchini slices and sauté 5 minutes. Turn and sauté another 5 minutes.
Whisk eggs. Pour half of the eggs over the zucchini. Let cook until almost set. Slice the brie and lay on top of the eggs, sprinkle with parsley and pour the rest of the eggs over the top. Cover and let cook.
After about 5 minutes, lift cover and check. If center is not set lift the edge of the omelet and pour 1 tsp of water under. Quickly replace the cover and let cook another minute. That should finish it off nicely. (if, for some unknown reason it doesn't, repeat the trick with the water - it creates steam to cook the top.) The top will not be brown. Slide it carefully onto a plate. Cut it into quarters. Arrange 2 quarters on each plate, garnish and serve.

Sautéed Rainbow Chard with Yellow Tomatoes; the visit: Chez Dentiste

Did I mention that I broke a tooth in Paris?

Did I mention that I am terrified of dental work?

Did I mention that my absolutely worst nightmares involve breaking teeth?

I have memories of going to the dentist as a child, en famille, and sitting in the waiting room listening to my older brother scream in agony as his teeth were drilled, without benefit of novocaine, by an old dentist that shook so bad I wouldn't have trusted him to pour cold coffee.

I remember when two new dentists came to town, and the debate that raged in my high school over who was worse better: Needles Nadrew or Painful Perry.

Needles used novocaine (which none of us had been familiar with up to this point) and Painful didn't.

It was a tough decision: One knew for certain that having that 8 foot needle stuck in your mouth was going to hurt like hell; whether or not you would be in excruciating agony without it was a 50/50 chance.

I have never in my life been willing to take that chance.

Until yesterday.

My dentist in the US would, first, numb my delicate mouth with a topical deaden-er so I wouldn't feel the novocaine, than give me the shot.  

And, if it was serious work, I got the happy gas as well.

Yesterday, nothing.

She didn't even ask.

There was no choice.

I laid back in the chair and the next thing I knew there was a drill in my mouth.....

Drilling.

The repair was to a filled back tooth that the corner broke off of. 

She proceeded to drill out the filling; put a clamp of some sort the size of Australia in my mouth; re-fill and build the tooth back up to normal with epoxy of some sort; counted to 10, took all the stuff out of my mouth and sent me on my way.

I did feel a twinge once or twice whilst she was drilling.....

She saw me twitch, and apologized....

I kept waiting for the excruciating agony to start but it never did.

After a total of 20 minutes I left the dentist's office, looking like a normal person rather than a dental survivor with the usual sagging lips.  

She did the work in the amount of time it takes the novocaine to kick in.

I was able to speak without lisping, drink without dribbling, and eat real food.

I don't have to go back for any reason and my broken tooth appears to be perfectly repaired.

Has my fear of dentists led me astray all these years?

Doubtful, but the whole situation did open up new possibilites.

And maybe my nightmares won't be so bad in the future.

As to the eating....

We're still alternating chard and courgette every day; with some tomato thrown in for flavor.

Don't you just love gardens?

Sautéed Rainbow Chard with Yellow Tomatoes

8oz (250gr) chard  Swiss chard
1 medium onion
1 yellow tomato
2 cloves garlic
handful fresh basil leaves
2 tsp olive oil

Wash the chard and trim any bad bits. Stack the leaves together and fold over, the long way. Slice into thin strips, about 1/2" (1cm) using both leaves and stems. Chop onion. Mince garlic. Roughly chop tomato. Tear large basil leaves.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chard stems and stir-fry over medium heat 3 minutes, then add the leaves, basil and tomato. Stir and turn until the leaves wilt and it all fits into the skillet. Reduce heat to low and cook until all is tender, another 5 - 6 minutes, stirring frequently.

In addition to the above, for the week of August 21 we have Barbecue Shrimp, Grilled Lamb Chops, Tomato Tart, Pork Chops Diablo, Pasta Salads and more....

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list each Thursday.  First two weeks FREE.   (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Summer Squash Soup; the update

We have guests and are busy being tourists this week.... Something we haven't done since moving here.

Where are the guests sleeping you ask?

In a tent, of course....

The update:

The ceiling was finished this week.

 

And I spent Sunday moving both of our 'offices' from one end of the hall to the other so he can start on the walls and tiles off the kitchen. 

 

And build a frame around the opening we smashed through between the kitchen and the hall.  We'll start laying the tiles soon and the staircase we'll come in September.

 

The sunflowers are starting to turn brown and the seeds are forming.

The fields are starting to turn brown.... Fall is coming.

In honor of the sunflowers... and summer I made some lovely Yellow Soup.

 

It's a simple soup, few ingredients.... Serve hot or cold....

Summer Squash Soup

2 cups chopped yellow squash (courgette), about 1 - 7" (17cm) longn
1 medium yellow onion
1 yellow tomato
1 cup  (8oz, 240gr) chicken stock
handful of fresh basil, snipped

Chop onion, courgette and tomato.  In medium saucepan heat chicken stock.  Add onion, tomato and courgette.  Cover and simmer until courgette is tender, about 15 minutes. Puree. Serve, either hot or cold, garnished with basil.

Summer is meant to be simple.

Preserving the Harvest: Herbs; What to do with all the cucumbers....

I have always used a lot of herbs...much to the dismay of my mother and most of my family. On the other hand I rarely use salt...also much to their dismay.

The subtle (and, sometimes, not so subtle) difference in taste between chicken flavored with tarragon versus chicken flavored with thyme is amazing. Can you imagine turkey without sage? Or tomatoes without basil? Sausage without fennel?

After a wonderful summer of using all the herbs fresh, now is the time to start thinking about winter....

And how to save some of those wonderful herbs before the frost takes them....

Freezing herbs:

It's simple: buy a couple of plastic ice cube trays just to be used for herbs. Finely chop the herbs and put into the ice cube tray. Cover with chicken stock or water and freeze. When frozen pop out and put in a freezer bag labeled with the herb name.

Some herbs can also be frozen whole: Sage, tarragon, chives, thyme. Basil will discolor but the flavor is fine. Freeze on a try, then put into freezer bags. They will keep 8 - 12 months.

To use: They can go into everything: drop a cube or 2 into rice as it cooks, or sauces, or soups - anything that is cooked that you would use fresh or dried for. They have the taste of fresh with the ease of dried.

Note: If you are buying herbs but not using them all - pop them in the freezer...

Some of the basil I puree with olive oil for a pesto-like flavor (Don't add the other stuff for pesto until you thaw to use.)

Drying herbs:

Tie clean herbs in bunches and hang upside down in a cool, dry place with plenty of air circulation, and, if possible, without dust. When leaves are dry rub off stems and store in bags, jars or tins. They will keep up to a year.

Storing fresh herbs:

Wrap the stems lightly in a damp paper towel or trim and stand in a bit of water and refrigerate. They will keep up to a week.

Now...

One of the disadvantages to having your own garden is feeling obligated to eat everything it produces.

When we get tired of cucumber salads, I make these:

Refrigerator Pickles

3 - 4 cucumbers, thinly sliced - but with a knife, about 1/16th" thick (.2cm)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
1 1/2 tsp regular, sea or pickling salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp dill weed

Put cucumbers, peppers and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salts, mix well and allow to site at room temperature for 1 - 3 hours.

At the same time mix sugar, vinegar, dill and set aside - it takes awhile for the sugar to dissolve into the vinegar, so it's best to do it ahead. After a couple of hours add the sugar/vinegar to the cucumbers, mix well and refrigerate. They are ready in a day and keep for a month.

These are very crunchy... and get better as they age.  (If you can keep them that long)

Grilled Cornish Hens with Molasses Glaze; Eyes before Ease

The French may carry the whole idea of language purity a bit too far at times but at least they don't deliberately torture it.

The language police in France have, over the years, banned English words: Walkman, software, email, and countless others.

It doesn't work.

Well it works officially.

Unofficially everyone says 'Bon Weekend' on a Friday.

But they take pride in their language and don't intentionally abuse it.

You will never see the French equivalent of the 'Koffee Kup Kafe'.

It's like fingernails on a blackboard for me, just to type that.

And, what really irritates me, is, if the purpose was alliteration, Coffee Cup Cafe works just as well.

On principle, I would never buy a koffee from these people.

Why would someone name an educational child's toy 'PlaySKOOL'?

Less egregious, but so well-known one doesn't even think about it: U-Haul; Shop Rite; Xcel Energy

While Googling this subject...

Google, by the way, is a misspelling. They registered it incorrectly.

It was meant to be 'Googol' - which is a very large number: a 1 followed by 100 zeros or 1 raised to the power of 100. (Which is a very small number compared to a googolplex, or 1 raised to the power of a googol)

The catalog company, Lands' End, did a similar thing, registering the name with the apostrophe in the wrong place (it was meant to be Land's End, after a headland in Cornwall.)

While Googling this subject I came across the spelling equivalent of 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves', the current, fun book on punctuation (yes, it's fun.... Yes, I read it):

'Eyes before Ease; the Unsolved Mysteries and Secret Histories of Spelling'.

I don't think the French have entertaining books on either spelling or grammar.... They just have no sense of fun!

On the other hand, they all speak intelligibly.

And they provide me with these lovely little chickens.... Perfect for 1 person.

Cornish Game Hens would be the substitute.

Grilled Cornish Hens (Poussin) with Molasses Glaze

The combination of molasses, vinegar and soy sauce gives the chicken a flavor reminiscent of Peking Duck and leaves the crisp skin a lovely mahogany color.

2 Cornish game hens or poussin (little chickens)
1 tbs olive oil
3 tbs molasses
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon squeezed or 2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp finely ground black pepper

Tie legs together with kitchen string and fold wing tips under back (at first joint) - keeps them from flapping. Rub birds with olive oil.
Mix all remaining ingredients together in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling and simmer a minute or two.
Cook hens on barbecue grill over indirect heat, covered, for 45 - 60 minutes or until done. Brush with the glaze immediately and 3 or 4 more times while cooking. Chicken is done at 160 F (70C) on your meat thermometer and/or the juices run clear when pierced with knife. Or they can be baked in a shallow roasting pan in a 400F oven for the same amount of time - until done, basting the same.
When done, remove from heat, cut string and serve - don't forget finger bowls (it's messy) and bone bowls (to keep your plates tidy). Serve whole or cut each bird in half.

Note:  Mon mari likes to toss in a few apple wood chips at the start of cooking for a bit of smokey flavor.

In addition to the above, for the week of August 14 we have Glazed Salmon, Tomato Consommé, Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Barbecue Sauce, Tomato and Zucchini Tart and more....

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For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners