Recipes: Four recipes focussing on herbs

Apr 19 2008 by Sheila Benson and Sean Millar, Liverpool Daily Post

I DON’T mean to blow our own trumpets here, but we really are spoiling you this week. We’re focussing on herbs and, with four recipes bursting with herb infused flavour, there’s no excuse not to try something a little different this weekend.

The mere mention of herbs conjures up visions of the archetypal English walled garden, with beds of wonderfully fragranced, sweet smelling foliage. The recipes below use herbs such as mint and basil which can be grown easily at home. If you have herbs growing in your garden (or window box!) then there is always a meal at hand – just add pasta, garlic and good olive oil.

These four dishes are great served as hors d’oeuvres and canapes, or as part of a mezze plate.

For Roasted Cherry Tomatoes take: 500g (1lb oz) cherry tomatoes, 2 tsp sumac (middle eastern spice), 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ½ bunch basil finely chopped, ½ bunch oregano finely chopped.

Place the tomatoes, sumac and olive oil in a roasting dish, season to taste and toss to combine. Roast at 180°C (356°F/Gas Mark 4) for 20 minutes, until soft. Add the chopped herbs and gently stir to combine. Serve as part of a mezze, or with red meat, fish or poultry – they are very versatile.

For a feisty Pickled Cauliflower recipe take 550g (1lb 3 oz) cauliflower, cut into small florets, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed, 1 cup white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp finely chopped dill.

Place the cauliflower in a large bowl, sprinkle over 1 tbsp of sea salt and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for one hour or until the cauliflower softens and liquid is released.

Add the crushed cumin seeds and white wine vinegar and stir to combine, then cover and marinate for at least two hours. Stir in the dill, then serve. Pickled cauliflower will keep covered with pickling liquid in an airtight container for up to a month.

As an alternative from the much loved garlic bread, why not try Herb Flat Breads? Take: 2 tsp dried yeast, 300g (10 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting, olive oil for brushing, 75g (3oz) flat leaf parsley, 75g (3oz) basil, 75g (3oz) mint.

Place 200ml (7¼ fl oz) lukewarm water in a bowl, add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add flour and ½ tsp sea-salt until the dough comes together. Place on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Transfer to a bowl, brush lightly with olive oil, then cover with a tea towel and leave in a draught free place for two hours, until doubled in size.

Divide dough into six pieces and roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to form a 20x40 cm (8x16 in) rectangle. Combine the herbs in a bowl then scatter 2 tbsp evenly over half of each rectangle. Fold the dough over to enclose the herbs, press to seal.

Brush both sides of the flat breads with olive oil then cook in batches in a frying pan or chargrill over high heat for one minute on each side. They should be golden in colour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tabbouleh is at its best when served as part of a mezze, and this recipe with baby beetroot goes superbly with the herb flat breads above.

You need a bunch of baby beetroot (about 500g/1lb 1½ oz), 55g (2 oz) bulgar wheat, 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped, ½ bunch mint, coarsely chopped, 6 spring onions finely chopped, 1 beef tomato seeded and finely chopped, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

Place the beetroot in a large saucepan of water, bring to the boil and simmer over a medium heat for forty minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Cool, then peel and cut each beetroot into six wedges.

Meanwhile, soak the wheat into 2-3 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes, until the water has been absorbed.

Place the herbs, spring onions, chopped tomato and soaked wheat into a bowl and stir to combine. Add lemon juice and olive oil, season to taste with sea-salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.

Serve the tabbouleh topped with beetroot wedges then imagine you’re in your sun-drenched walled English herb garden. Bliss.

* Sheila Benson and Sean Millar are at The Side Door, 29a Hope Street, Liverpool. Tel: 0151 707 7888.