Recipes
A great herb garden does nothing if the wonderful plants aren't used! To follow are some recipes we've come across and used with success. If you're looking for something that's not here, or have a recipe you think should be included (we'll give you credit, of course!), send us an e-mail. |
Desserts/Baked Goods
Drinks
Entrees
Pestos (both basil and non-basil)
Salads, Soups, Sides, and Quickies
Sauces
Specialty Herbs
Scented Geranium
Spreads (non-pesto)/Dips
- Blueberry Lemon Balm Muffins
- Chocolate Mint Pie
- Easy Rose Geranium Brownies
- Scented Geranium Butter Cookies
- Lemon Verbena Pound Cake
12 lemon balm leaves
1 cup powdered sugar
6 tbsp fresh lemon balm, minced
1 ½ cup fresh (or fresh frozen) blueberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ cup sugar
½ cup milk
1/3 cup safflower oil
1 egg
Bury the 12 lemon balm leaves in the powdered sugar in a tightly closed container. Let stand overnight. Combine minced lemon balm, blueberries, and walnuts in one bowl. Mix together flour, baking powder, and sugar in another bowl. Whisk together milk, oil, and egg in a mixing bowl. Add flour mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in blueberry mixture. Divide batter into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle each muffin with a little of the lemon-scented powdered sugar. Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Remove muffins and cool on rack. Sprinkle lightly with additional lemon-scented powdered sugar before serving. (An Herbal Collection)
2 c grain-sweetened chocolate chips
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c unrefined sugar
2 sticks butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
1 c flour
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh chocolate mint
2 9-inch pie shells, unbaked
Sprigs or fresh chocolate mint for garnish
Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Mix chocolate with eggs and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add flour and chopped mint. Mix well. Divide evenly into pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish. (Source: Today’s Herbal Kitchen via Herbalpedia 2006)
Scented geranium water, with rose geranium (see recipe in Specialty Herb section)
Your favorite package of brownie mix
Prepare the brownie mix as directed, except replace the water called for in the recipe with the rose-scented geranium water. Bake; enjoy!
Scented Geranium Butter Cookies
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2½ cups flour
1 tsp scented geranium water (see recipe in Specialty section)
3 Tbls finely chopped fresh scented geranium leaves of your choice
Cream butter and sugar, add egg and mix well. Mix in flour and baking soda, then scented geranium leaves and scented geranium water. Roll into 2 long rolls and refrigerate overnight. Slice into 1/8 inch slices, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (Makes about 5 dozen) (From the Willow Pond Farm Website, http://www.willowpondherbs.com/kitchen/geranium/geranium.html)
1 handful of lemon verbena leaves
2½ c dehydrated cane juice sugar
3¼ sticks unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt
5 lg eggs, at room temp
3 c unbleached unbromated white flour
¾ c sour cream
Roughly chop up the lemon verbena leaves, and put them in a microwave-safe bowl. Cut up and place 3 sticks of the butter on top of the leaves. Put in the microwave for 30 seconds; take out, mix a little, and then place it back in the microwave for another 25 seconds. Take bowl out of the microwave, stir, and let the butter sit until it’s about room temperature, about 45 minutes. After cooling, strain butter into a bowl through cheesecloth; after flowing liquid is out, gather cheesecloth around the leaves and squeeze as much butter from the leaves as possible. Once that is done, discard the leaves. In another microwave-safe bowl, place the remaining ¼ stick of butter; put in microwave to soften, about 15 seconds, then take it out, add it to the lemon verbena butter bowl.
Heat the oven to 350F, and line a bundt pan with a little butter and flour. Put the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Turn to medium high, set a timer
to 4 minutes, and let the mixer do its work until the timer goes off. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat another minute. It will be very fluffy and nearly white. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well before adding another. Alternately add the flour and sour cream, beating each addition into the batter completely before you add the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times during the whole process.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan as evenly as you can and gently whack the pan on the counter a couple of times to expel air pockets. Bake the cake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes, or until it is golden brown and springs back when pressed, and a wooden skewer comes out dry after being inserted into the center. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 15 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack.
This recipe also lends itself well to a variety of different-flavored herbs, including lavender and scented geraniums (the rose is particularly yummy!).
1-gallon plastic or glass container with an airtight lid
2 ½ ounces of chamomile (more or less, to taste)
4 or 5 large sprigs of lemon balm
Honey
Approximately 1 gallon filtered or spring water
Lots of sun!
Place chamomile and lemon balm in container; pour water over herbs to fill container. Seal container tightly (sealing will contain the herbs’ flavor/essence and prevent them from evaporating from the heat). Place container in a warm, sunny location for 6-8 hours, or until tea reaches desired color/taste.
Remove herbs from water. Add honey to taste. Refrigerate and enjoy!
Ultimate Lemon Drop (adults 21+ only!)
¼ of a lg lemon, cut into 2 wedges
Sugar for glass rims
2 lg sprigs lemon verbena, plus 2 small sprigs or leaves for garnish
3 ozs citrus-flavored vodka
1 oz orange curacao or Cointreau
Run one of the lemon wedges around the rims of two martini glasses to moisten them. Spread a generous amount of sugar on a small plate and turn the glasses upside down into it so that the rim is coated with a quarter-inch ring of the crystals. Stand the glasses up and let the sugar dry until it hardens.
Put the lemon wedges and lemon verbena in a cocktail shaker and crush them together with about a dozen determined strokes of a cocktail muddler or the end of a slender rolling pin or wooden spoon. Add the vodka, curacao, and a large scoop of ice cubes.
Cap and shake vigorously. Strain into the sugared glasses and garnish with the reserved lemon verbena. (from the Herbal Kitchen, by Jerry Traunfeld)
9 to 12 medium to large lemons
1.5-2 c sugar (to taste)
2-4 ozs spearmint or apple mint stalks
Squeeze lemons; put juice in 2 gallon container and add cold water. Add sugar; mix to taste. Rinse spearmint/apple mint; shove all into the lemonade container and mix, making sure to press on most leaves to bruise them (and expel their oils). Cover and refrigerate, preferably overnight. In the morning, take out the sprigs of mint and throw them away; remix and serve!
1 ½ cups of water
½ cup of sugar
24 medium rose geranium leaves
2 bottles of chilled dry rose wine
1 blood orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 pint of fresh raspberries or blackberries, or a combination of the two, washed
1 pint of strawberries, washed, hulled and thinly sliced
6-8 cups of sparkling water or club soda if desired
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rose geranium leaves, cover and remove from heat. Let steep for 20 minutes. Strain and press liquid out of leaves using a wooden spoon. Chill infused syrup in an ice water bath or refrigerator until cool.
In a large glass pitcher or medium size punch bowl, combine the chilled wine, syrup, orange and lemon slices, and fresh berries. Chill for a minimum or up to several hours to let the fresh fruit infuse their flavors. Before serving add the sparkling water or club soda if desired. Serve chilled. (Makes 6-8 servings) (from OrganicAuthority.com)
- Standard Pesto Directions
- Basil (standard)
- Asian
- Cilantro 1
- Cilantro 2
- Dill
- Lemongrass
- Lemon Verbena
- Mint
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage 1
- Sage 2
- Pineapple Sage
- Lemon-Thyme
Standard Pesto Directions
In a food processor or hand blender, mix all dry ingredients except for the salt. Once everything is well blended, slowly add the oil (and any other liquid, such as lemon juice) and mix until it reaches the preferred consistency. Add salt to taste. Use, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 12 months - each recipe produces approximately 1 cup of pesto, or 2 servings.
Pesto is great on most meats, crackers/bread, even raw veggies, like carrots and broccoli – and you can always throw it in with pasta for an instant meal! Your taste will decide your use.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup oil
½ c peanuts
2 small green chillies, seeded
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
4 garlic cloves
1 ½ c Thai basil leaves
¼ c mint leaves
¼ c coriander leaves
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Heat oil in a frypan until nearly smoking, remove from the heat and add the peanuts. Allow to sit until lightly browned. Remove the nuts with a slotted spoon and drain, reserving the oil. Put the peanuts in a food processor or blender and blend to a rough paste. Add the chillies, ginger and garlic and continue to blend, Add the herbs and a little of the reserved oil, and continue to blend. Add the salt, sugar and lemon juice, and blend until the herbs are very finely minced. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and stir in the remaining oil. Serve alongside warm or cold noodles.
2 c, packed, of cilantro, large stems removed
1/2 c blanched almonds
1/4 c chopped red onion
1/2 tsp chopped and seeded serrano chile
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 c olive oil
1 ½ c cilantro, packed
½ c parsley, firmly packed
½ c parmesan cheese
¼ c pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 c parsley
½ c chopped fresh dill leaves
¼-½ c olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
3 medium garlic cloves
1 c firmly packed cilantro sprigs, (stems and leaves) coarsely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk (white portion only) coarsely chopped
Juice and zest of one lemon
1/8 c parsley leaves
1 ½ tbsp minced pickled ginger
2 heaping tsp toasted pine nuts
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c walnuts
6 large garlic cloves
2 c fresh lemon verbena leaves (or herb of your choice, mint would be wonderful)
1 c fresh lemon basil leaves
1/2 c olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 c Firmly packed mint leaves
1 tb Chopped nuts
1/4 ts Salt
1 sm Clove garlic, minced
Olive oil 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 large bunch Italian parsley leaves
1-2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 c fresh rosemary leaves
1 ½ c fresh parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves
½ c parmesan
½ c walnuts or pine nuts
½ c olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts; toasted
2 lg cloves garlic
2 c torn spinach
2 c fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
3/4 c fresh sage leaves
2 tbsp grated fresh parmesan cheese
4 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ c packed sage leaves
½ c packed flat leaf parsley
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
2/3 c walnut pieces
3 cloves crushed garlic (or to taste)
½ c olive oil
Salt (to taste)
2 tbsp walnuts or toasted almonds
2 lg cloves garlic
2 c torn sorrel
2 c fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
3/4 c fresh pineapple sage leaves
2 tbsp grated fresh parmesan cheese
4 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2/3 c packed stemmed fresh parsley
¼ c pine nuts
3 tbsp thyme or lemon thyme
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ c olive oil (or more)
Salads, Soups, Sides, and Quickies
- Summer Tomato-Basil Salad
- Calendula Rice Pilaf
- Carrot Soup with Calendula
- Minty Spring Salad
- Open-Faced Tomato-Pesto Sandwich
Easy Summer Tomato-Basil Salad
Fresh tomatoes, sliced
Fresh basil, leaves carefully chopped as not to bruise
Fresh mozzarella cheese (or a similar chunk cheese), sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Assemble the salad with slices (or chunks) of tomatoes, basil leaves, and cheese. Sprinkle extra virgin olive oil over the salad. Add a dash of vinegar and a very light sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Serve by itself, or on crackers, Toastettes, or even bread!
Note: Experiment with different cheeses and different meats: Each kind you use will change the entire flavor of the salad!
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
½ c white rice
½ c orzo
2 ½ cup hot chicken stock
Salt to taste
½ c calendula petals
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan and stir in onions, rice, and orzo. Stir constantly to cook rice and orzo and to lightly cook the onions. When rice is opaque, add the stock and salt, stir well, cover, and turn heat to the lowest setting. When rice is tender but not mushy, add calendula petals and toss gently. Cover and leave with heat off for about 5 minutes to steam before serving. (Source: Fresh Herbs, via Herbalpedia 2006)
4 Tbsp butter
1 c sweet Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 c tart apple, coarsely chopped
½ c peanuts, chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cumin
2 lbs carrots, coarsely chopped
4 c vegetable stock or chicken stock
½ cup milk
1 c calendula petals
In a large stock pot, melt butter over a medium low heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until they turn translucent. Add apple, peanuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin. Continue to cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots and cook for 5 minutes over a low heat, stirring intermittently. Pour in stock, cover and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before pouring into a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Return to pot and stir in milk. Cook over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Do not let it come to a boil. Stir in petals just before serving. Serves 4-6 (Source: Edible Flowers From Garden to Palate, via Herbalpedia 2006)
4 c mixed greens
1 c fresh mint leaves (choose your variety)
1 c mandarin orange sections, rinsed
1 c chopped almonds (or any nut of choice)
1 small cucumber, sliced
1/3 c parmesan cheese
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Olive oil, to taste
Garlic salt, to taste
Clean and combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Toss. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic salt to taste. Serve fresh!
Open-Faced Tomato-Pesto Sandwich
1 ripe tomato
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 oz shredded mozarella cheese
2-3 tbsp of pesto of choice
Heat oven to 350F. Lay out slices of bread on foil or cookie sheet. Spread pesto on the bread. Slice tomato, lay out on bread over the pesto. Sprinkle on mozarella cheese. Place in the oven for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until cheese has melted and bread is toasted.
4 large tomatoes, diced
½ large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup (or less, to taste) fresh cilantro (or regular or Mexican)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons vinegar, to taste
Salt to taste
In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime or lemon juice. Add jalapenos 2 teaspoons at a time, tasting after each addition to see how hot the salsa has become (since jalapeno peppers vary in heat). Then add salt and vinegar to taste. Enjoy! Recipe yields approx 2-3 cups.
Rose Geranium
Rose Geranium Water
Easy Rose Geranium Brownies
Rose Geranium Butter Cookies
Rose Geranium Sangria
1 heaping handful of rose-scented geranium petals
3 cups distilled water
Put leaves in pot; cover with water. Bring water to low boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat; let steep for at least 2 hours. Strain leaves and put remaining water in a sealed container; refrigerate (or use).
Rose geranium water (see recipe, above)
Your favorite package of brownie mix (we love Arrowhead Mills, available at Whole Foods)
Prepare the brownie mix as directed, except replace the water called for in the recipe with the rose-scented geranium water. Bake; enjoy!
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2½ cups flour
1 tsp rose geranium water (see recipe above)
3 Tbls finely chopped fresh rose geranium leaves
Cream butter and sugar, add egg and mix well. Mix in flour and baking soda, then rose geranium leaves and rose water. Roll into 2 long rolls and refrigerate overnight. Slice into 1/8 inch slices, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (Makes about 5 dozen) (From the Willow Pond Farm Website, http://www.willowpondherbs.com/kitchen/geranium/geranium.html)
1 ½ cups of water
½ cup of sugar
24 medium rose geranium leaves
2 bottles of chilled dry rose wine
1 blood orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 pint of fresh raspberries or blackberries, or a combination of the two, washed
1 pint of strawberries, washed, hulled and thinly sliced
6-8 cups of sparkling water or club soda if desired
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rose geranium leaves, cover and remove from heat. Let steep for 20 minutes. Strain and press liquid out of leaves using a wooden spoon. Chill infused syrup in an ice water bath or refrigerator until cool.
In a large glass pitcher or medium size punch bowl, combine the chilled wine, syrup, orange and lemon slices, and fresh berries. Chill for a minimum or up to several hours to let the fresh fruit infuse their flavors. Before serving add the sparkling water or club soda if desired. Serve chilled. (Makes 6-8 servings) (from OrganicAuthority.com)
3 cups plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp chopped borage
1 tbsp chopped salad burnet
1 tbsp chopped basil
Make a yogurt cheese: Line a sieve with a double thickness of cheesecloth, set over a bowl. Place yogurt in sieve and put sieve and bowl in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Mix yogurt cheese with remaining ingredients in medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Recipes from Riversong)
½ cup salted butter, softened
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp chopped fresh chervil
Combine all ingredients in bowl; mix well. Chill for 3 hours to mellow flavor. (Along the Garden Path)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 green onions with tops
3 tbsp chopped fresh salad burnet
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
½ tbsp mayonnaise or sour cream
½ tsp dried mustard
1 ½ tsp curry powder
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
1 pinch salt
Blend cream cheese with onions, herbs and mayonnaise or sour cream. Add the mustard and curry, and blend in the chives. Flavors increase as it sits. Keeps several days refrigerated. (The Herb Garden Cookbook)
Raspberry Lemon Verbena Butter
½ lb unsalted butter
1 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
4 ozs fresh or frozen raspberries (not in syrup)
1 handful lemon verbena leaves
With all ingredients at room temperature, blend butter, sugar, and raspberries until smooth (about 3 minutes). Strip out any large veins in the lemon verbena leaves, then add the leaves (chopped if you're mixing by hand) and blend until the texture is pleasing. Use on bread, croissants, crackers, or whatever you please! (from The Herb Companion)
Note: This collection of recipes is from those we've collected over time. Where relevant, we have included references if we know them. Unfortunately, often a recipe is taken on an index card or in an e-mail, without knowing the source. Herban Meadows does not intentionally omit reference information or not provide credit if we have the information. We do not claim commercial rights to most of these recipes; they are here for your enjoyment only! If you lay claim to a recipe we have listed here and we do not provide reference information, please send an e-mail to webmaster@herbanmeadows.com and let us know how you'd like us to provide credit to you on this site!
Known References:
Herbalpedia 2006, Herb Marketing and Growing Network, 1996
Recipes from Riversong, Pat Crocker, Moulin
Publishing, 1996; ISBN: 0-9697079-6-7
An Herbal Collection, Herb Society of Wake County,
1993
Along the Garden Path, Bill & Sylvia Varney,
Fredericksburg Herb Farm, 1995
The Herb Garden Cookbook, Lucinda Hutson, Gulf
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