Episode 100: Herbs

Herbs
Herb Tempura
Five Herb Scallop Soup
Crystallized Mint and Coriander
Mint Pastry
Mint Syrup

HERBS

Herb Oils

Herb oils such as chive oil, basil oil, are wonderful additions to any kitchen. Use the herb oils for finishing sauces, adding to salad dressing, or garnishing plates. They add colur and flavour. All that is required is a couple of handfuls of the freshest green herb of your choice, a good quality olive oil. Roughly chop the herbs, then puree in a food blender, slowly add the oil, until smooth and vibrant green in colour. Strain the oil through a coffee filter, sitting inside a strainer, over night. This is to allow the rich green oil to flow. This oil keeps well for up to 2 weeks.

Chlorophyll

This is often seen in a Chef's box of tricks when it comes to finishing sauces, adding colour to mousses, or to enrich soups. One can use a combination of herbs or one solitary herb alone for a more distinctive pronounced flavour. Some of my favourite herbs are Italian parsley, sorrel, chervil, and basil.

All one needs to do is find the freshest, greenest herb of choice. Wash well, pick and remove all the stems, puree in a food processor adding a little water, and a splash of oil. Puree until silky smooth, pass through a fine sieve. You will find that a little will go a long way when using such a rich and powerful ingredient.
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HERB TEMPURA
Preparation is easy

1 whole egg
¾ cup very cold water (175 millilitres)
125 grams flour (4 ounces)
Sage, chives, tarragon, mint or basil.
Vegetable oil for frying
Preparation time is 15 minutes
Preheat the oil to 370 degrees Fahrenheit

Trim and prepare the herbs. Tie them together.

Almost any herb or combo of herbs can be fried tempura style, but it works best when using soft herbs. Sage leaf, chives, tarragon, mint, basil, lemon verbena are some excellent choices either on their own or tied together to create a bouquet of herbs. They look great as garnishes or dropped into consumes or salads.

Beat the egg in a glass and add the cold water to make one full glass full of liquid. Add the flour and mix until it is incorporated but be careful not to overwork the mixture. There should still be lumps in the batter. Dip the herb bundles into the batter and drop them directly into the hot oil. Retrieve with a slotted spoon after a minute and drain on paper towels.
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FIVE HERB AND SCALLOP SOUP
Preparation is moderate

6 large scallops, seared
1 tablespoon butter (15 millilitres)
6 cups light chicken broth (clear) (1.5 litres)
3 shallots finely diced
½ cup of dry white wine (125 ml)
Squeeze of lemon juice
3/4 cup 35 % cream (180 millilitres)
Fresh herbs chervil, sorrel, chives, dill and thyme
½ tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 small leek - cleaned and julienne

Preparation time is 1 hour

In a large saucepan, gently sauté the shallots in the butter over a medium-low heat. Do not allow them to colour. Add the fresh thyme, finely chopped. Add the white wine, chicken broth and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over a low heat.

Continue to simmer the broth and reduce by 1/3 to intensify the flavours. Strain the stock into a clean pot. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, cream and season with salt and pepper. Just before serving add the fresh herbs, puree the entire soup in a blender. Return the liquid to the saucepan over a medium heat, bring it to a boil and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Fry the leeks in a heavy-bottomed frying pan with a splash of olive oil and butter over a medium heat until beginning to crisp.

In a hot soup bowl, place one scallop on top of the leek. Add the butter to soup, blitz with a hand blender and pour the soup around the scallop. Drizzle with herb oil, garnish with tempura fried herbs and serve.

Yeild: Serves 6
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CRYSTALLIZED MINT AND CORIANDER
Preparation is easy

1 large bunch mint
1 large bunch coriander
1 egg white
½ cup fine sugar

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

To make the crystallized mint and coriander, simply brush the leaves with egg white, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and bake at a low temperature 225 degrees for 45 minutes or if you bake at 300 degrees for 4 to 6 minutes, the herbs will take on an amazing blistered crispy crunchy look and texture. Both work very well with desserts.
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MINT PASTRY
Preparation is easy

1 package of feuille de brick
2 cups icing sugar (250 grams)
1 bunch mint
1 egg white
4 ounces butter (125 grams)

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Whisk the egg white and the sugar together to form a smooth paste. Brush a leaf of brick pastry with the icing sugar paste, then lay large mint leaves over the pastry. Dust with icing sugar. Roll it up to form a roulade and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into shreds. Unravel the shreds to create small bundles. Bake on a parchment sheet on a cookie tray until golden, about 12 minutes.
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MINT SYRUP
Preparation is easy

2 cups sugar (400 grams)
1 cup water (250 millilitres)
1 large handful of mint leaves
2 sprigs of parsley

Preparation time is 10 minutes

Blend the sugar and the water in a small saucepan and bring it to the boil. Allow the mixture to cool.

Blanch the mint leaves briefly in a pot of boiling water. Refresh them in ice water. Squeeze the mint well to remove any excess water.

Put the mint and the parsley in the blender and add just enough of the sugar syrup to blend. Leave it blending for 30 minutes. You may then strain the mixture through a fine sieve to make a clear green syrup, or use it with flecks of mint in it. Adjust the consistency with the remaining syrup.
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Recipes courtesy of Chef Michael Bonacini of Toronto’s Oliver Bonacini Restaurants, including ‘Canoe’; ‘Auberge du Pommier’; ‘Biff’s’; ‘Jump Café’; & ‘Steakfrites’