The concentrated, intense flavour and aroma of fresh herbs give food an extra dimension. They add interest and, above all, variety, something I am always pursuing when it comes to food. The only herbs I remember from my childhood are curly parsley for smoked fish and white sauce, and mint for mint sauce with lamb. One of the biggest changes in the ingredients available to us these days is the wide range of herbs now sold in supermarkets. While we always try to maintain a respectable herb garden at home, it is a comfort to know that bought herbs are there when needed. I tend to think the mass-produced herbs are slightly less flavoursome than those grown at home, but this might just be my perception, based on the pleasure of the just-picked fragrance of freshly harvested herbs.

If I have leftover bought herbs, I freeze them in a resealable plastic bag then use them in cooking, so as not to waste any. I rarely use dried herbs as they tend to have a generic flavour that bears little resemblance to the fresh. Two herbs, however, are worth using dried: tarragon, because it mysteriously seems to retain a true flavour, and wild oregano, which is meant to be used dried. Most cultures use herbs in their cooking and the repertoire of dishes
that feature herbs is vast. The following is a small scratch at the surface of herb cookery but will, I hope, increase your enjoyment of summer food.

Goats Cheese & Herb Tarts (pictured above)
Slow-fry sliced fennel, leeks, garlic, dill, parsley and finely diced preserved lemon in a little olive oil. Cool, mix with beaten eggs, crumbled goat’s cheese and cream then pour into flaky pastry-lined tart tins. Bake in a 200°C oven for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is well cooked and the filling is set and browned. Serve with a salad that includes rocket and parsley.

Lamb Cutlets with Apple & Mint Puree
Put peeled diced apples, lemon juice, sugar to taste and a large amount of mint leaves in a food processor and process until you have a bright green puree. Check to see if it is sweet and sour enough and adjust accordingly with lemon juice and sugar. Serve with panfried garlic-rubbed lamb cutlets with gravy made with the pan juices and white wine.

Fish with Broad Beans & Dill
Panfry skinned and boned white fish fillets in olive oil until just cooked. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Add a little butter and a small, finely chopped clove of garlic to the pan and let the butter melt and the garlic fry a little without browning. Add plenty of shelled broad beans, chopped tomatoes, a splash of white wine and chopped dill. Stir-fry until the beans are hot and serve over the fish with steamed long-grain rice and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Duck & Tabouleh Salad
Panfry duck breasts until pink inside, remove from the pan and rest. Slice thinly across the grain of the meat and serve on a tabouleh made with warm pearl barley that has been boiled and drained then tossed with chopped tomato, red onion, lots of chopped parsley and coriander, thinly sliced dried figs, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

Parsley-Poached Salmon with Chervil Vinaigrette
Poach skinned and boned salmon fillets in simmering water with parsley stalks, peppercorns and chopped celery until just cooked. Serve on steamed potatoes, dressed with a vinaigrette of extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, pitted black olives, finely chopped shallots, chervil and a little tarragon.

Lamb Meatballs with Sweet & Sour Nectarines
Fry lots of chopped onion in olive oil until soft. Add sliced stoned nectarines and slow-fry until they are soft. Add sugar and red wine vinegar so the mixture is pleasantly sweet and sour. Fry a little longer until syrupy, stir in chopped coriander and dill, taste and season. Serve over panfried meatballs made with minced lamb, finely chopped garlic, bread soaked in milk and a little ground cinnamon. Enjoy with a chunky tomato and cucumber salad.


Seafood with Herbs & Cream on Lemon & Zucchini Pilaf
Serves 4-6
Lemon & zucchini pilaf
This pilaf also makes a great accompaniment to grilled lamb, chicken or fish.
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 preserved lemon, finely diced
zest of 1 lemon
6 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1@1⁄2 cups long-grain rice, well washed and drained
1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, preserved lemon, lemon zest and zucchini then fry gently, without browning, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the rice and salt. Mix well then cover with water to a level 2cm above the rice mixture.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and cook for 20 minutes (don’t uncover at all during this time).

Remove the pilaf from the heat and stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff up with a fork. It will stay hot, if covered, for 20-30 minutes.

For the seafood
2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, thinly sliced
12 live mussels
100ml dry white wine
300g raw peeled prawns
400g skinned and boned gurnard fillets, cut into 5cm pieces
12 scallops
200ml cream
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
small handful chervil
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Melt the butter in a wide, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and fry, without browning,
for 10 minutes or until softened.

Add the mussels and wine. Cover and cook until the mussels open, removing them to a plate as they do (reserve the liquid in the pan). As soon as they are cool enough to handle, shell the mussels and pull out their orange tongues and the white roots attached to them. Reserve the mussels.

Bring the mussel cooking liquid in the pan to the boil. Add the prawns, gurnard, scallops and cream and return to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute then add the reserved mussels and the herbs. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the seafood mixture over the pilaf.