Pathways Workshops

Recipe's For The Season
Healing Garden Herbs

Bee Balm Chili Chicken Salad with Bee Balm 1 orange, thinly sliced 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon cumin seed ground pinch of ground cloves 1 scallion, minced 1 shallot, minced 3 tablespoons minced fresh bee balm leaves 1 celery stalk, minced 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt or soy yogurt 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Flour tortillas or lettuce leaves for serving Combine the orange and lemon slices and enough water to cover the chicken in a shallow 10-inch frying pan. Set in the chicken, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from poaching liquid. When it's cool, use your fingers to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a small dry skillet, heat the chili powder, cumin seed, and cloves over medium high heat until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add the scallion, shallot, bee balm, celery, yogurt, and lemon juice. Mix well, add the chicken and toss well to combine. Serve at room temperature or very slightly chilled, rolled in tortillas or lettuce leaves. Dandelion Dandelion Soup 2/3 colander dandelion leaves 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion 1 medium potato 3 3/4 cup chicken stock salt and white pepper Pick the leaves from the bitter mid-rib, wash well and leave to drain. Melt the butter in a saucepan, finely slice the onion and fry gently in the butter. Peel and dice the potato and add it to the pan of onion, cover with a lid and sweat the vegetables over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the dandelion leaves, sweat for an additional 5 minutes, then stir in the stock, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently for 15 minutes. Serve hot, with crusty French bread, or put the soup through a sieve or food mill and serve with croutons. For a more wholesome broth, sieve the soup and leave the pieces of leaf whole. For a cream smooth soup, sieve the soup and add a tablespoon of cream before serving. Dill and Fennel Fennel and Dill Oil 18 oz bottle of sunflower seed oil 4 sprigs fresh fennel leaves, washed 4 sprigs of fresh dill leaves, washed Pour a little oil out of the bottle and push in the fennel and dill leaves Make sure the oil comes up the the very top of the bottle and completely covers the herbs. Re-seal and let stand on a sunny windowsill for 2 weeks. Shake the bottle every couple of days. After the two weeks, strain the oil and rebottle. It will last up to 3 months Fennel and Dill Oil Salad Dressing 2 tablespoons of Fennel and Dill oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice salt and pepper Combine the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and pour of mixed greens. Ginger Ginger Cake 3 cups flour 4 tsp. ground ginger 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup blackstrap molasses 1 cup boiling water 2 tsp. baking soda 2 large lightly beaten eggs Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour, ginger and cinnamon. Beat butter and brown sugar. Whisk molasses and boiling water, add baking soda. Add flour and molasses mixtures to butter mix. Beat in eggs until smooth and thin. Add to glass baking dish. Bake 55-65 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Can be prepared as muffins - bake for 20-25 minutes. Hot Peppers and Cayenne Peppers Fresh Salsa 2.5 lb. ripe tomatoes 4 oz. green onions 1/2 tsp. cilantro, very finely chopped 2 oz. banana peppers 2 oz. jalapeno peppers 1/2 oz. cayenne peppers 6 oz. bell peppers 1 lb. sweet onions 1 lb. salad peppers (pepperoncini) 1/2 cup vinegar juice from salad peppers 4 tsp. lemon juice Chop everything in a food processor. Makes about 1/2 gallon. Hyssop Hyssop Syrup 1 large handful flowering stems and leaves of hyssop, about 30 sprigs 1 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar Put the hyssop sprigs in a small pan with water, cover with a lid, bring to a boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid into a jug, pressing the herb with a wooden spoon to extract all the flavor. Return to the pan, and add the sugar, heat gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved, the boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Skin, and when cold, pour into a bottle with a screw cap and store in refrigerator. Hyssop syrup is great over fruit salad or any sliced fresh fruit. Lemon Balm Balm and Borage Wine Cup - A refreshing drink for any summer party. 1 bottle red wine (ideally a claret) 6 springs balm tips 6 flowering sprigs borage 1 tablespoon sugar or 1/2 tablespoon honey 6 slices lemon soda water - see recipe Wash the balm and borage and put them in a glass jug with the sugar, or honey, the lemon and red wine. Cover with foil, and stand in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. Before serving add soda water - about one-third to two-thirds of the wine. Oregano Soft Polenta with Olives and Feta 2 sups cold vegetable or defatted chicken stock 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2 cups water 1 bay leaf 1/4 cup finely chopped pitted Greek olives 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/4 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese or soy Parmesan 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano 1 clove garlic, mashed 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice In a bowl, whisk together the stock and the cornmeal. Bring the water to a boil in a large deep frying pan. Whisk in the cornmeal mixture and whisk well to combine. Toss in the bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil, whisking constantly, until the polenta is thick and porridge-like, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Swirl the olives, oil, feta, oregano, garlic, and lemon juice into the hot polenta. Serve warm in shallow bowls, accompanied by a salad of a variety of greens. Sautéed dark greens, like kale and mustard greens, are also a tasty side dish for the polenta. Parsley Roasted Potatoes and Green Chilies 1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes 2 teaspoons olive oil 3 mild fresh green chilies, minced 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 2 scallions, minced Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Place them in a glass baking pan and toss them with the oil until well coated, then spread them in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes, then add the chilies and stir well. Continue roasting until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes longer. Remove the potatoes to a serving bowl and add the cayenne, parsley and scallions. Serve warm or at room temperature. Peppermint Peppermint Blend Tea 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaf 3 slices Chinese licorice root 2 teaspoons dried raspberry leaf 1 teaspoon dried lemon grass 1 quart boiling water Steep the herbs in the water, covered, for 4 minutes. Strain and discard the peppermint, raspberry leaf, and lemon grass. Return the licorice to the tea to give it extra sweetness. Enjoy the tea hot or chilled. Rosemary Chicken with Rosemary 4 chicken joints or 1 small chicken quartered seasoned flour 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons wine vinegar 1 cup chicken stock Shake the chicken pieces in a paper bag containing flour, salt and pepper, until they are lightly and evenly coated. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy pan and lightly sauté the chicken pieces on all sides. Add the crushed garlic, rosemary and salt, stir and continue to sauté until the chicken is well browned all over. Transfer the mixture to a heavy casserole, stir in the wine vinegar and chicken stock. cover and bake at 350º for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Sage Garlic and Sage Bread Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for greasing 1 1/2 cups strong whole-wheat bread flour 1 envelope active dry yeast 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 3 teaspoons sea salt 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 teaspoon clear honey 2/3 cup hand hot water Grease a baking sheet with oil. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the bran remaining in the strainer. Stir in the active yeast, chopped fresh sage and half of the sea salt. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the chopped garlic for sprinkling and stir the remainder into the bowl. Add the honey and hand hot water and mix together to form a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl greased with oil, then cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Knead the dough again for a few minutes. Roll it into a long sausage and then shape into a ring. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes, until springy to the touch. Sprinkle with remaining sea salt and garlic. Bake the loaf in a preheated oven, 400ºF for 25-30 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool before serving. Tarragon Herrings with Orange Tarragon Stuffing 1 Orange 4 scallions scant 1 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped 4 herrings, cleaned and gutted salt and pepper green salad, to serve Garnish 2 oranges 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon olive oil sprigs of fresh tarragon For the stuffing, grate the rind from half of the orange, using a zester. Peel and chop all of the orange flesh on a plate in order to catch all of the juice. Mix together the orange flesh, juice, rind, scallions, bread crumbs and tarragon in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the stuffing into 4 equal parts and use it to fill the body cavities of the fish. Place each fish on to a square of lightly greased kitchen foil and wrap the foil around the fish so that it is completely enclosed. Grill over hot coals for 20-30 minutes or until the fish are cooked through - the flesh should be white and firm to the touch. Garnish Peel and thickly slice the 2 oranges and sprinkle over the sugar. Drizzle a little oil over the orange slices and place them on the grill for about 5 minutes to heat through. Serve with oranges and tarragon sprigs with fish and a fresh green salad. Thyme Sautéed Sea Scallops with Thyme and Sherry Glaze 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, plus a few sprigs for garnish 2 cloves garlic, mashed juice of 1 lemon (about a 1/4 cup) 1 pound sea scallops 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard In a medium bowl, whisk together the minced thyme, garlic, and lemon juice. Add the scallops, turning them gently until well coated. Let marinate for about 20 minutes. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat, then pour in the oil. Lift the scallops out of the marinade with t slotted spoon and add them to the pan; reserve the marinade. Sauté the scallops until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes for average sized scallops. Remove them from the pan and keep warm. Pour the reserved marinade into the pan, along with the sherry and mustard. Using a spatula to stir constantly, let the sauce bubble until reduced to a glaze about 1 1/2 minutes. Drizzle the glaze over the scallops, garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve warm.