Good Thyme Herbs Recipes

EARTHY POTATO-MUSHROOM SOUP

Serves 6 or more

Very comforting on a cold day, and a nice way to start supper. 

One large yellow onion, diced or finely sliced
1 Tablespoon each sweet butter and olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, sliced finely
2 pounds white potatoes, diced
1 large clove garlic, crushed or minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. sea salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. PERFECT POTATOES HERBS
6 cups chicken stock (if commercial, a large 49- oz. can
1/4 cup port or Sherry
Sour cream for garnish
In a heavy 4-qt. pot, begin sweating onion, covered, in butter and olive oil.  When onions are golden brown, add mushrooms, wild or domestic, and sweat together, covered, until  limp.  Peel and dice potatoes.  Add to the pot with crushed garlic,  bay leaf,  sea salt, PERFECT POTATOES HERBS, chicken stock.

Bring to the boil, lower heat and simmer 1/2 hour until potatoes are soft.  Stir to prevent sticking.  This soup will have a rich, tawny color from the browned onions, mushrooms, and HERBS;  if you wish to enhance it, whisk in 1-2 Tbsp. tomato paste, or a spoonful of red chili sauce, page 113.  Add a quarter cup of Sherry or Port just before serving,  a dollop of sour cream in each bowl, and chopped parseley or chives.

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PORCINI-SHIITAKE DOUBLE MUSHROOM SOUP

Serves 6

Very comforting on a cold day, and a nice way to start supper. 

1 Onion, minced
1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbps. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. PORCINI/SHIITAKE HERB BLEND
2# Mushrooms, commercial or wild
2 Tbps. flour
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced small
4 cups water or stock
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt, or to taste, & ground pepper

Sweat onion on low heat in oil & butter until golden brown. Add sliced mushrooms, Herb Blend, & garlic; cook until soft, add flour, stir to coat. Add stock or water; stir until smooth; add potatoes, bay leaf, salt & pepper; simmer 15-20 min; remove bay leaf, then puree some or all of soup. Add 1/2 cup milk, cream, or sour cream. Serves 6.
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SHIITAKE MUSHROOM CURRY

Serves 4

1 Onion, minced
2 Tbsp. light peanut or other oil
1 12-oz can of Thai coconut milk
1 16-oz can of crushed tomatoes or 1# fresh ones, in season
3 Tbsp. GOOD THYME SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS CURRY SPICE MIX
2 cloves garlic, minced
1# cooked lamb, chicken, or fish, or your favorite steamed vegetables sea salt and pepper to taste

Simmer coconut milk, tomato, garlic, and Shiitake/curry blend 15 min. Meanwhile, saute onion until golden in oil. Add cubed lamb, chicken, fish or vegetables to the sauce and simmer another 5-10 min. to blend flavors. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with Basmati Rice, chutney, and your favorite plain yogurt. Serves 4.
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PORCINI/HERB TOMATO SAUCE

Makes 2 quarts

1 onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef and/or 7 unusual vegetables
1/4 cup GOOD THYME PORCINI/HERB BLEND
4 cloves garlic, minced fine with a 1/4" piece of Jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup tomato paste, with 1 cup water or wine
One 28-oz. can ground tomatoes or 2# chopped fresh ones, in season.
Salt & pepper to taste

Sauté onions gently in olive oil until golden brown; add Mushroom/Herb Blend and meat and/or vegetables; stir to break up and brown a bit. Whisk tomato paste into water or wine; add with other ingredients & simmer at least 15 minutes. Use for pasta lasagna, pizza, and more. Makes 2 quarts.
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ROAST LEG OF LAMB
WITH CHANTERELLES & HERBS

Serves 8

A leg of lamb, 4-6# (or a roast of pork, veal, or beef)
4 cloves garlic, slivered
Salt & pepper
1/4 cup GOOD THYME CHANTERELLE/HERB BLEND
2 cups water or stock, or one cup each

Insert garlic slivers into roast, especially around bone. Sprinkle roaster with salt, pepper, and half the Herb Blend. Place meat with fat side up, sprinkle with rest of Herb Blend, more salt and pepper. Roast 25 minutes at 400 F until brown and crusty, baste with water or stock, lower to 325 F for 20-30 min. Meat will be rare. Allow to rest for 20 minutes, then slice meat and serve in the hot strained pan juices. Bon Appetit! Serves 8

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YUMMY COOKED SALSA

Use this lovely salsa/sauce in eggs, burritos, on baked potatoes with sour cream, in all bean soups or chilis, with baked or grilled fish, chicken or meats--anything needing a flavor flash. Or, use as the sauce for hearty enchiladas.

1 large onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. BEAUTIFUL BEANS HERBS
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, or
1 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes
Apprx. 1/2 cup of water, to desired thickness
1/4 cup of red wine

In a heavy medium saucepan, saute' the onion gently in olive oil until translucent. Add the other ingredients and simmer at least 1/2 hour. If you like cilantro, add a fresh and loosely-chopped handful when hot or cooled.
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BEAUTIFUL BEANS REFRIED BEANS

Refried beans are simple to do, and a natural place to start with Mexican-style cuisine, since they find their way into many other dishes. They can be reheated again and again, to stuff burritos, tostadas, and enchiladas. Surrounded on a platter by salsas, olives, sour cream and guacamole, they are the basis for a colorful tray of dips for crisp tortilla chips. Wrapped in a tortilla with grated cheese and salsa, quickly warmed in microwave or stovetop frypan, they will fuel a Little-Leaguer through any windy spring game (spectators, too).

2 cups raw pinto or red beans (soaked in cold water at least 2 hours or overnight)
1 Tbsp. BEAUTIFUL BEANS HERBS
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Beautiful Beans Herbs
More salt to taste
Fresh cilantro (optional)

Start by soaking beans; drain them and cover with more water, salt, and BEAUTIFUL BEANS HERBS. In a heavy 2-qt pot, bring to a boil, then simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until very soft. Drain and mash them smooth.
Meanwhile, saute' the onion over low heat in olive oil, covered and stirring, until reduced and golden. Add garlic, green pepper, and HERBS; cover and cook another 10 minutes. Mix in the mashed beans, add salt and pepper to taste. Add a handful of fresh cilantro as well. If you like them hotter, use more HERBS, chopped fresh chilis, dried chili flakes, or some salsa.
*A spoonful of BEAUTIFUL BEANS HERBS will enrich the flavor of commercial refried beans, too, on days when there's no time to start from scratch.
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A FINE POT OF BEANS

A good natural foods store should offer a heady palette of beans, and many supermarkets are following suit. Beans all respond to the same basic treatment, but each will yield its distinctive character to the result. To start, it's always a good idea to look through them for stones, discolored beans, and anything else you don't want to eat. Then soak them, and drain.

Sauté onion gently in olive oil until translucent; stir in the other vegetables and seasonings, and sweat, covered, for 10-15 minutes. You then have two choices: 1. Add drained beaus, cover with water or stock, and simmer together 1-2 hours until soft; or, 2. Cook the beans separately with the stock only until almost soft, adding the vegetables for the last half hour or so. I usually cook them together, which means the flavor of the other vegetables will be leached out into the beans. But you may want the vegetables to retain their own flavor; in that _case, add them later. Use cooked beans in other recipes or eat them straight, garnished with sour cream, cilantro, grated cheese, salsa, chutneys, fresh sweet corn or roasted peppers. Eat them with cornbread or polenta, baked with Beautiful Beans Herbs. Enjoy them often; they're good for you!

Ingredients:
3 cups red, kidney, bayo, pinto, speckled, black, Anasazi, or even lima or white beans, soaked 8 hours or overnight in cold water
Approximately 5 cups water or stock 1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Beautiful Beans Herbs
l Green bell pepper, diced
l Stalk celery, diced or sliced fine
1 or 2 Carrots, sliced fine
3 Cloves minced or crushed garlic a bay leaf
1 Tsp. salt, and black pepper to taste

Chilies, as you wish:
An inch from a serrano, ja la peno, or a dried Ancho (rusty and shiny) will give added fire; an Anaheim (long, green and shiny), finely-sliced, adds bite and depth, but not too much heat.

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GARNET YAM BAKE with ANAHEIM PEPPERS

Yams are lovely in color and texture, perfect as a background for bright spicy peppers. They are also very nutritious, and indispensable to vegetarians. Try this easy and satisfying combination. Serves six.

Remove tops and seeds from one red and one long green Anaheim pepper. Blacken them over or under a flame, then cover in a bowl and ignore for fifteen minutes. Scrub three medium garnet yams (about 3 pounds} and remove any blemishes, or peel them completely. Sweet potatoes are fine too. Cut in one-inch chunks. Finely slice one yellow onion, and spread into the bottom of a well-buttered baking pan. Remove blackened skin from peppers, slice finely, and mix in a bowl with yams, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbsp. Beautiful Beans Herbs. Spread over the onions, pour on one cup chicken stock, and bake covered for one hour at 350°. Or microwave at full power for 17 minutes or until soft.

A nutty brown-rice pilaf is a fine companion.

For a yummy soup, puree the cooked vegetables, add 4 cups chicken stock, and some heavy cream or milk. Garnish with finely-diced red pepper and/or parsley.
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RISOTTO WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

With the first October rains on the Pacific Coast, I go slightly mad, abandon everything, and go mushroom hunting.
The boletus edulis, or porcini, is abundant for a brief exhilarating time, and I gather for a whole year.
Dried or fresh, they add incomparable flavor and richness to sauces, soups, or grains, as in this classic Italian dish.

Soak one ounce dried Porcini mushrooms in one cup dry white wine for an hour at least. If you have fresh ones, finely slice about a pound. Slowly brown a large red onion, diced, in 4 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter, until limp and golden-brown. If mushrooms are fresh, increase the heat and add them to the onions, tossing to saute rather than stew them. If dried, chop them coarsely, reserving the wine from soaking, and add to the skillet.
Add 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped with a handful of Italian parseley. Add 2 cups raw rice, Italian Arborio is best, and saute all together, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Add 2 Tbsp. INTENSELY ITALIAN HERBS, the reserved wine, and begin adding warmed chicken stock, stirring constantly, adding more only as it is absorbed by the rice. This will take 3-4 cups of stock, and about 25 minutes. When soft, add 1/2 cup parmesan, a pinch of saffron, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, and serve immediately. It's a meal in itself or a sumptous side.
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LOTS OF LASAGNE

Lasagne can be made in many varieties, with or without meat, so don't hesitate to improvise.
Here are some ideas to escape from the tomato and cheese theme:

Make a Balsamella, or white sauce: melt 1/2 stick sweet butter, stir in 1/4 cup unbleached flour til smooth, let stand 10 minutes to eliminated raw flour taste, and then gradually add 2 cups hot milk, whisking constantly over low heat until thick and creamy. Cool and use like this:

Sweat 2 cleaned and sliced leeks in 2 Tbsp. butter or oil, with one finely-diced carott, 4 sliced mushrooms, and 1 clove minced garlic. Add 1 cup rinsed lentils, 1 Tbsp. INTENSELY ITALIAN HERBS, and 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned. Simmer 1/2 hour, barely covered with water. Salt and pepper to taste, and use as you would tomato sauce, previous pages. Topped with balsamella, this can be cheeseless, or you can layer with your favorite cheeses.

Pour some balsamella into the bottom of a pan, then a layer of noodles, a thin, even layer of salmon fillet, a layer of fresh spinach, steamed and squeezed dry, a sprinkle of INTENSELY ITALIAN HERBS, another layer of pasta, and more balsamella. Top with grated Romano.

Lasagne with eggplant and capers is a Sicilian classic. The eggplant can be fried, or baked, in thin slices, then layered with fresh pasta (or boiled Lasagne noodles), balsamella, and a simple tomato sauce with capers. It is topped with bread crumbs and balsamella. yum.
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FRICASSEE de CHAMPIGNONS
a mushroom thing

Here is a tasty treatment for wild chanterelles, boletes, or hedgehog mushrooms, but don't
wait for these--use any good mushrooms in your local market. I remember a
fricassee of mushrooms served in a student bistro near the university in Lausanne, Switzerland.
When pressed for his recipe, the old Chef would only say to use three kinds of mushrooms.
So if you can, find three different ones.

Cut 1# mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Saute on medium-high heat in 3 Tbsp. butter or oil (more if you aren't counting fat), sprinkled with 1/2 tsp. HERBES DE PROVENCE. Toss and stir to sear the mushrooms, not stew them. When they are nutty brown and soft, about 10 minutes, deglaze the pan with 2 Tbsp. dry Sherry or Port, add 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, lots of fresh ground pepper, and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Many people like to use more garlic, but I rather err on the light side, to let the mushrooms shine. Stir just to absorb and evaporate the stock, sprinkle generously with fresh chopped parseley (Very Important) and if you like, add a little heavy cream.

Use as a side to meat, poultry, or vegetarian main dishes, to stuff omelettes (yum), to mix with rice or toss with pasta, to enrich sauces or pan juices, or on its own.
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OTHER DELIGHTS WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE

HERBES DE PROVENCE are best used in dishes to be cooked at some length,
but they can be used in some quick preparations, mostly for the grill or barbecue:

To coat steaks, chops, fish or chicken before grilling or broiling, mix 1 Tbsp. of HERBS with 1/4 cup olive oil. A dash of worcestershire is an option, too. Salt and pepper to your taste.

Try summer vegetables tossed in the above mix and grilled or broiled (not too hot) until crisp-brown on the outside and soft in the center. To speed their cooking and relieve congestion on the grill, mix with the oil and HERBS, then prebake 1/2 hour in a medium oven. You can grill them to sear and finish. Especially good this way are japanese eggplant, squashes, and peppers.

Use HERBES DE PROVENCE in lamb stews, with garlic, vegetables, new potatoes or beans.

HERBES DE PROVENCE are wonderful in ratatouille, the classic Provencale stew of eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes.

*Use to flavor pates and terrines.
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BRAISED BEEF au PERE FILLIPOT

Serves 8

On bitter winter days in France I took refuge in the house of an old jeweler near the Marne River. Georges Fillipot was a great fisherman and a fine cook, and I will never forget his Boeuf Carottes. Beef is disappearing from many tables, but it still has its honored place in Western cuisine, as in this hearty braised classic. Red wine and carrots give it a rich sweetness.

Trim and cut a 3-pound pot roast of beef (sirloin tip is best) into 2" cubes, and marinate overnight in one cup dry red wine, 2 Tbsp olive oil, a bay leaf, 1 Tbsp. HERBES DE PROVENCE, one clove crushed garlic, half an onion, and 6 peppercorns. Remove meat and dry well, discarding marinade. On high heat in a heavy casserole, brown the meat on all sides in 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Remove, lower heat, and in the same pan, brown 1 cup chopped onions, or 20 little boiling onions. Deglaze the pan when they are toasty-brown with 1/4 cup Brandy or stock. Replace the meat, add 1 Tbsp. HERBES DE PROVENCE, and cover with 2 cups dry red wine (preferably what you're going to drink). Add a bay leaf, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. black pepper or red pepper flakes, and 2 Tbsp. tomato paste. Simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 hours, then add 2 pounds thick-sliced carrots and 2 cloves minced garlic, and simmer, not boil, another hour. Add water or stock as needed to keep it covered with liquid.

To finish, salt and pepper to taste and serve just as is, or, to thicken and enrich it, you might puree a few of the carrots, adding them back to the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives, and serve with boiled potatoes or fresh pasta. There is good reason to call this comfort food, the world over.
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LEG of LAMB

Serves 8 or more

To roast, remove fat in the thickest spots, leaving a little membrane of it all around to insure juiciness. Lard the leg with little slivers of garlic, especially around the bone. About 4 medium cloves cut into several slivers each should do it, or more if you only want to taste a little lamb with your garlic.

Sprinkle the bottom of an oven dish with salt, and half the Herbes de Provence. Lay the roast with the fattest side up, then sprinkle again liberally with salt and pepper, and the rest of the Herbs de Provence. Roast in a preheated 450° oven until crusty brown and sizzling, about 45 minutes.
0nly then, baste with water or Madeira or port, and replace in the oven for another 10 minutes (for 4 lb.) to 20 minutes (for 6 lb.)-this time at 350°.
Rest it for 10 minutes before carving. Depending on the size, it should still be quite rare in the center.
While you wait for the lamb to cool enough to carve, you can strain and reduce the juices a little, whisking in the optional sweet butter. As with the turkey, the beauty of this technique is that you can keep the copious pan juices piping hot- not boiling- then place into them the tender pink slices, just at serving. The center slices can arrive at the table very rare, and the outside ones less so, but moist and juicy! This gives you marvelous control of the doneness, which to me is the essence of good lamb.

Ingredients:
Leg of lamb, 4-6 lb.
4 medium cloves garlic salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence
2 cups water or stock or 1 cup port or Madeira


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For a DIFFERENT and DELICIOUS ROAST TURKEY

America's love affair with Turkey is deep and passionate,
but not all roast turkeys come out the same! To transform yours
into something memorable, try this:


Sprinkle the roasting pan and turkey liberally with salt, pepper, and 3 Tbsp. TERRIFIC TURKEY herbs. If unstuffed, sprinkle the cavity also. Quarter an onion and a carrot and place in the pan to flavor the pan juices. Roast uncovered at 400° for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on size, until the skin is brown and crisp. Baste all at once with 2 cups water or stock and 1 cup Madeira or Sherry. Reduce heat to 350°, cover and roast another 1 to 2 hours (for a turkey up to 16 pounds,) until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a fork, or internal temperature at the thigh is 160°. If it is stuffed, roast another 45 minutes. Add more stock or water as needed to create ample pan juices. Traditional recipes call for very long roasting times, but for a moist, juicy turkey, don't over cook it! Allow 1/2 hour resting time, covered, before carving, to allow the bird to finish cooking and re-absorb its juices. Meanwhile, strain the pan juices and use for sauce or gravy as follows:

Traditional recipes call for very long roasting times, but for a moister turkey, don't over cook it! Allow 15 min. resting time before carving; meanwhile strain the pan juices and use for sauce or gravy (read on).

For a DELICIOUS SAUCE using PAN JUICES:

Use the seasoned pan juices to make traditional flour gravy, or for something different, try this:
Ingredients:
Pan juices from roasting your turkey, strained, about 3 cups
1 Tbsp. TERRIFIC TURKEY herbs
2 Tbsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water, stock, Sherry or Madeira
2-3 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 Tbsp Honey (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste


While the turkey is resting before carving, strain pan juices, add HERBS, and bring to a gentle boil. Dissolve cornstarch in cold liquid, add to the juices, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring, to thicken and set flavors. Add mustard and honey, salt and pepper. Pour the sauce into a deep preheated serving dish and keep very hot, but not boiling. At the last minute, the sliced turkey can be placed directly in this dish and sent to the table. The beauty of this technique is that you do not have to overcook the turkey, which is so often the ruin of the bird! Even slices which are slightly pink will cook through on the way to the table! Result; say goodbye forever to dried out, lukewarm turkey; it will be moist, juicy and fragrant.

Turkey is so easy and economical, why wait for the Holidays? Unstuffed, it's as simple as roasting a chicken, and even a small one gives a blessing of leftovers.
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JOHN ASH'S WILD RICE STUFFING

As director of Fetzer Vineyards' culinary center, noted Chef and author John Ash created many recipes to showcase Mendocino County's gourmet products.

Here is one using our HERBS:

For a small bird:
1 8oz. box of WILD RICE, cooked till still firm (McFadden Farms was used here)
1 cup finely diced onion
2 oz. dried WILD MUSHROOMS (Woodland Pantry was used here)
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 Tbsp. Butter
1 lb. lean ground pork and 1/2 lb. good smoked ham, chopped finely
1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup Port Wine or FETZER BLACK MUSCAT
2 Tbsp. TERRIFIC TURKEY HERBS
1 Tbsp. fresh minced sage, or 1 tsp. dried


Saute onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp. butter till soft and golden; set aside. Saute' soaked and drained mushrooms in 2 Tbps. butter until lightly browned. Combine all the ingredients, season the turkey inside and out with liberal salt and pepper, stuff the bird and skewer shut. Set on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side down. Roast in preheated oven at 325 for one hour, turn breast side up, baste with pan juices (as in the above recipe) and continue cooking for 14-16 minutes per pound or until temperature at the thigh is 160. Allow the bird to rest, tented with foil, for 20 minutes before carving. Stuffings can be baked in separate dishes for 1-1/2 hours if you prefer.

John Ash © 1992
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APPLE, ONION, AND POTATO TARTE

This is an adaptation of a Swiss dish with the unlikely name of CHOLERA, which uses leeks instead of onions.
Leeks are grand if you have them. Serves four.

Parboil two whole medium potatoes, skins on, for 15 minutes, drain and cool. Core and finely slice two ripe apples and a large onion, parboil together 5 minutes, drain and cool. Meanwhile make a pie crust from your favorite recipe, or puff paste, or filo dough. If using filo, defrost by package directions, then lightly butter and stack at least 10 sheets. Install the crust in a deep pie or quiche mold (tuck overhanging filo edges back in along the sides), and pre-bake 10 minutes. (Lining the crust with foil keeps it erect during prebaking.) Slice the cooled potatoes, skins on or off, and layer half into the tarte. Layer on half the apples and onions, remaining potatoes, then apples and onions neatly on top. Dot with chunks of sweet butter.

Beat together two large eggs, four ounces cream cheese, one-half cup cream, 1 Tbsp. TERRIFIC TURKEY HERBS, 1 tsp. salt, and freshly ground pepper. Pour over the tarte and bake 1 hour at 350. A lower-fat alternative is to use ricotta in place of cream cheese and milk for cream, or do as the Swiss do, using Gruyere cheese. It's lovely.
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SAUSAGE AND SAUERKRAUT STUFFING

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, oven-toasted till crunchy, 10-15 min.
I onion, finely minced
2 Tbsp. butter, oil or margarine
3/4 cup rice (white converted is safest, but your favorite brown or wild rice mix is great, too)
2 cups water or stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1 32-oz. jar of good gourmet sauerkraut
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 apple, chopped fine
1 lb. ground pork sausage, or 4 eggs if you don't eat pork
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. Terrific Turkey Herbs
1 tsp. salt (or less, since sauerkraut is salty)
1/4 cup sour cream


Toast the almonds on a cookie sheet at 350° for 10-15 minutes. In a heavy saucepan, saute onion until trans­lucent in butter, oil or margarine. Add rice and sauté rice and onion together briefly, a minute at most, add water or stock (stock is best), and salt. Simmer, covered, no more than 15 minutes for white rice, 30 for brown, or u.ntil rice is still quite firm.

Meanwhile, drain sauerkraut and rinse it well or not, depending on how tangy you like your food. (I wouldn't rinse at all, but my husband wants it really washed, so we compromise.) Drain well. Mince garlic in the food processor, then almonds, until large chunks are gone, but not too fine. Now chop the apple. In a large bowl, combine everything, then test for seasoning by frying a bite and tasting it. Stuff the turkey fore and aft, and roast according to directions for Terrific Turkey. Keep the stuffing warm while you carve, and serve with the hot pan juices.

Instead of drawing moisture from the bird as a bread stuffing would, this mixture will add liquid and will give a wonderful tang to the drippings. It's always fun to serve this surprising treat to guests who would never imagine such a combination. Enjoy!
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HONEY MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING

Homemade salad dressings are so much better than store-bought, and once you know how easy it is to make a great basic dressing, you might never buy one again! I always make a jarful since it keeps well and it’s so convenient to have on hand.

Start by mixing well:
2 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
2 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced very fine
1/2 cup rice wine or apple cider vinegar or your other favorite pale vinegar
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar, adds depth but not too much color
2 tsp. soy sauce
1-2 tsp. SUPERB SEAFOOD herbs
Several grinds of fresh black pepper


Whisk or shake until well mixed and emulsified (the mustard does this)
Add while whisking: 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
Allow to sit for a half hour to steep and set flavors; taste for salt and balance.

Food Safety regulations for salad dressings and other bottled sauces require a high level of acidity to retard spoilage, resulting in sauces on the sour side. At home you can balance your salad dressings to suit your taste and the meal they will accompany: for example, more sugar (or honey) allows more acid and less oil, if you are watching fats. Mustard is an emulsifier allowing the ingredients to stay combined, if you incorporate it first, and it provides a tasty, salty base. Fresh garlic (never dried) adds sweetness and depth to any salad dressing.

For VARIATIONS on the basic dressing:
Substitute 1/2 cup buttermilk instead of olive oil for a creamy, low fat dressing
Mash 1/4 cup blue cheese into the buttermilk for a creamy tasty sauce
Use Walnut oil if you are making a salad with toasted walnuts
Substitute a sweet-hot mustard such as Mendocino Mustard for the Dijonnaise
For a cole slaw dressing, add ½ cup mayonnaise and fresh or dried dill, 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter and fresh pressed peanut oil make an Asian flavor

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QUICK AND EASY SAUTEED KALE

One of the healthiest of foods, Kale or other mixed cooking greens can accompany almost any meal, and they are amazingly quick and easy.

Try this:
One large bunch of fresh organic Kale, stems removed, washed and drained
One Tbsp. Olive oil and One Tbsp. butter , melted in a large sauté pan
Toss the kale in the melted oil.
Add a large clove of minced garlic and
1 Tbsp. SUPERB SEAFOOD herbs.
Add 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar and
1 Tbsp Soya

Stir until the greens are wilted and hot, about 3 minutes. Chop them coarsely and serve.
Beet greens are wonderful like this as well, use as a bed for roasted beets.
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PERFECT ROAST POTATOES

Nothing is quicker and more satisfying than roast potatoes, and almost everyone loves them.

This recipe takes only moments: Serves four
Two pounds Yukon Gold, Red Creamer, Fingerling or other firm organic potato
Salt and Pepper, don’t skimp
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. PERFECT POTATOES herbs

Wash and drain potatoes, allow to dry or pat dry. You can leave the peels on but cut away any eyes or blemishes. Cut into uniform wedges or other shape, toss with HERBS, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet at 350° for about 20 minutes, then flip the pieces and roast 15 minutes more until golden and just crunchy. Serve hot with almost anything. Yumm. This also works with sweet potatoes.
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FRESH PASTA "CLOUD 9"

One reason it's such fun to make fresh pasta is that you can flavor it any way you like.
My first thought for this lovely fragrant blend was to put it in pasta dough, and yes, it is very nice!
Assuming you will use a pasta machine:

Place flour in a mound on a large clean surface, and make a well in the center. In it place eggs, oil, salt, and CLOUDS' BLEND HERBS and mix well with a fork. Using the fork, begin incorporating flour from the inner rim of the well, sweeping new flour from the lower part under the mixture to keep it from sticking to the board. Mix as much as you can with the fork, then press your (lumpy) dough together with your hands. Shake what remains loose on the table through a sifter. Discard lumps and place your ball of dough into the loose sifted flour. Knead by hand, pressing with the palm and folding over the edges, for about 3 minutes, incorporating loose flour. It should be smooth and elastic. Let it rest 5 minutes, then follow pasta machine instructions. It is very quick and delicious.

Fresh pasta ingredients:
2 cups flour, unbleached or better yet, a hard wheat flour
2 extra large eggs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. CLOUDS' BLEND HERBS
A large pinch of salt

*For an amusing presentation, make a pesto log.
Mix all ingredients, arrange along the edge of a piece of waxed paper, roll snugly and chill till firm.
Cut in thick slices to garnish each portion of fresh CLOUD 9 pasta.

Pesto log ingredients:
1 cube sweet butter (1/2 cup), softened
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
A small handful of fresh basil, chopped fine
1 Tbsp. CLOUDS' BLEND HERBS
1 Tbsp. Soy sauce, or salt to your taste
2 cloves pressed or very finely minced garlic

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POACHED SALMON NATURALLY

At Little River Cafe, our poached Salmon was a constant favorite. As with the leg of lamb, it seemed that less was more: Salmon doesn't deserve being masked with sauce or over-prepared. After working on his boat, Jacques would go to the Noyo harbor and choose every fish by feel, since the first secret to good fish is absolute freshness.

With salmon, a simple preparation and sauce is always best.
Start with impeccably fresh fish, and let your ingredients shine, as follows:
Prepare a court-bouillon of one cup dry white wine, 1 quart water or light fish stock, one onion and one carrot, both chopped, several parsley stems, 1 tsp. sea salt, a sprig of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried, 1 bay leaf, and 6 peppercorns. Bring to boil and simmer 1/2 hr.
Strain it into a deep flat pan or fish poacher, bring to boil and gently add Salmon fillets or steaks of 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person. Adjust heat to keep it just at the simmer point while they poach, about 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small pan floating in the poacher, melt for each fillet: 3 Tbsp. sweet butter, with the juice of one-half lemon, 1/2 tsp. CLOUDS BLEND HERBS, and some finely-chopped parsley. When the salmon flakes with a fork and has just become opaque in the thickest part, remove, drain well, and serve on a warm plate with the lemon-butter sauce. Very simple, very good.
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FRENCH STYLE CUCUMBER SALAD

In France cucumbers are often salted to release some of their liquid, which can be bitter depending on the season. Then the wilted slices are tossed with cream, tarragon and a little vinaigre, for a lovely light addition to salads or plates of crudités.
Try this version using CLOUDS BLEND

2 large cucumbers, or a half dozen small lemon cucumbers, peeled and sliced

Toss in a colander with1 tsp. salt, and leave to drain for one hour. Mix in a bowl with 1/4 cup cream or sour cream, on tsp. CLOUDS BLEND HERBS, and more salt and pepper to your taste. Add chopped parsley or scissored chives to garnish, serve in a colorful medley with garden tomatoes and roasted beets, or use to garnish a green salad.
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FOR THE COOK WHO LOVES TO CREATE IN THE KITCHEN

Good Thyme Herb Blends are your partner in the adventure of color, fragrance, and savor.

FOR THE COOK WITH LESS TIME

Good Thyme Herb Blends were created to make great seasoning quick and easy.

FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

Good Thyme Herb Blends are seasoned performers, blended from experience and created for results.

FOR ANY COOK

Your food is more than a statement of style; it's comfort, nourishment, and well-being. Season it right with Good Thyme Herb Blends.

Call or e-mail us to swap recipes and ideas. Look for the free recipe on each product page.
Good Thyme Herb Company, Post Office Box 975,
Mendocino, California 95460
Phone: (707) 964-0509
e-mail: herbs@goodthyme.com