The Hub July 2015 | Page 7

Michael Haggert Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme... And basil and oregano and cilantro, mint and chives and dill. It is quite possible to have an entire garden dedicated to just herbs, but who has the time or the space? We all do. Sage and dill need some space in the ground, but all the others will grow pretty well in pots on a windowsill. Not my windowsill. Anything in pots at my house has a maximum life expectancy of about four months. But my garden includes herbs. Later in the season, just as they go to flower, I’ll cut what seems like armloads to be bunched together, tied with string and hung around the kitchen to dry. You know that scene in that movie where they enter the witch’s cottage? It looks like that. It smells even better. A few weeks later, when the hanging bunches are dry, I’ll strip off the leaves and either crush them by hand or even powder them in the coffee grinder. The jars in the spice rack will be full and Ziploc bags will be labelled. All the while I continue to pick and use fresh herbs from the garden. If this cool, wet start to the growing season has your basil growing into a metre-tall mass of shiny, dark green goodness, it’s time to make some pesto. Go out to the garden and pick some fresh basil. About 2 cups packed, or if you’re like me and forgot to bring a container, loosely fill your hat. Pulse in the food processor or blender with a couple cloves of garlic and a heavy pinch of salt until you have a thick, green mass that sticks to the sides. Add a quarter cup of pine nuts and run the blender while adding some good olive oil. When you finish with a thick, green sauce, toss in a couple tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Pulse to combine. This makes a little more than a cup of pesto. Served on pasta or meat dishes, a little goes a long way. Load the rest into an ice cube tray and freeze for up to three months, to enjoy the fresh basil flavour again and again. If the cost of pine nuts requires a bank loan, go ahead and substitute walnuts. Delicious doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Whether it’s a sprig of mint in a pitcher of iced tea, or some fresh dill fronds to jazz up some salmon, or fresh chives to bring a restaurant flare to your baked potatoes, herbs bring a variety and completeness to your diet. Having them as close as the windowsill will make it easy to step up your culinary game. Impress yourself and anyone else you’re cooking for – not for the reviews, but because food matters. Tell us on Facebook about your adventures with food this month, or tweet us @thehubWE #foodmatters July 2015 - The HUB 7