Category Archives: Alchemy

Pasta with Pumpkin, Sage, Saffron, St. Jacques Scallops and Crayfish.

Evergreen herbs, Food, , , , , ,

This is a delicious recipe which uses sage and saffron to bring out the flavours of pumpkin and shellfish.  It has been sent to me by Elodie, from Amsterdam who I hope will be regularly contributing recipes.

Pasta with Pumpkin, Sage, Saffron, St. Jacques Scallops and Crayfish.

Serves 4
Ingredients
400 – 500g dried pasta shapes
1/4 small green or orange pumpkin (approximately 250g), seeded, peeled and diced
1 fish stock cube
1 medium onion
4 St. Jacques scallops (Coquilles), finely sliced or diced
10 – 12 Crayfish (Rivierkreeften)
Handful of frozen or fresh peas
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced, chopped or mashed (depending upon strength preference)
5 sage leaves
2 saffron strands
1/2 cup almond flakes
Tablespoon cream / creme fraiche
Dash of Thai fish sauce (optional)

  1. Cook diced pumpkin in a little water until soft (approx. 5 minutes),  set aside.
  2. Make a cup of fish stock using the stock cube and boiling water, keep it ready.
  3. Cook your pasta of choice whilst preparing the sauce as follows.
  4. Dice onion and fry in a little olive oil until golden.
  5. Add saffron and garlic to the pan and cook gently.
  6. Add sage and peas.
  7. Add the crayfish and a little of the fish stock ( keep the rest so you can add more if required).
  8. Add a tiny dash of Thai fish sauce, if you happen to have it.
  9. In a separate pan fry the Coquilles St. Jacques in a little oil, until thoroughly cooked. Try a little piece to make sure the scallops are not under-cooked.
  10. In the same pan gently fry the almond flakes until light brown. Reserve the almonds separately.
  11. The minute your pasta is cooked and drained, stir the pumpkin, St. Jacques and cream into your sauce.
  12. Pour the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the almond flakes.
  13. Add salt and pepper to your own liking.

This is an excellent dish using the seasonal Pumpkin and Sage in a slightly different way!

Bon Appetite !

Cough Syrup

Potions, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This cough syrup recipe was kindly sent to me by Louise from Thornbury, South Glocestershire, UK.  She has been making it since attending a herbal remedies course in Bristol a few years ago. The recipe is taken from Hedley & Shaw’s book, Herbal Remedies: A practical beginner’s guide to making effective remedies in the kitchen

Louise says that… “It’s really good stuff and clears a heavy cold in a matter of days.  I always keep a bottle handy in the fridge and it keeps for ages.  I have even given some to colleagues in work.”

The combination of herbs is said to be soothing, antiseptic, antibiotic and expectorant.  The aim of the syrup is to thin out mucus and help open up the bronchi.  It is recommended by Hedley & Shaw to help relieve deep restless chesty coughs, tightness from colds and sore throats.

I made a batch this week, it tastes wonderful. There are several ingredients but all are easy to obtain and the method is really quite simple.  Some of the ingredients contain strong volatile oils so this syrup should be taken in small quantities for a short period of time and should not be used by pregnant women.

Sterilising storage bottles

Remember that your storage bottles need to be sterile, to prevent contamination and prolong the life of your potion.  This is best done just before you set to work with the herbs as if left until the last minute there may no time to do it properly.

  1. Clean the bottles/jars thoroughly with hot soapy water and a bottle brush,
  2. Let them drip dry
  3. Sterilise them (with lids/caps off and the openings facing upwards) in a warm oven (about 110 oC) for about 10 minutes.   Beware that plastic caps or lid liners will melt and burn if left in too long.
  4. Turn off the oven and leave them in there whilst you make the potion and get ready to pour.  If you need to leave them waiting in the oven for a long while, loosely fit the caps/lids when cool enough to handle, to prevent contaminants getting in.Some people find that cleaning them on a hot dishwasher cycle also does the trick.

Cough Syrup
(Makes approximately 350ml)
Not suitable in pregnancy or for babies

Ingredients
15g dried thyme (NL: Tijm)
8g dried sage (salie)
8g dried chamomile (kamille)
2 teaspoons fennel seeds (venkelzaad)
1 teaspoon aniseed (anijs)
20 cloves (nagelkruiden)
2 garlic cloves (knoflook teentjes)
Pinch cayenne pepper (cayenne) or ground ginger (gember)
900ml water
450g locally sourced honey

Method

  1. Put water and chopped herbs into a pan and bring to the boil.  Cover with a tightly fitting lid.
  2. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Cool a little, strain through a fine mesh seive, pressing with a clean wooden spoon to extract the goodness.
  4. Discard the herb and keep the liquid.
  5. Return to the heat and simmer slowly, uncovered until reduced to 200ml (making a decoction).
  6. Add 450g honey, dissolve and simmer for a few minutes, stirring all the time, until of a syrupy consistency.
    DO NOT OVERHEAT as the syrup will burn.
  7. Cool a little before pouring into sterilised bottles.
  8. Label (date made and contents) and keep refrigerated to avoid fermentation.
    Best kept in a corked dark glass bottle, as a screw topped bottle may explode if fermentation takes place.

    Legal Disclaimer: The content of this website is not intended to replace conventional western medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat,cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a medical herbalist or other qualified health care practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material on this website is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health and health care.

Thyme (NL:Tijm)

Evergreen herbs, Growing herbs, Indoor herbs, Perennial herbs, Potions, , , , , , , , , , ,

Evergreen hardy perennial Thyme (Thymus spp.) originates from the Mediterranean, has a great number of medicinal and culinary uses and is easily grown in containers, making it ideal for the Urban Herbologist.  It is a strong herb containing volatile oils and should be avoided by pregnant women and used sparingly by others.

Growing Thyme in Containers
There are a vast number of Thyme varieties, each having a slightly different scent, appearance and flower colour. Thymus vulgaris is the Common Garden Thyme. All Thyme varieties have relatively shallow woody roots and form a soil covering carpet.  A healthy plant can be easily “split” to give you many new plants for free.  Being a Mediterranean herb, it does well in poor soil and should be allowed to dry out between waterings.  Thyme will quite rapidly use up the nutrients in soil, so do re-pot every year or so to encourage healthy growth. The leaves of Thyme  develop a more intense flavour and scent when grown in strong sunlight although dark leaved varieties can thrive in fairly shady locations.

This year I am experimenting with Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus) grown in a container, around the base of a Lemon Verbena.  I bought one small pot of organic Lemon Thyme from my local garden centre and split the plant into four before re-potting.  Lemon Verbena is quite a tender deciduous shrub so drops its leaves in winter and needs to come inside to survive. Thyme is winter hardy but has the same watering requirements as Verbena so they should do well together.  I’m also hoping that Thyme’s shallow roots won’t out-compete the Verbena, when spring arrives.

Historical uses
Since ancient times Thyme has been prized for its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.  It was used widely in combination with other herbs for; embalming, temple incense, nosegays to ward off disease, room purification and even to induce visions of fairies.  The Romans used it to add an aromatic flavour to cheese but generally ancient people used it medicinally.

Culinary uses
These days Thyme is best known as a culinary herb, it has a strong, pleasant flavour and reportedly has good antioxidant properties. Many stews, salads and sauces are enhanced by adding a little Thyme. Chicken and fish dishes are particularly well suited to it. Because of its strength I far prefer Thyme as a culinary herb, adding it to food more regularly when the cold and flu season is upon us.  If you like the taste of lambs liver, try cooking it with a simple sauce made from softened onion, garlic, chopped tomato and thyme.

Thyme remedies
Some people find Thyme tea a useful hangover remedy but it is more widely used as a throat gargle or mouthwash to help with sore throats or gum infections.  Thyme has expectorant properties so Thyme syrup or honey may be useful as a cough remedy.  However due to the strong volatile oils in this herb, it shouldn’t be used regularly as a tea, syrup or in any other concentrated form.

Thyme tea
To make tea from Thyme simply add a few fresh or dry sprigs to a 2 cup teapot (maximum 1/2 teaspoon of dried chopped Thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped Thyme), fill with boiling water and leave to steep – but only for a short time.  Check the taste and appearance after just five minutes, that should be enough to release some oils and impart a good flavour.   If you cannot seed oil droplets on the surface of the tea then you may like to leave it to steep a little longer, perhaps another five minutes but be cautious with this herb.  It is strong and the volatile oils are unsafe in concentration or when used regularly.

Legal Disclaimer: The content of this website is not intended to replace conventional western medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat,cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a medical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material on this website is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health and healthcare.

Wholemeal Sage & Parmesan Crumpets

Food, Semi evergreen herbs, , , , ,

Crumpets (English muffins to Americans) are a delicious comfort food and should be served hot, topped with butter, honey, melted cheese or jam.  Usually crumpets are made with plain flour and are cooked in metal rings so that they become 2 – 3cm deep bread honeycombs.  I prefer to eat crumpets with a savoury topping so have created this sugar free recipe which includes fresh sage, Parmesan cheese and wholemeal flour.  Fresh sage (Salvia officinalis, NL: Salie) is readily available throughout the year, has many medicinal uses such as relieving cold symptoms and goes wonderfully well with Parmesan.

The crumpet batter can alternatively be poured from a tablespoon onto the cooking surface to make a thinner version, which is quicker to cook and could be called savoury Pikelets.  If you try this method cook the first side until the top appears to be dry, then flip them over and cook for a further minute or two.

Wholemeal Sage and Parmesan Crumpets
(makes 16 – 18 with rings or 36+ if poured)

Ingredients
300ml milk
300ml water
425g strong wholemeal flour
45g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons fast action dried yeast
(plus a frying pan or griddle, four metal biscuit cutters or small flan rings* and oil)

N.B. A bread maker may be used for steps 1 – 3. Simply add all ingredients to the bread pan with paddle attached and run the dough program straight away. Check after 1 hour and remove when you see the batter is full of bubbles.

  1. Warm the milk and water in a small saucepan, over a low heat.  Don’t let it get hot as that will kill the yeast which you will soon add, lukewarm is fine.
  2. Put the flour, chopped sage and Parmesan in a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast and salt.
  3. Add the warm milk and water to the flour mixture, little by little as you stir, to form a smooth, thick batter.
  4. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and leave at room temperature for between 60 – 90 minutes, until the batter has expanded and is full of bubbles.
  5. Lightly oil the inside of the metal rings and the frying pan or griddle surface, then gently heat the pan/griddle.
  6. Place the rings on the griddle or frying pan and spoon about 1cm depth of batter into each ring.  N.B. The batter will further expand as it cooks so adding a greater depth will only result in overflowing rings or crumpets which are uncooked in the middle.
  7. Gently cook until the batter has bubbled and the top of the crumpets looks dry (about 5 – 8 minutes)
  8. Loosen the edges of the crumpets with a small sharp knife before removing the rings and turning the crumpets. Cook the other side until golden brown.
  9. Clean and re-oil the pan/griddle and rings before cooking the second and subsequent batches.

The crumpets can be reheated in a toaster or under a grill.  If your crumpets turn out too thick and are undercooked in the middle, you can slice them in half through the middle and finish them off under the grill.

*If you don’t have small flan rings or biscuit cutters you can easily use clean tuna cans or something similar.  Remove both ends with a can opener and use the can as a ring.

Creamed Savory Jerusalem artichokes & Brussels sprouts

Food, Semi evergreen herbs, , , , ,
Jerusalem artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes

Yesterday, I was kindly given a half Kilo of Jerusalem artichokes by my friends at de Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam. After seeking inspiration in The River Cottage Cookbook and Jekka’s Herb Cookbook, I concocted this simple and tasty recipe using fresh Winter Savory (the mystery herb I purchased in France recently) and dried Herbes de Provence.  We enjoyed it as an accompaniment to white fish, just a few hours after the Jerusalem artichokes were dug up.

You may well be thinking that this recipe will cause some unwelcome digestive effects!  Both Jerusalem artichokes and Brussels sprouts are currently in season but both have a reputation for causing flatulence.  However the addition of fresh Winter Savory (Satureja montana) aids and stimulates digestion, helping to prevent flatulence and it enhances the flavour to this side dish.  The Herbes de Provence mix I used also contains plenty of Winter Savory (26%).  The Dutch name for Winter Savory is Bonekruid, literally bean herb.  Perhaps this pertains to it’s ability to aid the digestion of legumes?  Jekka’s Herb Cookbook contains a recipe for broad beans with Summer Savory, I must try it.

Creamed Savory Jerusalem artichokes & sprouts

(Serves 3-4 as a side dish)

500g Jerusalem artichokes

Creamed Savory Jerusalem artichokes & Brussels sprouts
Creamed Savory Jerusalem artichokes & Brussels sprouts

250g Brussels sprouts
4 tbsp creme fraiche
1 tsp finely chopped fresh Winter Savory
1 tsp dried Herbes de Provence
50g grated Cheddar cheese or Goudse jonge belegen cheese
Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

  • Peel and roughly chop the Jerusalem artichokes and sprouts.  Simmer in a little water for about 5 minutes, until the sprouts have softened and the artichokes are thoroughly cooked.
  • Drain the vegetables before adding the dried herbs, chopped fresh herbs and creme fraiche.  Stir well and mash lightly.
  • Add the grated cheese before warming through on a low heat for a couple of minutes.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste, serve warm.

Wild rose (Wilde roos)

Foraging, Potions, Wild herbs, , , , , , , ,

Rose is the plant of love, grown and used by women and men for millennia.  There is much folk and magical lore associated with the rose, I shall post about this another time.  Its petals can strengthen the heart and spirits and are found to have a cooling tonic effect on the female reproductive system. Rose hips are often used as a preventative tonic to strengthen the immune system and to aid those who are convalescing.

There are several species of wild rose in the UK: dog rose, Rosa canina; field rose, R. arvensis; sweet briar, R. rubiginosa; burnet rose, R. spinosissima and downy rose, R. villosa .  R. alpina and R. rugosa also grow wild in the Netherlands.  R. canina is probably the most familiar wild rose, with flask shaped hips shown here. Sweet briar is notable for the especially fragrant foliage. The hips of all roses are actually false fruit and the flowers of wild roses have only five petals, little scent and no nectar. Rose hips becomes softer and the dry calyx drops off later in the autumn, usually after the first frosts.  Hips are ready to harvest when they are a deep red (or purple with R. spinosissima) and can be pulled from the plant with little effort, without damaging the foliage.

Rose hips (NL: rozenbottels) are a particularly rich source of vitamin C and rose hip syrup was produced in quantity and rationed in the UK during WWII.  Roosvicee is a popular brand of rose hip based drink, here in the Netherlands.  Rose hip jam has traditionally been produced in Germany (Roosvicee also produce rose hip jam), rose hip soup is still popular in Sweden and a wine based on rose hips has traditionally been brewed in Sweden and Russia.

Rose hips are used medicinally in teas (1 – 2 tsp hips or 1/2 tsp powder in a 2 cup pot of water), infusions (steeped for up to 4 hours) and syrups.  Hips may be used fresh or dried. Once dried they can be ground into a powder.  Most recipes call for the removal of the hairy seeds by straining as they can be very irritating.

rosehip harvest
Rose hips from Rosa canina

Rose petals can also be used in a variety of ways such as; layering with grease-proof paper wrapped butter to impart their heavenly aroma into the fat, adding to bath water, eating in salads. I prefer heavily scented garden roses for these uses as I can’t bear to see the flowers removed from wild rose bushes (and they have little scent anyway).  Rose petal glycerite is also very simple to make but requires lots of petals.

These days I only have access to small quantities of rose hips and I prefer to make a good strong syrup from them, or a tea if I can only collect a few.  Here is a very simple traditional recipe for rose hip syrup which can be used for any quantity of hips.  I use this recipe whenever I collect a  cup or more of hips and it is beautiful, delicious and useful.  The colours and aromas of this recipe are always magical.  I have also included a raw syrup recipe, from Hedgerow Medicine, by Julie Bruton Seal & Matthew Seal.  I haven’t yet tried it, as I always want my syrup quickly, but it sounds interesting and is thought to have a higher vitamin C level than the boiled version.  Do let me know if you make it.

Traditional Rose Hip Syrup

  • Clean and sterilise your syrup bottles#.
  • Wash your harvested hips and remove any dry calyxes and stalks.
  • Measure the volume of your hips and boil them in half that volume of water.  Simmer for 20 minutes with lid on pan.
  • Turn off heat and use a fork to lightly mash up the hips into the liquid.
  • Allow the pulpy brew to cool to a manageable temperature.
  • Strain the brew (mashed hips and liquor) through a sterilised jelly bag or tea towel or muslin cloth, into a clean bowl.  Get as much juice out of the pulp as possible without squeezing the seeds through the jelly bag or cloth.
  • Rinse your saucepan.
  • Measure the volume of the extracted juice and return it to the clean saucepan.  Add half that volume of sugar and give it a little mix.
  • Bring the juice and sugar to the boil then simmer for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Pour the syrup into sterilised bottles, seal with a tight lid and label.

#A guide to how many bottles you will need – Yesterday I collected one and a half  cups of ripe hips.  This yielded about 150ml of syrup.

Raw Rose Hip Syrup

  • Clean and sterilise a wide mouth pickling jar (NL: available cheaply in Blokker)
  • Clean and prepare your rose hip harvest as above – then dry them off.
  • Gentle score the skin of each hip, a few times with a sharp knife.
  • Cover the bottom of your jar with a layer of caster sugar.  Then make layers of hips and sugar, so that all the spaces between the hips are filled with sugar.
  • Close up the jar and leave on a sunny windowsill for a couple of months or until the juice has been drawn out of the hips and liquified the sugar.
  • Strain off the liquid, bottle and store in the fridge.

Legal Disclaimer: The content of this website is not intended to replace conventional western medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat,cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a medical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material on this website is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health and healthcare.

 

Herbes de Provence

Places, Restaurants, ,
D’un Goût à l’Autre
Meal at D’un Goût à l’Autre.

Nyons, in Drôme Provence, France is famous for award winning olives and delicious wines.  During my recent holiday there I enjoyed some great herby meals and bought two local specimens to add to the kitchen balcony. One restaurant stood out because of its use of local herbs. D’un Goût à l’Autre has several dishes on its menu which make an eye catching and delicious feature of fresh herbs.  Continue reading Herbes de Provence →