To me, the sight and smell of fresh herbs are a herald of spring. Give me a bouquet of herbs over flowers any day. When I plunge my nose into a splash of herbs and breathe in the fragrant mint, parsley, dill, cilantro, and lemon balm — a potpourri — I can’t stop sniffing. Fresh herbs can brighten a dish and add an unexpected pop of flavor.
Herbs that are currently in season, actually in Santa Monica’s Mediterranean climate all year-round, are cilantro, basil, mint, rosemary, lemon balm, dill, parsley and thyme. When I buy herbs or harvest them from a garden, I look for leaves that are unblemished and mostly green and store them upright in a glass of water covered with a plastic bag in the fridge. The plastic covering can keep the herbs from drying out too quickly. Before using the herbs, I take a few sprigs of what I need from the plant in the fridge, wash them under cold water, and give them a spin in my salad spinner. After a few rounds in the spinner, I take them out and let them dry a bit more on a clean towel. They are then ready to use. Soggy herbs are not ideal in a fresh salad or spread!
I was inspired to create a Lebanese fattoush salad in order to use as many herbs as possible! Traditionally, fattoush salad uses crisp veggies, mint, parsley, and fried day-old pita bread all tossed in a lemony sumac dressing. It reminds me of the Italian panzanella salad as it is a great way to repurpose leftover bread. Parsley is a source of vitamin A and C and can be planted indoors and outdoors. Mint is a very hardy plant that will grow easily in your garden, but watch out that it does not take it over! This fattoush salad is made scoopable piled on a pillowy bed of a feta spread and eaten with pita chips.
Fattoush Salad
Ingredients:
1 English Cucumber
1 red pepper
3 tomatoes
3 green onions (green parts only)
¼ cup of mint leaves chopped finely
½ cup parsley leaves chopped finely
Pinch of salt and pepper
Handful of pita chips
Dressing Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 clove garlic (crushed)
⅓ cup olive oil
½ tsp sumac
Salt and Pepper to taste
Feta Spread Ingredients:
1 block feta
2-3 tablespoons of Labneh
2 TBS Olive Oil
Method:
- Dice all vegetables for the salad. Set aside the pita chips for scooping.
- Make the dressing by juicing the whole lemon into a jar; add the garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously.
- Make the feta spread by mashing all ingredients using a fork or for a smoother spread, a food processor, and scooping the spread on to a plate.
- Add the salad ingredients on top of the spread and top with as much salad dressing as you like.
- Scoop your salad with pita chips and enjoy!
Lemon Balm Drink
Recently, while buying my mint and parsley at the farmer’s market, I mistakenly picked up lemon balm. It looks similar to mint and is in the same plant family, but it has the most fragrant lemony smell. (It is called lemon balm after all!) When I brought it home, it just begged to be used in a refreshing beverage. I really enjoyed putting about 5 sprigs of lightly crushed lemon balm in a large 32oz mason jar with cold water. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours and enjoy! I would imagine this could also be delicious as a comforting tisane with hot water and a splash of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of honey. Studies show that lemon balm acts as an antioxidant to reduce inflammation and can increase feelings of calm.
The magic of herbs! Gather your own or learn to grow your own at Ishihara Park Learning Garden. Herbs are very easy to grow in containers or pots, perfect for a balcony or backyard. Volunteer hours at Ishihara are from 9:30 - 11 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Salima Saunders
