As I spooned some Feta with Herbs (see previous post) into a small container for my workday lunch this morning, a light bulb came on in my sleepy brain! I didn’t tell you, last time, about my super timesaver to prepare the herbed feta. My secret ingredient … the piece de resistance!
What else could it be – Herbes de Provence (Herbs of Provence to we English speakers), of course! Rather than pull several containers of herbs from the cupboard, to make my own blend of herbs, I often simply open a trusty container of already-blended Provencal herbs. First “spoonfall” (is that the equivalent, utensil-wise, of footfall?), the multiplicity of pungent herbal scents confirms to me that whatever dish this tasty herbal combo is headed toward, it will be a delicious dish indeed.
I love to get the real thing, imported from France, of course, if possible. Amazingly, and a real money saver, I often find imported herbes de Provence at discount department stores, like Marshall’s or T.J. Maxx, in their specialty foods sections. (I always check the expiration date and I have never had any problem with freshness.) Imported blends are also availabile, of course, at many supermarkets and gourmet grocery stores.
Better yet, some of my herbes de Provence blends have been purchased in France, by the Ingredient Sleuth herself! That is the ultimate. In either case, each time I open the container, visions of France spring to mind. Shopping, eating, touring delights from every corner of that mecca of culinary delight. Can you hear me drooling?
The sunflower-design napkin in this photo, in fact, came from a charming little shopping area in Paris. Called Maison Meunier, it is part of a row of single-storey, stall-like buildings just east of the Conciergerie, St. Chapelle church and the Palace of Justice, along the Quai de la Corse on Ile de la Cite (Metro: Cite) -- and a pleasant stroll from Notre Dame Cathedral. Come to think of it, I also bought some tasty herbes de Provence at Maison Meunier last year. The friendly clerk smiled knowingly as I paid her for my purchases; surely, she could see the "visions of herbal plums" dancing in my head! And the cheshire-cat grin on my face ....
Should you decide to concoct your own batch of Provencal herbs, rather than buy a ready-to-go blend, here is a typical mixture:
Herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried lavender
½ teaspoon fennel seed
1 pinch of powdered bay leaf
I consider the blended Provencal herbs to be a little dash of magic and also use them to flavor roasted vegetables, to enliven a quick-supper omelette and as a speedy, ready-to-use rub for roasted chicken and pork. And now, as I leave you to indulge in that tasty lunch that I packed this morning, bon appetit from your friendly Ingredient Sleuth -- always searching for little touches of magic to send your way!
Friday, March 11, 2005
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Fridge-Friendly Feta
As cheeses go, feta seems like a camel – or that innocuous battery-powered bunny from the TV commercials – to me. It just keeps going, and going, and going. Stored in a durable, lidded, plastic container in the refrigerator, feta waits for me patiently day after day after day. No mold, no muss, no fuss. I’m sure that this cannot go on indefinitely, of course. At some point, one day, it simply must spoil. It is fantastic, though, that this phenomenon seems to take weeks, rather than days, to occur. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have ever had to throw away any spoiled feta.
Feta (occasionally spelled fetta) is a traditional Greek-style cheese that is typically made from goats' milk but may also be made from the milk of sheep or cows. It is crumbly in texture and is typically sold in either a block form, packed in a brine solution, or already crumbled. It may be soft to firm in consistency. Recently, I found some that was labeled French feta and thought that its flavor was milder and slightly less salty than Greek-style feta.
In any case, feta’s rich earthiness seems perfectly suited for combination with the earthy flavor of herbs. Dried herbs, being more intense, seem to best stand up to the intense flavor of the cheese. Here’s how I like to combine them:
Remove some block-style feta from its brine solution, dry it off with paper towels and cut it into half-inch cubes. Place the cubes into a durable, lidded plastic container with a flat bottom. Pour some good extra virgin olive oil over the cheese cubes, using enough so that there is some oil puddled in the bottom of the container. Sprinkle a combination of dried (not fresh) herbs over the oil-coated feta. (Use the herbs that you like best and rub them between your fingers or give them the mortar-and-pestle treatment to release the flavors before putting them on top of the feta.) For a nice Italian flavor, I like to use oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley and maybe a little black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for extra zing. Use enough herbs to give the cheese a light coating; you can always add more herbs later if you want additional flavor. Put the cover on the plastic container and give the mixture a gentle shake to distribute the oil and herbs. If the feta has already completely absorbed the olive oil at this stage, you may wish to add a bit more, so that there is once again a layer of oil at the bottom of the container.
As a topping for salads, as an addition to pasta dishes or as a quick-bite cracker spread, this herbed feta adds a wonderfully-homemade touch. How can homemade flavor be this easy. And there it sits in the fridge, patiently waiting for me to enjoy it, on a moment’s notice. When it comes to fridge-friendly cheese, what could be “betta” than feta?
Feta (occasionally spelled fetta) is a traditional Greek-style cheese that is typically made from goats' milk but may also be made from the milk of sheep or cows. It is crumbly in texture and is typically sold in either a block form, packed in a brine solution, or already crumbled. It may be soft to firm in consistency. Recently, I found some that was labeled French feta and thought that its flavor was milder and slightly less salty than Greek-style feta.
In any case, feta’s rich earthiness seems perfectly suited for combination with the earthy flavor of herbs. Dried herbs, being more intense, seem to best stand up to the intense flavor of the cheese. Here’s how I like to combine them:
Remove some block-style feta from its brine solution, dry it off with paper towels and cut it into half-inch cubes. Place the cubes into a durable, lidded plastic container with a flat bottom. Pour some good extra virgin olive oil over the cheese cubes, using enough so that there is some oil puddled in the bottom of the container. Sprinkle a combination of dried (not fresh) herbs over the oil-coated feta. (Use the herbs that you like best and rub them between your fingers or give them the mortar-and-pestle treatment to release the flavors before putting them on top of the feta.) For a nice Italian flavor, I like to use oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley and maybe a little black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for extra zing. Use enough herbs to give the cheese a light coating; you can always add more herbs later if you want additional flavor. Put the cover on the plastic container and give the mixture a gentle shake to distribute the oil and herbs. If the feta has already completely absorbed the olive oil at this stage, you may wish to add a bit more, so that there is once again a layer of oil at the bottom of the container.
As a topping for salads, as an addition to pasta dishes or as a quick-bite cracker spread, this herbed feta adds a wonderfully-homemade touch. How can homemade flavor be this easy. And there it sits in the fridge, patiently waiting for me to enjoy it, on a moment’s notice. When it comes to fridge-friendly cheese, what could be “betta” than feta?
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