Herbs: The Soul of the Mediterranean Kitchen

     Peace, Shalom, Salaam my friends,

                     Today I would like to talk about the soul of the mediterranean kitchen, culinary herbs. Herbs have been in use around the mediterranen basin since before recorded time. No one knows exactly when, or how, or why people began making use of the wild leafy plants growing all around them, on the rocky ledges, in the meadows, and in the valleys, but we know that at some point people realised that these plants posessed  properties that could affect mood, soothe aches and pains, as well as provide varied, and distinct tastes, and frangraces to the foods they consumed.
                Regional cooking styles of the Mediterranean basin are characterized by the herbs and the herbal combinations used by each. When one thinks of Italy, one thinks of basil and oregono, Spain conjures up images of rosemary, parsley and cilantro, the Levant is known for it's blending of marjoram, thyme, hyssop, and toasted sessame seeds known as za'atar. All across the mediterranean area one finds the culinary use of perslane ( a lovely succulent related to moss rose, bearing a very similar bloom)as a seasoning, and as a salad green.

              The skill of the mediterranean home cook is much gauged by the ability to strike the perfect balance between the herbs and spices, as well as, the type of meat, vegetable or grain with which they were used. So today I would like to share with you some recipes for herbal blends that are used as flavoring compounds in several of the mediterranean cuisines. These blends would have been grown on the patios, and in the kitchen gardens of the home cooks who developed them. You can easily grow these herbs in pots in a sunny window sill or dedicate a bright corner of your garden plot to herbs, just as mediterranean cooks have been doing for generations.
       The first two are typical of the southern regions of Italy, and France, particularly, Tuscany and Provence. The first Gremalatta is based on Thyme and lemon, and the second, Persilade is all about fresh parsley.

                                                                      Gremalata
                                                   1 bunch flat leafed parsley
                                                   Appx. 15 sprigs of thyme
                                                   Zest from two lemons
                                                   salt to taste
Wash the herbs and dry with paper towels. On a cutting board place the parsley and using a sharp chef's knife cut the stems off the bunches. Ball up the leaves and slice through them to get them started, then add the thyme leaves by stripping them with your thumb and first two fingers along the length of the stems. Once all the thyme leaves are added to the parsley begin walking your knife over them till they are very finely minced. Add in the grated lemon zest and the salt to taste. Gremalata is an exelent finish to chicken and fish preparations and is wonderful swirled in to summer soups at the last moment before service.

                                                                   Persilade
                                                             3 bunches flat leafed parsley
                                                             two cloves garlic
                                                             Coarse salt
Wash parsley and dry with paper towels. On a cutting board ball up parsley and slice through to get it started then begin walking your knife over it till it is very finely minced. Place a ts. of coarse salt on cutting board, and place the first garlic clove on it. Using the tines of a fork crush by puling the fork through in quick short strokes appying downward pressure till you form a paste. Repeat with second clove of garlic. Blend the parley and the galic paste well together. Use the persilade to perk up rice, pasta,  blanched or sauteed vegetables.

     The next herbal compound I want to share with you is almost synonomous with Italy. Of course I'm speaking of Pesto. Pesto is so versatile it can be a sauce on its own and can be incorportaed into other sauces for depth and complexity. It can also serve as a spread for bread or as a dip for caulyflower and other crudite.

                                                                Pesto
                                                               Leaves from 5 bunches of basil( about two and half cups)
                                                               1 cup of toasted pinenuts
                                                               1 cup of grated parmagiano
                                                                5clves. garlic
                                                               Extra virgin olive oil as needed
                                                               salt to taste
In to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the chopping blade, put all ingredients except the oil and salt. Pulse in short bursts untill a paste begins to form. With the processor running Pour oil in a thin steady stream through the feed in your processors lid. Use enough oil to create a a paste/sauce with the consistency of of a loose porridge. Taste for salt, and pulse to incorporate salt to taste. Pour into a sealable container and store for up to a week in the frige or 6 mos. in the freezer.

         The last recipe I'll share with you today is a specialty of the levant. Za'atar is presented in many local variations, but all use a combination of thyme and other herbs from the mint family( in the oregono sub-order), sessame seeds, and salt(and often ground sumac). Za'atar is served over yoghurt, baked into the tops of flat breads and mixed with olive oil as a dip for warm bread,as well as,as a seasoning for salads and various vegetable dishes or  also sprinkled over hummus bi tahina as flavorful garnish.

                                                                               Za'atar
                                                                             3T. dried oregono
                                                                              2T. dried thyme
                                                                              1T. toasted sessame seeds(white)
                                                                               salt to taste
                                                                               1 T. ground sumac(optional)
Combine all ingredients and use in any of the ways described above. Za'atar will last up to a year if well sealed and stored in a cool dry place, but I highly doubt that it will last that long.

                       Herbs provide so much variation and excitement to foods; I hope that if you haven't experienced some, or any, of these regional specialties of the mediterranean basin, you will use these recipes to expand your appreciation of the ingenuity and skill of the homecooks who developed these mixtures from the green leafy plants they cultivated on their patios and in potage garden plots wherever the Children of Abraham have made their homes.