RECIPES - Open House 2024

MORNINGSUN HERB FARM OPEN HOUSE 2024 – RECIPES

CINNAMON BASIL MAPLE BUTTER

1 cup softened unsalted butter
4 TBS pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely minced cinnamon basil

Add all the ingredients to your Cuisinart and whip until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Transfer the butter to an airtight container.  Store in your refrigerator for a few weeks or in the freezer for 3 months (use an ice cube tray).  As yummy as this butter is, it won't last 3 days.

SCENTED ROSE GERANIUM BERRY JAM

2 cups finely chopped rose geranium leaves
2 16 oz bags of frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries) THAW THE BERRIES FIRST
1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and chopped rose geranium leaves, rubbing the leaves with the sugar until the leaves are softened and have released their oils.  Add the thawed berries and any berry juice to the saucepan.  Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the berries are thickened to jam, about 25 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Transfer to jars and cool completely.  Seal and refrigerate.  The jam will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 month.  You can also do a hot water bath.  Makes 4 1/2 pints.  The open house sample was blackberry, raspberry with lemon juice.

PINEAPPLE SAGE CHUTNEY

4 cups diced fresh pineapple (1 large ripe pineapple or 3 small/med ripe pineapples will make 4 cups) SEE NOTE BELOW
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 TBS mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
1 lime, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pineapple sage, minced (leaves and flowers)

Place all the ingredients (except the parsley and pineapple sage) into a large non-aluminum saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the brown sugar dissolves.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes.  Add the parsley and pineapple sage the last few minutes of cooking.  Ladle into jars and seal.  You can process it for 15 minutes in a hot-water bath.  It makes approximately 4-5 1/2 pints.  NOTE:  This is a very chunky chutney with diced pineapple.  If you want a less chunky chutney, I suggest you cut the pineapple pieces smaller.

HERBS DE PROVENCE TOMATO JAM

3 lbs (4 cups) ripe tomatoes, cored, peeled and chopped
7 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 TBS herbs de provence

In a large pot, combine tomatoes, sugar and lemon juice.  Mix well;  bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Reduce heat; boil gently, uncovered, 30 minutes.  Stir in the herbs de provence and cook for another 30 minutes.  After an hour of cooking, the mixture has reduced down about 1/3.  It will still be very thin.  Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized 1/2 pint jars and seal.  My samples for the open house made 9 1/2 pints.  Note:  if your jam is too thick when you open the jar, place in the microwave for 10 seconds, then stir.  If needed, do it again.  This jam is better at room temperature.

LAVENDER LEMONADE

1/2 cup sugar
6 cups water
1/4 cup fresh or 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring the sugar and 2 cups of the water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the lavender flowers, cover and remove from the heat.  Let the syrup steep for at least 30 minutes.  Strain the syrup into a pitcher.  Stir in 1/2 cup lemon juice and the remaining 4 cups water.  Taste and add more lemon juice if necessary.  Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.  Makes 1 1/2 quarts.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH FRESH MINT

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh mint (we used chocolate mint), roughly chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
heaping 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place the butter and mint in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Melt the butter, swirling occasionally.  After about 2-3 minutes, when you can smell the mint, turn the heat off and let the butter continue to steep for 1 hour.  Strain the butter, pressing the leaves to extract all of the butter from the leaves.  Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars.  Beat until light and creamy, 3-5 minutes.

Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat for an additional minute.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixer while running, stopping to scrape the bowl as necessary.  Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix just until combined.  Remove the cookie dough from the bowl, wrap in plastic wrap, and press flat into a disk. Chill for at least 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, rolling into 12 balls.  Space 6 balls on each cookie sheet (the cookies will spread considerably).  Bake for 11-12 minutes, rotating the pans half-way through.  Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

VEGAN KALE AND BASIL PESTO

1 cup kale
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 to 2 garlic cloves
2 TBS nutritional yeast
2/3 cup pine nuts
3 to 4 TBS olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine the kale, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and nuts, pulsing just until coarsely chopped.  Slowly add the lemon juice, olive oil, and plenty of salt and pepper, blending just until desired consistency is reached.  For a thinner pesto, add more olive oil or lemon juice.

ORANGE AND MOJITO MINT SALAD

3 oranges
1/2 garlic clove, halved
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 TBS rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh Mojito Mint leaves
1 large head lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Grate the zest of one of the oranges, then juice the orange to make 1/4 cup juice.  Peel and section the other 2 oranges and set aside for garnish.  In a salad bowl, mash garlic with salt and mustard.  Add orange juice and rice vinegar.  Whisk in olive oil and pepper to taste.  Toss with mint leaves, lettuce, and reserved oranges.  Sprinkle with the grated orange zest.  Serves 4.

NETTLE SOUP

4 TBS butter
1 med sized onion, chopped
1 lb fresh nettle shoots (REMINDER:  This plant has ‘thorns’, handle with care)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 med sized potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock or water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups whipping cream
few gratings of nutmeg

Soften the onion in the butter in a large soup pot without allowing it to color (cook on a low temperature to sweat the onion to a translucent color).  Wash the nettles and chop coarsely.  Stir them into the pot, along with the garlic.  Add the potatoes and coat them in the butter. Add the stock or water and stir.  Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender.  Either sieve the soup through the finest disk of a vegetable mill or use a hand wand.  Add the whipping cream and hand wand again.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add nutmeg for taste.

ROASTED RED PEPPER DIP

1 1/2 to 2 large red peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz creamy goat cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup Greek oregano
1/4 cup spicy bush basil
1/4 cup parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Place the peppers on a baking sheet and place in the oven.  Roast for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until skin is charred and blistered.  Remove the peppers from the oven and place in a bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.  Peel the peppers and remove the stems and seeds.  Place the peppers, oregano, basil and parsley in a food processor and puree until desired consistency.  Add the garlic, goat cheese, lemon juice and sour cream to the pepper mixture and process again in the food processor.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

ZA'ATAR HUMMUS

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup tahini, stirred
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 - 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup packed cilantro
1 TBS fresh za'atar
1 TBS fresh lemon savory
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the chickpeas, 1/2 cup reserved chickpea liquid, garlic, tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro, za'atar, lemon savory and the olive oil in a food processor.  Process, scraping down the food processor once or twice.  Process until the hummus is creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If the hummus is too thick, add more chickpea liquid.  Makes approximately 2-3 cups.  Serve with your favorite vegetables or flatbread.

CELERY ROOT SPREAD

1 celery root (about 1/2 lb)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS chopped shallots
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 TBS low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 TBS chopped fresh dill
1 tsp thyme (I used French thyme)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp chopped chives (garnish)
2 tsp paprika (garnish)

Cut off the root and top of the celery root.  Shave down and around the bulb, with a sharp knife, to remove the skin.  Cut the celery root into chunks, as long as the pieces are approximately the same size.  Place the pieces of celery root in a saucepan filled with lightly salted water.  Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.  You want the celery root tender when pierced with a sharp knife.  While the celery root is cooking, warm the oil in a skillet.  Add the shallots and sauté slowly until soft and translucent.  Set aside.  When the celery root is tender, rinse in cold water.  Place the celery root into the food processor and pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped.  Add the sauteed shallots, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, dill, thyme, salt and pepper.  Mix well and place in a serving dish.  Garnish with the chives and a dusting of paprika.  Serve with crackers.  Makes 1 cup.

LEMON VERBENA REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 tsp milk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup very finely chopped fresh young lemon verbena leaves
1 egg, lightly beaten
About 1/4 cup additional white sugar

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk in a cup and set aside.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a separate mixing bowl, with a wooden spoon or hand-held electric mixer, cream the butter with the 3/4 cup of sugar and chopped lemon verbena leaves until fluffy.  Add the egg, mixing until blended.  Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture by thirds, alternating with portions of the lemon juice mixture, ending with the final addition of the liquid.  Blend the dough well, then chill for at least an hour, or until firm.  You can chill overnight.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment paper.  Shape the chilled dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll the balls in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and place on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.  Press each cookie down with the bottom of a glass dipped in the remaining sugar until they are flattened to about 1/4 inch thick.  Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack, and enjoy.  The cookies store well in a cookie tin or Ziplock bag.  Makes about 4 dozen

LITTLE BERRY HIBISCUS TEA

A tea blend we offer for sale in our gift shop from a small Canadian company called Justea, which focuses on small scale tea farmers in Kenya.  Offering fair wages and working with many women farmers, their blends are interesting, innovative and delicious!

Little Berry Hibiscus tea is a mix of organic hibiscus, rooibos, organic lemongrass, licorice root, rosehips, black currant, cranberry, blueberry and elderberry.  It is caffeine free!  To make hot tea, steep 1 tsp tea with one cup of almost boiling water for 4 minutes.  For iced tea, use 2 tsp of tea blend with 1/2 cup of almost boiling water, steep for 4 minutes, allow to cool and add an additional cup of water and ice.