Happiness in a bundle of herbs

As strange as it may seem, there is nothing that makes me happier than a window sill full of fresh herbs. My vices are not caffeine or nicotine. Fresh herbs are my addiction. My family and friends have received many an email or phone call when I have come home with a new bundle, where it has been clearly obvious that I am a little more excited than the average person would be.

This is, in fact, the reason why I began writing this blog. I needed an outlet. I needed to spare my loved ones the details of my enthusiasm for all things herbal. If they choose to read my blog, they know that they are doing so at their own risk.

There are 3 herbs that I cannot live without. My holy trinity of herbs. Basil, Italian parsley and fresh mint. It has only been recently that I discovered how a simple cup of hot water and mint leaves can make a wonderful tea. And, as overly enthusiastic as I am, I insist on drinking it from a glass mug, so that I can see the beautiful green leaves steeping in the water as I drink. You have to involve as many senses as possible. And the visual is just as important as taste. It really does make the tea taste all that much better.

Fresh basil goes on almost any sandwich I make. My favourite is a sandwich of toasted rye bread, with fresh black olive tapenade, topped with basil leaves and slices of red, ripe plum or beefsteak tomatoes.

Parsley gets used up at a slower pace but, placed in a container with it’s stems in water which is changed every other day, it stays fresh for at least a week. My week however, is almost up, and my remaining parsley was calling out to me. I can’t bear to see my herbs go to waste.

I was happy to find a recipe for Tomato Salad with Parsley Dressing. I knew it would give me a chance to use up both my parsley and my beefsteak tomatoes. And after a weekend indulging in sweet treats and beer, the lightness of this dish is perfect for lunch or as a side or starter for a weekday dinner.

I found the inspiration for this recipe at Cooking.com, which has a recipe resource that I frequently browse through. The source of the recipe is indicated as Burt Wolf’s Menu Cookbook.

You can find the original recipe here for Tomato Salad with Parsley Dressing, the below recipe includes my modifications. I did not change the dressing recipe except to reduce the salt to taste and I left out the jalapeno pepper, only because I did not have one on hand.

Because the ingredients in the dressing are not blended, only roughly chopped and mixed together, its flavours take on a rustic freshness.

The salad was excellent with the parsley dressing and is even better if you have time to let the dressing sit so the flavours can mingle. The olives offer a nice salty contrast. I was very pleased with the results.

Tomato, Black Olive and Feta Salad with Parsley Dressing (makes 2 servings)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, coarsely chopped (I used 1 large scallion)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

2-3 ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks.
8-10 kalamata olives or however many you prefer
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (or to taste)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl to make the dressing.
Put the tomatoes and olives in a bowl. Toss with some of the dressing, to taste. Top with feta cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. (You will most likely have extra dressing leftover. You can add more tomato if you wish to increase the serving size.)

Serve with some toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil for a light lunch.