Herbs, herbs, herbs

picture: dille & kamille

Cooking with fresh herbs is my addiction (ok,ok, I do have other addictions but they are not the subject here!)

I adore the scent of fresh basil, rosemary or cilantro. And what about going with your hands through a bunch of lavender leaves and then smell your hands. Heavenly!

This is one of my favorite recipees, easy and soooo fresh, yummy! (a dipping sauce to combine with beef skewers for example):

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh basil leaves

1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup of fresh mint leaves

1 small chile, seeded

2 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce

3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

1/2 cup of chunky peanut butter

In a food processor combine the basil, cilantro, mint, chile, garlic, fish sauce, lime sauce, and peanut butter and process until smooth. Transfer to a small serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigarate until 30 minutes before serving (the dipping sauce can be made up to 1 day in advance). Try it and let me know if you liked it (or not...).

Water: mint goes very well in bottles or jars with table water but why not trying something new? Use some basil in it. Gives a great, different flavor to the plain water (use a whole bunch of basil sprigs and just hang them in the jar!).

Herbs, for cooking but also for decorating: I often use herbs as table decoration: the huge rosemary sprigs that are for sale here are a wonderful possibility. And so is a little twig of basil combined with a neutral colour napkin.

Ok, one confession to make: I can't keep my herbs alive... I buy and buy and buy lots of plants in small containers, but after a week, they're brown, dead, not one single green leave is left. What do I do wrong? Too wet? Too dry? Tell me!

Have a spicy weekend & enjoy the sun!

Love, C.