This past week, it was acting like August where I live. The tomatoes and peppers that I put in my garden blossomed overnight, and the seeds I planted sprouted within just a couple of days! Had I planted them a couple of weeks ago when it was acting like March, they’d likely be to exactly the same point they’re at now. And we had pleasantly cool weather to boot.
My herb garden is well underway. I have more oregano, chives and cilantro than I can use, at least until the tomatoes and peppers ripen. At that point I can make salsa or pasta sauce, and I’ll have plenty of the right herbs to use in it. I also have quite a lot of thyme, lemon thyme, sage, various mints, and lemon balm. I’ve got basil and dill coming from seed (rapidly!) and still need to get marjoram, rosemary, tarragon and maybe parsley plants.
So you’ll see lots of herbs in the menus for the rest of the summer. In most recipes, you can substitute dried at half the quantity. But not in the chimichurri this week!
Chimichurri is a South American condiment/marinade that’s a bit like pesto, traditionally made with parsley. It’s sometimes made with oregano or cilantro, as it is here. But if you’re hungry for pesto, there’s some in the Untato Salad. We’ll also do some Korean-style grilled chicken; a seasonal Midwestern chicken and berry salad; a shrimp salad that would be home in Key West; and French and Italian ideas on what to do with a grilled steak. The bonus this week is chocolate-covered strawberries! Yum!
