Rainbow Lemon Herb Couscous

Couscous is a fine grain wheat pasta from Morocco. I love it because it is tasty, quick and easy to prepare. This recipe is a great side with a ratatouille, roasted herb lemon chicken, or seafood. The turmeric gives the dish a golden glow that enhances the green of the herbs, the red of the tomatoes, and purples of the Kalamata olives

I recommend fresh herbs for this dish. Everyone needs an herb garden. I love the time I spend cultivating it, and the peaceful moments when I am harvesting my daily ingredients. You can substitute some parsley or cilantro for some of the basil and mint. Experiment with them, mix and match as you see fit

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Chicken Broth
• 2 cup Couscous
• 1 cup Roma Tomatoes diced
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh Basil, chopped
• zest and juice of 2 Lemons
• 3 tablespoons Chives, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh Mint , chopped
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Get a large bowl to hold and mix the following ingredients:
2. Prepare the herb vegetables to flavor the Couscous.
   1. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and dice
   2. Grate the lemon zest
   3. Cut the lemon in half and juice it, making sure you keep the seeds out of the juice.
   4. Remove the Basil leaves from the stems, roll into a cigar shape and slice thin.
   5. Remove the Mint leaves from the stems, roll into a cigar shape and slice thin.
   6. Chop the Olives.
   7. Chop the Chives.
   8. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive oil
3. Mix well and set the mixture aside.
4. Mix the turmeric into the chicken broth and bring it to a boil, turn off the burner.
5. Add the Couscous to the broth and stir well.
6. Add the herb and vegetable mixture to the Couscous and broth and stir well.
7. Cover the pot and let stand for 5 minutes.
8. Fluff the Couscous with a fork and place it in a serving bowl or on a platter.
9. Serve immediately.

Yields 6 servings

Pesto Time

I have patiently waited, watching my herb garden in anticipation, Today was the day I had been waiting for. My basil plant was ready for mass harvest today. Once they start flowering it's time to cut them back and make one of my favorite seasonal treats, pesto.

Overview:

This classic Italian sauce is easy to make and versatile in usage, I keep it on hand for quick dishes. Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan cheese. Pesto can be tossed with pasta, added to soups and salads, or used instead of a tomato based sauce on a pizza.. I had better stop there, we are getting into a completely different post.

Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coarse-crushed roasted pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups sweet basil leaves (about 4 ounces)
• ½ cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano Reggiano
• ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Preparation:

1. Heat a large dry flat bottomed saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the pine nuts to the pan.
3. Pine nuts burn easily so keep them moving by shaking the pan
4. Roast until they are fragrant and lightly browned.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and let them cool.
6. Put the pine nuts in a ziplock bag and seal
7. Lightly smash the bag with a heavy skillet to coarsely crush the pine nuts.
8. Crush and peel the cloves of garlic.
9. Rough chop the garlic.
10. Process the pine nuts and garlic until finely minced.
11. Add the olive oil and pulse three or 4 times.
12. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, and salt to the processor bowl.
13. Process until finely minced, scraping down sides.
14. add more olive oil if you want to make a thinner looser sauce
15. Store for later by pouring the pesto into an airtight container.
16. To prevent oxidation add a thin barrier layer of olive oil over the pesto.
17. Seal the container and store refrigerated for around 1 week.

Fried Rice With Basil

Fried Rice With Basil - Koa Pad Krapao

This is a tasty and fragrant dish that is easy to make. Any meat will do, or you can substitute fried tofu for the meat if preparing a vegetarian meal.

Ingrediants

• 6 cloves Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Thai Hot Chili, finely chopped
• 6 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Pound Fresh Chicken, pork or shrimp, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 Pound Cooked Jasmine rice, preferably chilled overnight
• 2 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 2 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 4 Tablespoon Green Onions, finely sliced
• 8 Tablespoon Fresh Sweet Basil Leaves
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Coriander Root, chopped

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a wok or fry pan.
2. Stir-fry garlic until golden.
3. Add Chili and chicken, cook until done.
4. Add cooked rice, sugar, fish and soy sauce.
5. Cook over medium heat, stirring and tossing gently.
6. Continue stirring until it is mixed well
7. Stir in green onions, basil leaves & coriander.

Makes 4 servings.

Shrimp Panang Curry

Shrimp Panang Curry is one of my personal favorite foods. The way it's flavor notes dance on your tongue is a delight to your sense of smell and taste. So many intense flavors held in a perfect balance.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ Pound peeled shrimp
• 3 Tablespoon Panang Curry Paste
• 15 leaves Sweet basil leaves
• 1 can (13.5 FL.) Coconut milk
• 3 Teaspoons Fish sauce
• 3½ Teaspoons Sugar
• 6 Red Chili peppers cut in half lengthwise

Preparation

1. Clean the shrimp, remove the vein along the back.
2. Heat in a saucepan, ¾ Cup of coconut milk & the curry paste on high heat.
3. Cook until the sauce bubbles.
4. Add Shrimp, 2 Tsp of fish sauce and 2 Tsp of sugar
5. Stir continually and cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Add ¾ Cup of coconut milk, 1 Tsp fish sauce, 1 ½ Tsp of sugar & 10 sweet basil leaves
7. Stir occasionally until the shrimp are cooked pink.
8. Garnish with red chili peppers and 5 basil leaves.
9. Serve immediately with hot steamed Jasmine rice.

Makes 4 servings