Both Lavender and Mint are wonderfully fragrant on their own. Combined, that heavenly fragrance is even better! Both grow in full abundance this time of year and I like to get creative with how to use these prolific herbs. I recently created “floral” arrangements with these beauties and they were magnificent.
Lavender + Mint are also a great combo in iced tea. I like making big batches of it and keeping it chilled in the fridge for hot summer days. A refreshing, clean, and aromatic thirst-quenching delight!
Keep in mind, you need a small amount of lavender, you don’t want your beverage to taste like potpourri. You can adjust the amount of mint and lemon to your preference. Personally, I LOVE mint and lemon so I don’t hold back- but experiment and find the balance you enjoy best.
Ingredients:
6 Sadaf Cardamom black tea bags (or any Earl Grey Tea)
18-20 cups of water, boiled
3 lemons
A big handful of fresh mint (approximately 2 cups)
5 fresh lavender sprigs, removed from the stem and thoroughly washed
1/2 cup sugar (this is a lightly sweetened recipe, increase sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter)
Directions: Boil water and pour in a large bowl.
Dip tea bags in hot water a few times, then leave to seep in the bowl.
Add sugar and mix until dissolved.
Add lavender.
Slap mint in your palms to release the natural oils and add to tea mixture.
Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into mixture (adjust to taste).
Slice remaining lemon, add to tea and mix all ingredients.
Let sit for 30-60 minutes, allowing the aromatics to infuse the tea.
The kitchen will smell amazing at this point!
Once cooled, refrigerate and serve with ice and garnish with a lemon slice and more mint (optional).
Enjoy!
Cauliflower is a wonderful ingredient to cook with. This cruciferous vegetable has a mildly earthy and nutty flavor. It’s easy to cook, a nice source of vitamin C and quiet filling as vegetables go.
I try to incorporate vegetables in most meals, but once a week I like to highlight them in my Meatless Mondays. It is a simple way to not only diversify the week’s meals, but also experiment with whatever seasonal vegetables tickle your fancy at the moment.
The are many ways to cook with cauliflower. Simply roasting with olive oil, salt + pepper will result in a nice gold brown texture which enhances the nutty flavors. Combined with the sweetness from the caramelized onions and the tangy tahini sauce- you have yourself a flavor explosion made from a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
2-3 teaspoons red chili flakes (adjust to preference for spice level)
1-2 tablespoon of mint, lemon thyme or dried oregano (mint nicely compliments the tahini dressing)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
salt + pepper
Directions: Place cauliflower florets + onion in a baking sheet.
Add herbs, sprinkle with salt, pepper and red chili flakes, then drizzle with olive oil.
Using your hands, mix ingredients well until everything is evenly covered with oil.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve over yellow lentils or your favorite greens- drizzle with tahini sauce and enjoy!
Legend has it Kabab was invented by medieval soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires. But mostly likely cooking pieces of meat over a flame has been around since humans began cooking with fire.
There are cultural variations to skewered food around the world: En Brochette as in the French technique, Satay of Malaysian or Indonesian origin , Souvlaki of Greece, Yakitori of Japan (which literally means “burnt chicken”), Espetada of Portugal and my personal favorite Shish Kabab from Iran and surrounding Middle East countries- just to name a few.
It is a simple and practical way to cook and I want to share one of my favorite recipes with you. You can either grill these over fire or bake in the oven. Either way you end up with a tasty and juicy chicken. Drizzle it with my mint-basil sauce and you have a flavor explosion to boot!
The Ingredients:
For Chicken Skewers:
1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 red, green and yellow bell pepper each, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large red onion, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons lemon zest
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped lemon thyme (use 1/2 tbls regular thyme as an alternative)
For Basil Mint Sauce: 2 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup cooked green peas
2 cloves garlic
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
6 tablespoons olive oil (plus more if needed)
Salt + Pepper
Directions:
Prepare marinade.
Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, garlic, rosemary, thyme and red chili flakes in a bowl.
Add chicken, add salt + pepper and mix so marinade coats chicken evenly.
Marinade over night if possible, if not 2-3 hours prior to cooking is fine too.
Cut peppers and onions into approximately 1 inch pieces.
Thread chicken and veggies on skewers and alternate for beautiful color pattern.
Make sure skewers are not too tightly packed so everything cooks evenly.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water prior to cooking so they don’t catch on fire.
Once you have everything on the skewers bake in a 375 degree over for approximately 25 minutes, turning skewers over every 10 minutes or so.
If grilling, keep on the flame until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally (approximately 10 minutes total).
For the sauce- combine mint, basil, peas, red wine vinegar, red chili flakes, S+P in a food processor.
Pulse a couple of times for a rough chop.
Pulse a few more times while simultaneously pouring in olive oil.
You can add water for a thinner consistency depending on preference.
Serve drizzled with green sauce and a splash of lemon juice and enjoy on top of salad or rice.
Over the years I’ve enjoyed many delightful meals with my friend, Anjali. We both like beautiful and healthy food but never compromise flavor! So we teamed up for our next video to cook a delicious menu of panko crusted Dijon Cod fish and a fragrant Mediterranean salad with fresh herbs.
The fish is light and flaky with a tang of Dijon and cooks in a snap. The cucumber-tomato-feta salad is savory, fragrant and colorful. Pair that with a chilled Rose and fantastic company and you got yourself a fabulous meal!
Ingredients:
For the Cod:
1 lb. wild caught cod fish
2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup panko crumbs
2-3 teaspoon olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt + Pepper to taste
For the Salad:
1 lb tomatoes (either cherry, beefsteak or heirloom), chopped
1/2 large red onion, chopped
4-5 cucumbers (Persian cucumbers are more delicate and flavorful), chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 – 3/4 cup pitted + sliced Kalamata olives
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
3-4 tablespoons dried mint or 1/2 cup fresh mint
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine panko, 1 teaspoon olive oil, zest of lemon and a pinch of salt + pepper in a bowl. Mix.
Squeeze juice of lemon on the cod.
Drizzle cod with remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and spread evenly on the fish.
Slather cod with Dijon mustard.
Cover all of the mustard with panko mixture.
Bake in oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until panko is slightly golden.
Prepare the salad while the fish bakes.
Chop onion and place in a bowl of water to reduce sharpness.
Combine chopped tomato, cucumber, red pepper, olives, feta cheese and mint.
In a separate bowl prepare dressing.
Finely chop the garlic and combine with red wine vinegar.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking quickly.
Add onion to salad mixture.
Pour dressing over the salad and fold gently to mix.
Serve with a chilled rose or white wine of your choice and enjoy!
I team up with my cousin Kam to make the best steak of your life. Impressive doesn’t have to mean fancy. All you need is great ingredients and technique, fabulous company and wine doesn’t hurt either.
The recipe is below. Check us out and feel free to comment, share, try the recipe and give us feedback. Happy cooking!
The Menu
Pan Seared Ribeye Steak
Smashed Potatoes
Dijon Asparagus Salad
Ingredients:
For Steak
2 ribeye steaks (approx 1 lb each)
Sea salt + black pepper
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme each
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
For Asparagus
2 bunches asparagus (about 25 spears)
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt + pepper to taste
For Potatoes
10-12 small red or yellow potatoes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 – 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (adjust to taste)
olive oil for drizzling
Directions:
Generously salt your ribeye steak on both sides.
Pepper is not required, but I use fresh ground pepper as well.
Put aside.
Prepare potatoes.
Add baking soda and salt to water in a pot, bring to boil.
Add potatoes to boiling water and cook for approximately 20 minutes (until soft enough that a fork goes through easily).
While the potatoes boil, prepare the asparagus.
Cut thicker fibrous bottoms of asparagus spears (approximately 1 inch).
Using a peeler, shave each stalk into “ribbons” (this looks really pretty!)
Place in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt + pepper for the dressing.
Drizzle in olive oil while you whisk into dressing, until creamy.
Pour dressing over asparagus and fold gently to spread evenly across.
Let sit and put aside.
Take cooked potatoes out of boiling water and place on baking sheet.
Pat dry.
Using a potato masher (or bottom of a bottle), SMASH each potato down, flattening out the little bud.
Drizzle potatoes with olive oil.
Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and pepper.
Grate Parmesan cheese over each potato. Use as much as you like, about 1-2 table spoons per potato.
Place potatoes in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.
You can turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end to brown the top for extra crispiness.
While potatoes bake and asparagus marinates, we go back to our steak.
Heat your cast iron pan in the oven or stove top until it is super hot!
This is the trick to getting that nice sear on the outer part of your meat.
Place steak in super hot skillet and don’t mess with it for at least 30 seconds.
Cook on first side for approximately 3-4 minutes.
Flip your steak and sear the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
Add butter (or a couple of tablespoons of olive oil) to the pan along with fresh rosemary, thyme and garlic.
Note- using olive oil does mean a bit of smoke in in the kitchen when dealing with high heat.
Using pot holders, lift pan and tilt to one side so melted brown butter or oil gather.
Slowly spoon the brown butter over the steak multiple times.
The gorgeous flavors of the herbs and garlic marry with the steak for an awesome flavor.
Remove steak from the pan and LET IT REST for about 10 minutes. This is super important!
You want the meat to rest for juices to redistribute throughout the steak. Otherwise, you’ll lose all the juicy goodness when you cut into the steak prematurely.
Once rested, slice your steak cutting against the grain.
Serve with crispy smashed potatoes and asparagus and enjoy!
These days there is much to do in the garden: weeding, feeding and pruning to name a few. But it’s all worth it as everything is literally “coming up roses,” and the garden is seemingly dancing in the sun. June is one of the loveliest months in the garden.
We just passed the summer solstice, which heralds the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day of the year. It is when the Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt and we are closest to the sun. Just like us, the garden thrives from the rays of sunshine and life activity with all of its seen and unseen matter is just as luminescent as the rays that feed it.
The roses are gloriously perfuming the oasis. The hydrangeas are in early stages of color while courting the bumble bees. The marigolds echo the scent of the earth while murmuring the colors of the sun. The day lilies are bursting with gold while flirting with the wind. The white lilies are starting to grow under the fallen blanket of white dogwood petals which retired it’s borrowed stardust in spring. And the herb garden is erupting with aromas of basil, sweet mint, lemon thyme and French lavender. The butterflies are ecstatic and so is this humble gardener. There is something especially satisfying in seeing your hard work literally “bloom” into beauty.
“We bury our seeds and wait, Winter blocks the road, Flowers are taken prisoner underground, But then green justice tenders a spear.” ~Rumi
There is something uniquely special about the appeal of fire, we love being around the warmth and glow it creates. There is something that draws us towards the bonfire and the hearth. I believe our memories- conscious or subconscious, personal or collective are a part of that draw. Most of us have treasured memories of people who have cooked for us- Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, friends… We cherish these memories because they are a special reminder of the love and generosity we’ve received in our lifetime. We gather around the fire, and the hearth and our tables to pay homage to that gift. To quote Michael Pollan, “a good pot holds memories.“
Tahran, Iran circa 1970
Most cultures have some form of grilling tradition which usually results in groups of people in the family or community gathering around a fire and sharing a meal together. Kebabs in the Middle East, Asado in Argentina, Tandoor in India, Churrasco in Brazil, Luau in Hawaii, Sausage Sizzle in Australia, Gogigui in Korea, Hibachi in Japan, Chuanr and Char Siu in China, Sataay in Southeast Asia, Lechon in the Philippines, Braii in South Africa (for which there is apparently a national day and anthem). And of course there is the classicAmerican Backyard BBQ which many of us enjoyed this past Memorial Day Weekend.
Each of these traditions have their own unique style and flavor, but the common denominator is the communal aspect of the tradition. The lyrics in South Africa’s Braii anthem go “We stand united at the bonfire. We raise our glasses to the clear, blue sky, tell me your story and I’ll tell you mine.”Gathering around the grill is universal. When we don’t have an actual fire, we gather in our kitchens. Near the hearth, near the source of the fire, around those whom provide for us sustenance and satisfaction. One of my personal highlights of the year is that moment when I bring the turkey out of the oven on Thanksgiving day. Surrounded by friends and family who applaud and cheer as if I just invented bread! I love that moment and appreciate their gratitude. Everyone wants to take a picture with me and the turkey- which incidentally works out nicely, it gives our bird the right amount of time to rest.
As an avid cook, I may be biased on the importance of cooking and how it elevates our experience. Beyond my personal passion, there is an important evolutionary aspect of cooking that may be represented in the fires we gather around.
Cooking is what separates us from our evolutionary cousins, what made us civilized creatures. Learning to cook elevated humans from lone animal to more intelligent beings. Some neurologist believe the reason humans have bigger brains than gorillas is because we learned to cook. By using fire to cook our food, we spent less time foraging and less time chewing our food. This allowed us to get more energy out of our food, allowing our brains to grow. Although the human brain is 2% of our body mass, approximately 20% of what we consume fuels brain activity. The more calories we consumed, the more our brains grew. With more time spent around the fire, we spend more time together and learned from one another. This topic is artfully covered by the fantastic Michael Pollan in his book Cooked, now a stunning docu-series on Netflix. A visually captivating, poignant and educational series.
“The discovery of fire and its use with cooking completely change our evolutionary curve, enabling us to shrink our guts and grow our brains…The cook fire tamed us and socialized us by giving us the institution of the meal.” -Michael Pollan
This history of us is fascinating. Cooking plays a role in how we came to be creatures which have the capacity to enjoy life. A transformation occurred when we stopped cooking for survival, and started cooking for pleasure. So raise a glass to friends and loved ones who cook for you and who’s kitchens you’ve gathered around. Not only are they the source of many of our best experiences, it may also be that without them we would be a lot less intelligent!
I love to grill and summer BBQ’s are a wonderful way to gather around the fire for “old times” sake.
This week I’ll share my favorite grilling recipes with you. From the now (somewhat) famous “Naz Burger”, to fun marinades for grilled chicken and fresh summer veggie recipes.
I love eggs. It is one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen and I enjoy different ways of cooking it. From a humble omelette to a sumptuous souffle, the options of what you can make with eggs are infinite. Eggs are an excellent wellspring of nutrition in a single source: they provide proteins, antioxidants, fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins and minerals.
Omelettes are great on weekends, like this savory Scallion and Mushroom Turmeric Omelette. On weekdays the classic hard boiled egg end up on salads for lunch, an express breakfast on busier days or perfect mid-afternoon snack with a pinch of flakey sea salt.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said “There is always a best way of doing everything, if it be to boil an egg.” I 100% agree with that statement. Here I share with you what I consider the best way to make hard-boiled eggs. It will be one the simplest and most satisfying dishes you make.
And since here at Basil and Roses we love flowers so much, we present our eggs shaped like one! It’s just beautiful and we think it will put a smile on your face.
The key to perfect hard-boiled eggs is to NOT boil them. You read correctly.
Directions:
Place eggs in water in a pot and cover with lid.
Make sure eggs are covered with at least 1 inch of water.
Bring water to boil.
As soon as water starts boiling, turn off the stove.
For a softer yolk, let sit for approximately 5 minutes.
Then run under cold water, peel and enjoy.
For the perfectly firm yolk, let sit for 10 minutes before running under cold water and peeling.
Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper.
To present like the beautiful flower above-
Cut 2 eggs in half, then cut the half into a quarter and arrange like a flower on the plate.
Plato said “Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.” This presentation and the incredible miracle that is the egg are two great examples of that notion.
Something salty compliments eggs well. Feta cheese is a great choice.
Here I served the eggs with a typical Persian breakfast of Feta, Tomato, herbs and pita (noon o paneer o sabzi!)
Fish tacos, how we love them so… truly one of my favorite things to eat. I enjoy indulging in crispy fried versions once in a while, but in general prefer a healthier baked or grilled version. With the immense flavor of this tequila-lime recipe nothing will be lost, promise! There is just something so gratifying about a good fish taco. All you need is a nice flaky fish, a zesty salsa with a kick, guacamole, a crunchy slaw and of course a nice amount of citrus and spice and everything nice!
My family loved this recipe and I hope you enjoy it too. With summer just beginning, this is the perfect dish to make for warm afternoons in the backyard served with a refreshing margarita!
¡Buen apetito!
Ingredients:
1 lb. wild-caught Cod fish
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup lime juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
salt + pepper
8 small corn or flour tortillas
Directions:
Cut fish into smallish pieces (approx 3-4 inches long).
Make the marinade by combining tequila, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro and jalapeno, S+P in a bowl.
This smells amazing! The alcohol burns off during cooking but the tequila flavor is awesome!
Place fish in the marinade and cover. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
In the mean time, you can make the fun accompaniments for the tacos.
Once marinaded, place in preheated oven of 325 degrees F.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes.
This colorful salsa is fun to make, fun to eat and a feast on the eyes! The gorgeous colors make the table festive and the sweet and sour flavors are explosive! Great on fish tacos or as a dip.
Ingredients:
4 large and ripe mango, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons lime (adjust to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Tortilla chips to scoop up all this flavor (I used these Tostitos Multigrain Scoops), they handle the chunky salsa well.
Salt + Pepper
Directions:
Combine cubed/chopped mango, red pepper, red onion and jalapeno.
Add cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, salt + pepper. Adjust to taste based on preference.
Fold gently to combine ingredients together.
Enjoy this savory, sweet and sour delight!
