Creative Sanctuary

mint

Mint Sunflower Spread

By Allison

mint sunflower spreadMy ten days in Australia were magical.  I had never imagined I would travel there, so apart from the Sydney Opera House and kangaroos, I didn’t hold any fixed images of what Australia might be or mean to me.  Arriving without expectations left me open to experiencing each day’s offerings—beach walks, fish markets, Aboriginal art.  At each turn there was a friendly face ready to welcome me to Australia and perhaps point me to my next adventure.

My culinary experiences were especially energizing.  I tried new foods with “exotic” names like barramundi and freekeh.  I ate the best breakfast of my life at Cornersmith in Sydney.  Two years on, I think that I am most affected by the creative preparation of foods I already knew.  I still remind myself to use ingredients in ways that are new to me, and my Mint Sunflower spread was developed in that spirit.

Inspired by Vladia Cobrodova’s Creamy Mint Pesto, my spread is summer fresh.  It gets its creaminess from sunflower seeds and raw cashews.  The potency of mint and Parmesan cheese stand up to one another and make for a surprisingly lovely pairing.  Baby spinach and parsley round out the flavors.  I serve this spread with pita chips and raw vegetables as an appetizer.  It also works well as part of a main course that includes other dips and spreads.  Thin it out with a few tablespoons of water and use it as a pesto in a bowl of pasta or drizzled over grilled vegetables or meat.  Mint Sunflower Spread freezes beautifully and has brightened up many a dreary winter evening when I crave healthy, bright flavors.

Inspirations

Using summer herbs

Tea in Sydney

Australian cookbooks:  Cornersmith and A Whole New Way to Eat

Mint Sunflower Spread

Created by on August 10, 2019

mint sunflower spread Inspired by Vladia Cobrodova’s Creamy Mint Pesto, this spread freezes well, so consider making a double batch when mint is abundant.

Ingredients

  • 3 c baby spinach leaves
  • 1 1/2 c mint leaves, tightly packed
  • 1/2 c flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 c raw cashews
  • 1/2 c raw sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to store
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black papper
  • 1 1/2 limes, juiced
  • 1/4 c water

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients except extra virgin olive oil and water in food processor. Process until smooth. With motor running, slowly add olive oil. Then add water. Verify consistency and seasoning. If not to your liking, thin with more water.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with pita triangles, pita chips, or raw vegetables. If not serving immediately, transfer to jar and top with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil to prevent oxidation. Will keep in refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Le bon thé de Sahar

By Allison

Cardamom TeaMy friend Sahar is a cardamom tea connoisseur.  Milky and minty with a bold cardamom profile, her morning sips are robust and comforting.

On a recent visit to her home in Sydney, I studied her technique through my bleary morning fog. Her cardamom teabags are an easy reach from the electric kettle.  As the water comes to a boil, she places one or two teabags in her favorite mug.  She pulls fresh mint and milk from the refrigerator.  She places a small container of cardamom pods on the counter.

When the water reaches a rolling boil, Sahar pours it into her mug, leaving room for milk.  She brews a strong cardamom tea, sometimes boosting the flavor by dropping a cardamom pod in the mug.  She pinches three or four mint leaves from a branch and slips them into the mug.  The tea steeps for several minutes. Before drinking, she adds a splash of milk.

I was thrilled by her cardamom tea ritual, and she sent me home with cardamom teabags and loose tea.  Sahar shared Wagh Bakri, Ahmad, and Premier’s Cardamom Tea.  I have enjoyed preparing all of these teas à la Sahar.  When I make “her” cardamom tea, my mind drifts back to her warm welcome and gentle spirit.

I have made a small adjustment to Sahar’s morning cardamom tea, adding about ½ teaspoon honey to each serving.  Sometimes I zap the milk in the microwave for 15 seconds before adding it to the tea.  I have also used her method to prepare Masala Chai, a symphony of black tea ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, black and white pepper, clove, and nutmeg.  I find the fresh mint to be a lovely addition.  This fall, I plan to work up a caffeine-free Sahar tea with this Chai Rooibos Caffeine-Free Infusion.

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Maximizing Summer

By Allison

My little patio garden is bursting.  Each year, I tinker with this square space off my kitchen.  I’ve learned that it’s too sunny for impatiens and that begonias thrive in the morning sun.  Potted herbs always take off, and so each summer I find myself swirling ribbons of basil into gazpacho, stirring mint into lemonade, and topping my green salads with chives.

Yet as much as I cook, I can’t possibly use all the herbs tumbling over the terra cotta pots!  The basil is blended into pesto, frozen in ice cube trays, and then transferred to freezer bags, to be popped out later in the year.  Last summer, I finally started drying sage, mint, thyme, and rosemary.  Why did I not think to do this before?

After snipping the herbs, I bring them inside and give them a good rinse.  I remove and discard all the yellowed or bruised leaves and thoroughly dry the rest. I lay them out on a big plate, and the drying process begins.  In the days that follow, I flip them, shift them, and watch their slow transformation.  As I go about my day, I may sense a hint of mint in the air; sometimes I’ll notice the sage leaves begin to curl.  I honor the humble beauty of a patio garden by preparing herbs for colder seasons.  I waste less of summer’s goodness.  And perhaps most unexpectedly, the weeks of herb drying become a meditative experience for me—one that requires focus, attentiveness, and care.

Each herb dries in its own time. As they are ready, I gently nestle them into the glass jars I’ve set aside and labeled.  Months later, I will reach for them to season a pot of lentils or bundle them into a bouquet garni.  These moments will bring me back to the summer fullness of my lively little patio and to the slow beauty of watching herbs dry.