Dill: It's not just a pickle spice!
By Brenda Hyde
Dill is not only a pretty foliage plant;
it's fragrance is a "comfort smell" for many people. I barely
touch it's feathery leaves and the smell of homemade dill pickles, crisp
and savory, rubs off on my hands. At the same time, dill is an herb that
is often passed over as just a pickle spice and is not truly
appreciated.
Using Dill
Dill leaf can be clipped and used in
cottage cheese, potato salad, cream cheese, tomato soup and salads. You
may also sprinkle chopped young dill on broiling lamb, pork chops or
steak during the last five minutes of cooking. The seeds that form on
dill can be sprinkled on small pieces of toast or crackers with salmon
that has been mixed with mayonnaise. Both the seed and leaf can be used
in fish sauces. The fresh leaves can be frozen in small resealable bags
and used in dishes. When the leaves are dried, they are referred to as
dill weed in recipes. The seeds can be kept in a closed container and
used as needed.
Dill is has a fresh crisp taste when
the leaves are used, and a stronger, more pungent flavor when using the
seeds. Both are useful and wonderful in the kitchen. For instance, when
you can't think of another thing to do with zucchini, slice it thin,
sauté in olive oil and add fresh dill leaves for a nice side dish. Add
a little to your cabbage dishes, tomato soups and sour cream for
potatoes. The seed is great used on homemade crackers or bread sticks.
You can store fresh dill weed, which is
now available year round in most produce sections, for a few days in the
refrigerator. Place the stems in a glass of water and cover loosely with
a plastic bag. Be sure to keep the leaves about the water level. The
seeds keep well in an airtight jar stored in a cool, dry place. Harvest
the seeds just when the seeds turn brown. Clip the seed heads with some
stem and hang up upside down to dry, with cloth or paper placed
underneath the drying plant to catch the seeds.
Once you plant dill, it will self sow
year after year for you. It will be handy to snip into egg dishes, tuna,
with cucumbers and a fresh addition to salads too!
Fresh Dill and Shrimp Salad
Ingredients:
1 pound small shrimp, cooked, shelled and deveined
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp. minced red onion
3/4 cup light or regular mayonnaise
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tsp. anchovy paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place shrimp, celery, cucumber, dill
and the onion in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together rest of ingredients
except salt, and pour over shrimp. Toss well. Season with salt and toss
again. Cover and chill for several hours. Stuff hollowed out tomatoes or
serves on lettuce greens. Serves 4 to 6.
Sautéed Summer Squash With Dill
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced thinly and halved
6 to 8 small yellow summer squash, sliced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
Heat oil in large skillet and lightly
brown the onion, adding the squash, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered,
over low heat until squash is tender, occasionally stirring. When the
squash is done, stir in the fresh minced dill and season with more salt
if needed. Serve warm.
New Potatoes with Dill Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound small new potatoes, quartered
1 cup cream
2 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil potatoes for 15-20 minutes until
just tender with the skins on. In a small pan gently heat the cream and
dill, stirring constantly, until just very lightly boiling. Reduce heat
and simmer for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper. Pour over the cooked
potatoes. Serves 4.
Tuna Salad With Fresh Dill
Ingredients:
6 ounce can tuna in spring water
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon sliced green onion
4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. mustard
Combine all ingredients and serve on
bread for sandwiches or on lettuce greens as a salad. This is good with
the packets of tuna available now, or you can substitute canned salmon
as well.
Cucumber and Sour Cream Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar or fresh lemon juice
pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
In a small sieve set over a bowl, toss
the cucumber with the salt and let drain for ten minutes. In a blender
blend the mustard, vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. Add the sour
cream, yogurt and the dill. Blend the mixture, scraping down the sides
until it is smooth. Add the cucumber and blend until combined. Makes 1
1/2 cups.
Garlicky Beans with Dill
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh beans
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
Trim, string and rinse beans. Cut into
1 inch. lengths, and steam until tender, 10 or 15 min. Drain. Melt
butter in a skillet, add garlic, and cook over a very low heat about 5
minutes until soft. Mash or remove garlic, which ever you prefer. Add
the dill and stir. Add your beans and pepper flakes, cover and cook over
low heat about 5 minutes. Salt to taste and serve.
Light Herbed Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons each fresh dill and parsley, chopped
2 small green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. each minced garlic and salt
Put cream cheese and yogurt in food
processor and or blender and process 1 to 2 minutes. Add other
ingredients and process for just 30 seconds to blend. Serve with raw
vegetables.
Tuna and Dill Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients:
1 large can white tuna in water
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 tablespoons yogurt
2 tsps. fresh dill, chopped
3-4 chive leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
Mix together ingredients, and spread on
thin bread that has had the crust cut off. Cut into triangles. If you
wish a piece of lettuce can be placed on the sandwich also.
Dilled Green Beans
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh green beans, cleaned
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 bunch fresh dill, about 1 cup, chopped
Bring a large saucepan of water to a
boil and place beans in the pan. Cook for about 45 seconds, until beans
turn bright green. Remove from pan immediately and rinse in cold water
until beans are cool. Drain. Combine the remaining ingredients in a
large bowl. Mix in the beans; cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 4
hours before serving. This will keep in the refrigerator up to one week.
4 salad servings.
Dill Mayonnaise
Ingredients:
2 eggs
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon style mustard
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. salt
In a blender, add the egg, lemon juice,
salt and pepper. Pulse quickly for about 10-15 seconds. Add mustard.
With the blender running at medium speed, add the olive oil in a very
slow, thin stream. Continue to add the oil until it begins to emulsify
with the eggs and starts to thicken. Continue to add oil until it
reaches the thickness you like. Stir in dill and refrigerate. If you
have a mayonnaise that you like that is prepared, just add the dill and
mustard to that and mix. Use this on salmon or crab cakes, or other
seafood.
Fresh Dill Dressing
Ingredients:
1 pint lowfat or nonfat plain yogurt
dash black pepper
2 tbsp. chopped green onion, white section mostly
1 tsp. white wine or herb vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp. fresh horseradish
Combine all ingredients; cover and
chill. Use on green salads or in pasta salads.
Dilled Potato Salad
1 lb. small new potatoes, cooked and
sliced
1/2 cup peas, cooked until just tender
1/4 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup regular or light mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain lowfat or nonfat yogurt
3 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
2 tbsp. herb vinegar
2 tbsp. Dijon style mustard
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In large glass or plastic bowl, combine
the cooked potatoes, peas, celery, and green onion. In a small bowl,
combine the remaining ingredients. Pour the dressing over the potato
mixture and toss until all ingredients are coated. Cover and refrigerate
for 2-3 hours before serving. Serves 4.
Tomato and Dill Soup
Ingredients:
2 sweet onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
4 cups chopped plum/Roma tomatoes
1 diced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup diced celery
2 tbsp. chopped green chilies
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt to taste
Combine all the ingredients except
dill, cilantro, cayenne and salt. Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 25
minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then puree in a blender. Stir in the
remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Serve warmed or
chilled. I made several types of dill vinegar blends last fall as I
harvested my herbs before the frost. My favorite is a blend of dill,
garlic and lemon basil. You could also use any lemon herb and any basil
variety.
Dill Garlic Vinegar
Ingredients:
1 clean quart jar with lid
white wine or distilled white vinegar
1 cup fresh dill sprigs
1 large peeled clove garlic
1/2 cup or so of lemon basil
Place the herbs in the clean jar and
pour over the vinegar almost to the top so the herbs are covered
completely. Place in a cupboard or anywhere out of the sunlight and
allow to sit for about 3-4 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain out the
herbs and the vinegar is ready to use in place of lemon juice in salmon
patties or crab cakes, dressings, or tartar sauce. It's wonderful added
to sautéed green beans or cucumber salads.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is editor of Old Fashioned Living, a freelance writer, cook,
gardener and Mom. Growing and using herbs has become one of her favorite
things.
Growing
Dill
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