SUMMER HERB CHEESE:
Serve this cheese on tomato or Cucumber Rings, with toast or Crispbreads, or as a sandwich filling
4 oz (125 g) cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons soured cream
1 Tablespoon chopped fennel
1 Tablespoon chopped lemon balm
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
Beat the cheese and the cream together. Beat in the herbs.
Served the cheese spooned on tomato or cucumber rings and garnished with Nasturtium flowers.
The cheese can also be served in small ramekins, again garnished the Nasturtium flowers or small fennel leaves, and served with thin, brown toast or crispbreads or your favorite gourmet crackers.
HERB CHEESE DIP:
To make the above recipe into a dip..just add 4 extra Tablespoons of soured cream or) low-fat yoghurt and serve with small sticks of crisp raw vegetables,
HERB MAYONNAISE WITH TUNA:
This recipe includes tuna, but you can omit the fish and use the mayonnaise as a dressing for many different foods. It is particularly good with freshly poached or baked fish and also as a coating for a salad of white beans.
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
4 fl oz (125 ml) sunflower oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
4 sorrel leaves
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
2 Tablespoons chopped chervil
2 eggs, hard boiled
One 7 oz (200 g) tin of tuna
4 capers
Put the egg yolk into a bowl with the mustard and pepper.
Beat together. Drop by drop, beat in 2 Tablespoons of the sunflower oil and then the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. Gradually beat in the remainder of the oil.
Remove the mid-rib from the sorrel leaves. Put in the mayonnaise into a blender or food processor with the sorrel, chives, and chervil. Work them into a smooth, green puree.
Cut each egg in half lengthways. Put each half, cut side down, in the centre of a small plate. Drain and flake the tuna. Surround each egg with a ring of tuna.
Spoon the herb mayonnaise over the eggs only. Top each egg half with a caper.
HERB COATING FOR CORNISH HENS:
4 Cornish hens
2 oz (60 g) wholewheat flour
1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground dried marjoram
1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 egg, beaten
2 oz (60 g) butter
Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) or gas mark 6
Put the flour into a bowl. Add the ground herbs and the grated rind of half the lemon and season with the pepper. Toss the mixture.
Truss the chickens (tie up the legs after) putting 1/2 teaspoon of each of the dried herbs plus one slice of lemon inside each one.
Brush them with the beaten egg and coat them with about three quarters of the flour.
Put the butter into a roasting pan and put it into the oven to melt. When butter melts, pull the pan out and place the hens in the pan and baste them with the butter. Slide into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Baste again, and sprinkle a little more flour over them. Return inside the oven for 15 more minutes, or until they are golden brown with a crisp skin.
