CAROLINA HERBS!!!

Here is a list of meats , including game, and the herbs that you can use when preparing a meal.  All the herbs mentioned  work well  with each other, and you can use the herbs in any combination that you want ( all the herbs or  just 2 or 3   that are mentioned)

You may use either dried or fresh herbs.    Parsley can be used with just about anything.

ABOUT LAVENDER:

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) buds that are used in cooking. The English lavender is the preferred lavender of choice for cooking because of its sweet fragrance.   The only lavender recommended for cooking is angustifolia, which has a light, sweet smell, whereas the others are all high in camphor oil, which is slightly bitter in food and is treated by the body as a toxin.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINTER SAVORY AND SUMMER SAVORY: 

SUMMER SAVORY is an annual; needs to be planted every year

SUMMER SAVORY      is more delicate in flavor than WINTER SAVORY

SUMMER SAVORY can be used either fresh or dried 

Use  SUMMER SAVORY to  enhance fish, vegetables, cheese and eggs, pea soups, beans and many other dishes.

SUMMER SAVORY LEAVES   CAN BE USED fresh as a pleasant garnish.  A common use in the south of France is to marinate goat cheese rounds in olive oil and savory. .

SUMMER SAVORY combines well with other herbs, bringing out each flavor without overwhelming.

WINTER SAVORY is a perennial; comes up every  year.

WINTER SAVORY, should be dried.

Use WINTER SAVORY FOR    strong meat dishes and hearty bean stews.

SAVORY  is interchangeable with THYME

LAMB:   rosemary, spearmint,  summer savory, thyme, marjoram, parsley

RACK OF LAMB:  parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, savory , lavender buds,

LEG OF LAMB:   lavender,  rosemary, English thyme leaves, 

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS:  thyme, rosemary, bay,

CHICKEN  AND TURKEY :   parsley, sage, summer savory, rosemary, lovage, marjoram, onion

TURKEY  (Whole):  thyme, sage, basil, marjoram, saffron, French Tarragon,  parsley   ground fennel seed, savory, chervil,   lemon peel and or orange peel.  

The following is a real nice recipe for a whole turkey baste:   (using dried herbs)

1 ½  teaspoons thyme

3 tablespoons  sage

2 tablespoons parsley

1 tablespoons  ground fennel seed

¾ teaspoon nutmeg

¾ teaspoon allspice

¾ teaspoon dry yellow mustard

¾ teaspoon chervil

¾ teaspoon savory

1 tablespoons each :lemon zest and orange zest*

½ cup white wine

Combine all herbs together. Add  the lemon  and orange zest,   add the wine.

Allow to set undisturbed for  1 hour.

Brush inside and outside of the turkey with the  mix.  Begin to bake or cook turkey, basting throughout .

( If you don’t have all the ingredients mentioned, don’t fret!  Use what ingredients you do have. If you don’t have Lemon or Orange zest, then just use ½ tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ tablespoon of orange juice or just 1 tablespoon of either one. Same for the wine, if you don’t have it, leave it out.  This is yours, no one needs to know anything!  Just use what you have and ENJOY what you are doing!)

ABOUT  LEMON OR ORANGE ZEST OR JUST USING  DRIED LEMON OR ORANGE PEEL:

·For lemon and orange zest:  take the peels of the fresh  lemons and oranges and  spread them out on a paper towel and  place the this where you do not have to disturb it for at least 24 hours. Peels are ready when they are very dry and you have to break them.

·You can put the  dried peels in the blender and grind them  to the desired fineness and then use them.   What you don’t use,  put in a sandwich bag, seal it and put in the freezer.  Use as needed.   If you are just going to freeze the peels,  you can just put them in  the sandwich  bag  as pieces and as you need  them, blend them fine.

·The peels will keep fresh this way for a long time.

BEEF:  basil, bay leaf, garlic, ginger, oregano, rosemary, savory, French Tarragon, thyme

VEAL: basil, bay  leaf, chervil, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, savory, Lemon Thyme

PORK TENDERLOIN:   parsley,  rosemary, sage, savory,  marjoram, oregano

 PORK ROAST:

rosemary, sage, thyme  bay leaves, yellow mustard seeds

PORK CHOPS:   sage, rosemary, savory

GAME:

NOTE:   with any game, including snake,  make sure it was freshly killed and bled. 

WILD GOOSE, DUCK,VENISON,  BUFFALO ,  MOOSE, BEAR, RABBIT, HARE, SQUIRREL, PORCUPINE, WOODCHUCK

Parsley, marjoram, lemon balm,( and or/ lemon grass, lemon verbena, lemon basil) rosemary, summer savory, juniper berries (crushed), garlic, thyme( lemon  thyme or English thyme) , sage, spearmint

QUAILS:  fresh  ginger  ,  lemon zest, cinnamon, sage

EXTRA:  cognac; red wine

JUST  WILD BOAR:  onion, garlic, juniper berries, bay leaf, parsley,  lemon thyme

EXTRA:  red  (Marsala) or white wine

A MARINADE FOR JUST VENISON  OR BEAR: 

For pieces:

1 tablespoon  ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon  ground    nutmeg

1 teaspoon  ground allspice

1 large  sliced onion

Salt 

½  to 1 cup of red wine

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Rub salt all over the meat.   Then, brush on the above marinade ingredients.   Marinate meat in a glass container for 24   hours in the refrigerator. 

FOR  JUST  VENISON:  garlic, oregano, thyme, allspice

For just RABBIT, HARE:  French Tarragon, rosemary, lemon herbs (lemon thyme, lemon balm)

ALLIGATOR: cayenne pepper, chili powder; garlic,   French tarragon, lemon peel or  lime zest, thyme, sage , parsley

RATTLESNAKE:  paprika, lemon thyme, onion, garlic, juniper berries , basil, rosemary, lime zest

Beware of rattlesnakes, as they can still bite you after they are dead due to a reflexive action of the nervous system. Lopping the head off, burying it, and then skinning and cleaning the snake are the recommended methods established by the military and used by survivors.  Cut the head off at least 2 to 4  inches down the neck to avoid the venom sacks, then skin and rinse out the guts.

Generally, with any snake  meat, you will want to marinade it  in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.   Never eat raw or under cooked snake.