Fried Herbs
Because why not
Just like every summer has it’s radio hit, I always have a favorite dish from the “hot season”. This summer it was this platter of melon made at Loma Farm for a lunch as part of the inaugural Traverse City Food and Wine Festival.
In truth it is dead simple— melons cut into large wedges topped with fried lemon verbena, aleppo chili, crunchy salt, and olive oil from the fried herb.
I adore great melons (yup) but the star was the fried herbs. Lemon verbena is one of my favorites, but the texture can sometimes swing tough. Frying it makes the mouthfeel shatteringly crisp and brings all of the heady fragrance right to the front. Plus, it perfumes the oil adding depth of flavor to use another way (or time).
Frying herbs is almost always surprising and worth the trouble. I started doing it after spending an evening in the kitchen at Nancy Silverton’s Chi Spacca back in 2019. They fry both rosemary and parsley regularly. I had only ever fried sage in butter for the perennial complement to fall squash.
Same idea; different herb.
The process is straight forward—
Heat fat in a frying pan it shimmers and moves freely in the pan.
Add the herbs and fry until, roughly, the stop popping and bubbling (the majority of the water has evaporated).
Lift the, now fried herbs, out of the pan and let drain on a rack or paper towel-lined baking tray or plate.
Season immediately with some salt to help keep crisp.
I fry just about everything, except I don’t really love chives. Parsley, basil, mint, oregano, rosemary big fan!
Now that melons are all but gone, I’m turning my eyes to squash. Lately, I’ve been roasting big wedges of acorn or futsu squash in a hot oven (400F or so) so that it gets some good caramelization. Then finishing it with fried sage crumbled into toasted and chopped walnuts (or pine nuts), a grating of lemon and orange zest, and some chili flakes. Sometimes I’ll add dots of ricotta all over or drizzle the whole thing with some garlic yogurt (thick yogurt with a grated garlic clove and pinch of salt).
This is also great with sweet potatoes and I imagine parsnips as they come ready after frost.
And don’t forget to save the frying oil— it makes a great drizzle over fresh goat cheese or as the base for an oil and vinegar salad dressing.
While #friedherbfall is not a thing, it is in my kitchen and can be in yours too.