One of the responsibilities of an economical cook is to keep watch on the leftovers in the fridge, and recycle them to your family while the food is still wholesome. This is where the herbs come in. You can give a leftover ragout or stew new life with the addition of whatever harvest of fresh herbs are available and appropriate. Or take your quantity of cooked meat or veg. as a starting point, and make a brand new dish.

Tonight, in addition to a couple thick breasts left over from a chicken tandori, we had a defrosted package of chopped spinach and some cream that had been purchased for an appetizer than never got made. I’ve made tuna Florentine, so why not chicken Florentine. After adding the cream (and after it thickened, the drained chopped spinach) to some onions sautéed in butter and sprinkled with flour, the only question is what herbs are calling out to be added. We went with lemon balm, tarragon, parsley and the earliest harvest of the new thyme coming up in the perennial herb bed. Since the chicken was already pretty spicy from its first rendition, it was just thin sliced, layered in a casserole dish and covered with the Florentine/herb sauce before going in the oven.

We’ve managed to pick thyme all year, with the section potted and brought under lights last fall, staying productive through the winter. With the spring growth now coming in, we’re ready to start over, and keep the fresh flavor going.