Makes 10-12 summer rolls
​ 
1 cup white vinegar, rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar
⅓ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon loose leaf hibiscus tea (or 2 tea bags)
1 package 8½ inch spring roll wrappers
4 ounces thin rice noodles or 1 package Shirataki noodles (rinsed well and drained)
2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups shaved red cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced snow peas
3 chopped scallions
¼ cup roughly chopped mint leaves
15 thinly sliced basil leaves (Thai basil or sweet basil)
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup edible flower petals (rose, violet, calendula, chive, pansy)
 
To prepare the dipping sauce:
Combine the vinegar, sugar, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the tea leaves. Steep for 5 minutes then strain the tea leaves from the sauce and set aside to cool. 

Prepare the noodles according to the package and run under cold water to cool. Combine the noodles, vegetables, herbs and flower petals in a bowl and toss gently.
 
To assemble the summer rolls you will need to soften the rice papers.

1. Pour 1 cup of cool water into a pie plate. Place one rice paper into the water until it is soft and pliable, about 30 seconds. Move the softened rice paper onto a clean cutting board.
2. Place a handful of the noodle/vegetable filling onto the center of the rice paper. Lift the edge of the wrapper closest to you over the top of the filling. Fold up each side and then roll into a tight log. Set aside and repeat to prepare remaining summer rolls. Serve with dipping sauce on the side. Store the summer rolls in a dish or , cover with a slightly damp paper towel and refrigerate until serving.
3. Store the summer rolls in a dish or plastic container that’s roomy enough to hold them without their touching. Place a damp paper towel in the bottom of the container to keep the rolls moist. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Variations:

• Any combination of shredded vegetables and leafy greens can be used. I like shredded zucchini, raw shredded beets, pea tendrils, sprouts etc.
• Shredded chicken, smoked turkey, or cooked shrimp can be added. 

Makes 8-10 crepes 
 
⅔ cup whole milk
⅔ cup water
3 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons additional melted butter (for the pan)
1 cup mixed fresh herbs- choose your combination: dill, parsley, mint, chive, scallion
1 cup ricotta cheese-whole fat
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place milk, water, eggs, and melted butter in a blender and mix until smooth. Add the flour and salt, a little at a time, mixing as you go and scraping down the sides of the jar as needed. This will help to keep flour from clumping. The batter will be thin.
2. Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, brush very lightly with melted butter. While tilting the pan in a circle, laddle the batter in to cover the surface with the batter. If using a 10-inch pan, prepare crepes with 1/3 cup of batter.
3. Sprinkle the batter with the herbs while the batter is still wet. Cook for 30-45 seconds. Using a crepe turner or rubber spatuala, turn the crepe over and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove the crepe and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cooled crepes can be stacked if needed.
4. Fill crepes with whipped ricotta and a pinch of lemon zest.

 
Variations

• Add smoked salmon or smoked trout to your crepe for a special brunch dish.
• Fill with steamed asparagus and drizzle with a hollandaise sauce or pesto.
• Add 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated parmesan to the whipped ricotta. Fill your crepes and place in a buttered baking dish or cover with tomato sauce and bake.
• Prepare the whipped ricotta w/ the mozzarella nd parmasan as above. Stack your crepes with a thin spreading of cheese between the layers. Serve as is or baked until the cheese melts.

 
Williams Sonoma has a good selection of crepe equipment. www.williams-sonoma.com/search/results.html?words=crepe

This delicious vegetable dish is from my favorite cookbook Six Seasons by Josh McFadden. I've made a few changes to the directions, but it is still his lovely salad. I suggest you get this book so you can enjoy many more seasonal recipes. 

Serves 4
 
2 cups cooked farro
½ pound carrots, peeled
½ pound small radishes, cut in half
Extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ large red onion
4 ounces dried apricots
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 ½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup pistachios, lightly toasted
½ cup crumbled ricotta salata or feta cheese1 ½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°

1. Cut the peeled carrots into small chunks-I like to cut mine on the biased, abour 1/2 inch thick. Toss the carrots and radishes with a small glug of olive oil, the chile flakes,1 teaspoon salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and roast until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
   
   
2. Place the ricotta, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and 20 twists of pepper in a food processor and start to process. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Pause and scrape down the side if needed. The mixture should get creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning-you may want to add more olive oil as you should be able to taste it.
   
   
3. Cut the apricots in half. Slice the onion very thin and place it in a small bowl. Cover it with cold water. Pile the roasted carrots, farro, and apricots into a bowl. Season the vegetables with the vinegar and toss. Taste and add more salt or chile flakes. Add the parsley leaves, drained onion, pistachios and toss well. Taste again and adjust with more salt, chile flakes or vinegar. Finish by tossing with ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil.
   
   
4. Spread the whipped ricotta onto 4 plates or a platter in a nice schmear. Distribute the salad on top of the whipped ricotta, dress with the crumbled ricotta salata, finish with another thread of olive oil, and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings
 
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
1 large fennel bulb
3 large leeks
½ pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted or oil cured olives
1 lemon or teaspoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar
2 ounces goat cheese, feta, or ricotta salata
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
 

1. Cut the fronds off the fennel close to the bulb.  Trim the root by slicing off a little of the bottom. Set the fennel bulb on the root end and cut in half from top to bottom.  Stand one half on the root end and slice down into ¼ -inch slices.  If you have a thick piece at the end, cut it into ¼ -inch thick pieces.  Repeat with the other piece.  Set aside.
2. Cut the roots off the leeks at the base.  Remove the dark green upper portion of the leeks (this and the fennel fronds can be frozen and used for a vegetable stock or soup later). Slice the leeks into 1/4 inch-thick rings. Leeks can be very sandy so be sure to rinse them well in a bowl of cold water if needed. Set aside.
3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat with the butter and sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the fennel to the pan in one layer and cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the fennel pieces over and scatter the leeks on top of the fennel.
5. Add ¼ cup of water and a good pinch of salt and cover the pan.  Cook for 5 minutes. 
6. Remove the cover and add the cherry tomatoes and the olives. Cook uncovered until any remaining liquid has cooked off. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Place the cooked vegetables onto a warm platter and top with the cheese and parsley as garnish.  Drizzle with any remaining liquid from the pan.  Serve immediately.

 

Variations:
Serve with fish, chicken, or pork.
​To make a tasty appetizer, serve the vegetables hot or room temperature on toasted bread.

Here are some slides from my program "Cooking & Gardening with Herbs". Share this post with your local library or a group you belong to. I'd love to present to them!

Enjoy these herb syrups in lemonade, limeade, cocktails, coffee drinks, tea, drizzled over fruit, and cakes.

1 cup sugar (honey can be used instead of sugar)
1 cup water
1 cup mint

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. 
2. Turn off the heat and add the mint leaves. Cool to room temperature. Strain and discard the mint leaves.
3. Add to a drink to taste.
4. Store your syrup in the refrigerator in a covered jar or squeeze bottle. Store for up to 2 weeks. 

Variations: Prepare as above using different herbs 

• Basil syrup- 1/2 cup basil leaves
• Lavender syrup- 1 tablespoon lavender petals (not leaves)
• Chamomile syrup- 1 cup of chamomile flowers-use flowers that have just opened 
• Rosemary syrup- 1 tablespoon leaves
• Lemon verbena syrup- 1/2 cup leaves
• Cilantro syrup- 1 cup leaves and stems
• Lilac syrup- 2 cups flowers-use flowers that have just opened 

1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter melted and cooled, plus additional butter for buttering the pan
1lb cream cheese, full fat-room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup sour cream-full fat
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Generously butter the inside of a 7-inch round springform pan. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter in a medium bowl, then pour this mixture into the prepared pan. Press this mixture evenly across the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan to make a crust.
2. Put the cream cheese and sugar in a food processor, process until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, processing each until smooth. Open the machine, scrape down the inside, and add the sour cream. Cover and process until smooth.
3. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Process again until smooth — and again, stop the machine and scrape down the inside. Add the flour and process for 1 minute. Pour this mixture into the prepared crust in the pan (it will rise above the crust on the sides). Do not cover the pan.
4. Pour 1 1/2 cups water into a 6-or 8-quart Instant Pot. Set a trivet in the cooker. Make an aluminum foil sling, set the filled springform pan on it, and use it to lower the pan into the pot. Fold down the ends of the sling so that they do not touch the batter in the pan. Lock the lid onto the pot. Press Pressure cook (Manual) on High pressure for 25 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
5. To make the sour cream topping, combine 1/3 cup sour cream with 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
6. When the machine has finished cooking, turn it off and let the pressure return to normal naturally, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid. Use the sling to transfer the hot springform pan to a wire rack. Using a paper towel, blot off any water on top of the cake.
7. While the cheesecake is still hot, spoon the sour cream topping onto the cake and spread evenly over the top.
8. Cool the cheesecake for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Cover and continue refrigerating for at least 1 more hour or up to 2 days.
9. To serve, uncover and run a thin knife between the pan and the cake. Unlatch the sides of the pan and open it to remove the cake inside. If desired, use a long, thin knife to slice the cake