Elaine Erskine Dow, the Parson Capen House, and the Living Legacy of Simples & Worts

How a Topsfield teacher, curator, and garden historian, Elaine Erskine Dow, transformed a First Period house and its herb garden into a community of learning—and inspired the growing library of history, gardening, herbal crafts, and practical knowledge we are building today.

History

In 1982, Elaine Erskine Dow published Simples & Worts: Being All About the Herbs of Our Puritan Forefathers (and Mothers) with Additional 17th and 18th Century Miscellany. The Herb Society of America’s library catalog records the title and its Topsfield publication.

Dow’s obituary describes the living work behind the book. She was a teacher, curator of the Parson Capen House, planner of the Capen Herb Garden, organizer of the Priscilla Capen Herb Society, period-garden consultant, lecturer, and natural-history educator.

The setting mattered. The Parson Capen House was built in the summer of 1683 on a twelve-acre Topsfield lot. It survives on its original site and is preserved by the Topsfield Historical Society. The National Park Service landmark nomination calls the house a remarkable survival of a seventeenth-century New England dwelling.

Lore

A memorial can easily turn a person into a legend and sand away the work. We want to remember Elaine Dow differently: as someone who researched, planted, taught, staged, wrote, and invited people into a garden.

The phrase “simples and worts” carries us into an older household world. A simple could mean a single plant used on its own. Wort is an old word associated with plants and herbs. But lore becomes most valuable when it sends us back to named plants, surviving structures, primary records, and the people who cared for them.

The House and Garden

The Priscilla Capen Herb Garden was not merely scenery beside an old house. It became a place where volunteers interpreted seventeenth-century household plants through gardens, teas, crafts, charts, and public events. Dow’s writing emerged from that local practice.

A house changes how we understand a garden. Hearths, storage rooms, worktables, low beams, seasonal light, and New England weather all shaped what people could grow, preserve, prepare, and keep.

Her Legacy—and Our Promise

This new Simples & Worts series follows Dow’s example without pretending that the past was simple. Every article will use the same reader-friendly structure: History, Lore, In the Garden, Harvest & Preservation, Make Something, Modern Caution, and Sources.

We will distinguish documented history from reconstruction. We will not turn folklore into medical advice. We will name uncertainty, identify plants carefully, and correct earlier claims when better evidence appears. That is how a living tradition stays alive without losing its integrity.

Explore the Houses Around the Herbs

Herb gardens make more sense when we also understand the rooms, hearths, timbers, storage, labor, and weather of the houses around them.

Continue the journey with our illustrated Amazon guide, Exploring Massachusetts’ First Period Museum Houses (1620–1725). It introduces surviving museum houses across the Commonwealth and the architectural world in which early New England families lived.

Begin the Series

Next: Garlic After the Harvest: Cure It, Keep It, Craft With It—a practical guide to growing garlic, curing the bulbs, and turning the harvest into useful seasonal crafts.

Sources and Further Reading

· Herb Society of America: Elaine Dow bibliography

· Topsfield Historical Society: Parson Capen House

· National Park Service: Parson Capen House landmark nomination

· Elaine Dow obituary, The Boston Globe via Legacy

And here’s to sharing our herbal lifestyle with you!

Phil Wilson

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At the height of tomato season, the kitchen can become the wrong place for sauce making.

Large pots release heat and steam. Tomato splashes reach the stove, walls and floor. Processing a serious harvest can occupy the cooking range for most of the day.

Moving the operation outdoors can transform the work.

A high-output LP-gas burner, a broad stainless-steel pot and an orderly preparation station allow a large tomato harvest to become sauce without overheating the house.

The reward is not merely efficiency. An outdoor sauce day can become a seasonal gathering—part harvest work, part cookery and part preservation ritual.

Begin with the Right Tomatoes

The best sauce usually starts with paste tomatoes:

• Roma

• San Marzano types

• Amish Paste

• Plum Regal

• Other dense, meaty varieties

Paste tomatoes contain less water and fewer seed cavities than many slicing tomatoes, so they reach sauce consistency more efficiently.

That does not mean other tomatoes should be excluded. Overripe cherry tomatoes and flavorful slicing tomatoes can deepen the sauce, although they increase reduction time.

Discard tomatoes that are moldy, fermented, badly decayed or taken from frost-killed vines for canning purposes. Wash sound fruit thoroughly under running water.

The Outdoor Workstation

A safe and efficient station includes:

• An outdoor-rated high-output LP-gas burner

• A sound propane cylinder, hose and regulator

• A broad, heavy stainless-steel stockpot

• A sturdy noncombustible surface

• Long-handled stainless-steel utensils

• Heat-resistant gloves

• An apron and closed-toe shoes

• Sheet pans or food-safe tubs

• A food mill or tomato strainer

• Clean jars or freezer containers

• A fire extinguisher appropriate for the cooking area

• Shade for the workers—but never an enclosed tent around the flame

Use the burner outdoors only and follow its manufacturer’s clearance requirements. Keep it away from buildings, decks, dry vegetation, children, pets and ordinary foot traffic.

Never use an outdoor propane burner in a garage, barn, greenhouse, screened porch or other enclosed or partly enclosed space. Carbon monoxide and fire remain hazards even when doors are open.

Check the hose, regulator and connections before lighting. Keep the propane cylinder upright and positioned according to the burner manufacturer’s directions.

Match the Pot to the Burner

A high-output burner can boil a heavy pot rapidly, but speed creates risk.

Use a pot that sits securely on the burner frame. An oversized vessel with a narrow support base can tip, particularly when someone stirs forcefully.

Do not fill the pot to the rim. Hot tomato sauce can surge, spit and cause serious burns.

A broad pot is better than an excessively deep one because greater surface area promotes evaporation. Reduce the heat once simmering begins. The goal is steady evaporation, not a violent boil.

Wind can distort the flame and create uneven heating. Do not improvise a combustible windscreen or enclose the burner in a way that traps heat around the cylinder or hose.

Preparing the Tomatoes

There are several reasonable methods.

Peel, Core and Chop

Blanch tomatoes briefly in boiling water, cool them, slip off the skins and remove the cores. Chop before cooking.

This traditional process gives the cook direct control but requires considerable labor.

Cook and Mill

Core and quarter the tomatoes, heat them until soft and pass them through a food mill or tomato strainer.

This method removes skins and many seeds while preserving the pulp. It is often the most efficient choice for a large outdoor sauce day.

Roast Before Reducing

Roasting concentrates flavor, but it complicates large-batch work and may alter the consistency of a preservation recipe. It is best reserved for sauce intended for immediate use or freezing unless the complete recipe comes from a tested canning source.

Reducing the Sauce

Place the prepared tomato pulp in the pot and bring it gradually to a simmer.

Stir more frequently as the sauce thickens. A heavy bottom reduces scorching, but no pot eliminates the need for attention.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends reducing standard tomato sauce by approximately one-third for a thin sauce or one-half for a thicker sauce. NCHFP Standard Tomato Sauce

Do not scrape scorched material from the bottom into the sauce. If scorching begins, transfer the unaffected sauce gently into another clean pot.

The Best Herbs for Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes welcome many herbs, but each contributes something different.

Basil

Basil provides sweetness, freshness and the unmistakable character of summer.

Add dried basil during cooking. Add fresh basil near the end or after reheating the preserved sauce. Long cooking diminishes its brightest character.

Oregano

Oregano is stronger, earthier and more assertive. It withstands cooking better than basil.

Use it with restraint. Too much oregano can make every tomato sauce taste like the same commercial pizza sauce.

Parsley

Flat-leaf parsley contributes freshness without dominating the tomato. Add some during cooking and some at the finish.

Thyme

Thyme brings a dry, woodsy depth. A small amount can make a long-cooked sauce more complex.

Bay

One or two bay leaves can quietly unify a large pot. Count them when they enter and remove them before milling, portioning or serving.

Marjoram

Marjoram is softer and sweeter than oregano. It is excellent when a gentle herb flavor is wanted.

Rosemary

Rosemary can be beautiful in tomato sauce but becomes resinous when overused. Add a small sprig and remove it rather than scattering large amounts of chopped leaves through the batch.

Fennel Seed and Red Pepper

These are not leafy herbs, but they can give sauce an Italian sausage-like warmth. Use them only when the intended final dishes will benefit from that direction.

University of Maine Extension lists basil, bay, marjoram, oregano and parsley among the seasonings suited to tomatoes. University of Maine Extension

One Base Sauce, Many Future Meals

For flexibility, make the preservation batch relatively plain.

A base sauce of tomatoes, measured acid when canning, and optional salt can later become:

• Marinara

• Pizza sauce

• Meat sauce

• Tomato soup

• Eggplant sauce

• Braising liquid

• Seafood sauce

• A base for beans or vegetables

Strong herbs, onions, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, meat and oil can be added safely when the jar or freezer container is opened and the sauce is reheated.

This approach preserves choice—and simplifies food safety.

Freezing the Sauce

Freezing gives the cook the greatest recipe flexibility.

A sauce intended for freezing can contain herbs, cooked onions, garlic and a modest amount of olive oil according to culinary preference.

Cool the sauce promptly in shallow containers or by placing smaller vessels in an ice-water bath. Do not leave a large stockpot at outdoor temperature for hours.

Transfer the cooled sauce to freezer-safe containers, allowing space for expansion. Label each package with:

• Product

• Date

• Herbs or additions

• Approximate quantity

Freeze in meal-sized portions. Flat freezer bags save space and thaw quickly, provided they are well sealed and protected from puncture.

Shelf-Stable Canning Is a Different Process

A delicious sauce recipe is not automatically a safe canning recipe.

Tomatoes vary in acidity. For tested standard tomato sauce, the National Center for Home Food Preservation requires acidification:

• Per quart: 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon citric acid

• Per pint: 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid

Use commercially bottled lemon juice because its acidity is standardized. NCHFP Tomato-Canning Guidance

Follow the complete current NCHFP or USDA recipe, including:

• Ingredient quantities

• Jar size

• Headspace

• Acidification

• Processing method

• Processing time

• Pressure when applicable

• Altitude adjustment

Do not create a custom shelf-stable recipe by adding unmeasured onions, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, oil or large quantities of fresh herbs. These additions can change acidity, density and heat penetration.

NCHFP provides a separately tested spaghetti-sauce recipe containing specified amounts of vegetables and herbs. It explicitly warns against increasing the proportion of onions, peppers or mushrooms. NCHFP Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat

For an original family recipe, freeze it rather than improvising a canning process.

After Processing

Allow processed jars to cool undisturbed according to the tested recipe’s directions.

Then:

• Check every seal.

• Remove screw bands for storage.

• Wash and dry the jars.

• Label them with the product and date.

• Store them in a cool, dark, dry place.

• Refrigerate or reprocess unsealed jars according to current tested guidance.

Never taste food from a jar that is unsealed, bulging, leaking, spurting, moldy or otherwise suspicious.

The Best Division of Labor

A well-run sauce day might include:

• Washing and sorting

• Coring and cutting

• Managing the burner

• Stirring and monitoring reduction

• Operating the food mill

• Preparing containers

• Measuring acid for tested canning

• Labeling and recording yields

• Cleaning equipment

One responsible adult should control the burner area. Crowding around a large pot of hot sauce increases the chance of burns or tipping.

More Than a Preservation Project

Cooking tomatoes outside allows the harvest to remain connected to the garden from which it came.

The fragrance of tomatoes moves through the air. Basil waits nearby. The sauce slowly darkens and thickens while the house remains cool.

Months later, opening a jar or freezer container brings that day back: the tomatoes, the herb beds, the propane flame and the deliberate work of saving summer.

Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!

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Some herbs announce themselves through fragrance. Others win us over through flavor. Calendula and chamomile first capture our attention with flowers.

Calendula shines in shades of gold and orange. Chamomile produces small white blossoms with raised golden centers. Both belong to the daisy family, both have long histories in household herbalism, and both can help turn an ordinary garden into a place of beauty and usefulness.

Together, they offer something especially appealing: flowers that can travel from the garden to the drying basket, the kitchen and, with a little care, the teacup.

Calendula: The Gold That Followed the Sun

Calendula, Calendula officinalis, is usually called pot marigold. Despite that familiar name, it is not the same plant as the French and African marigolds belonging to the genus Tagetes.

Calendula is an old European garden flower. The word “officinalis” signals that it was historically recognized as a plant of the apothecary or medicinal storeroom. Its flowers were gathered for traditional preparations, while their color and slightly bitter flavor earned them a place in the kitchen.

Calendula petals were sometimes called “poor man’s saffron.” They could add a golden cast to butter, cheese, rice, broths and baked dishes when true saffron was unavailable or unaffordable.

That old kitchen role remains useful today. The petals can be scattered over salads, floated on soup or blended into herb butter. Their value is more visual than flavorful: the taste is mildly peppery or bitter, but their rich color makes even a simple dish feel celebratory. The University of Minnesota describes calendula petals as a slightly bitter saffron substitute used more for color than flavor. University of Minnesota Extension

Calendula also possesses a wonderfully generous nature in the garden. Pick its blossoms regularly and the plant generally responds by producing more.

The flower heads are best gathered after the morning dew has dried but before the midday sun becomes too strong. They can be used fresh or dried in a warm, shaded place with good air circulation.

When the petals are completely dry, store them away from heat, moisture and direct light. A glass jar filled with dried golden petals becomes a little reserve of summer for the colder months.

Chamomile: The Little Apple of the Herb Garden

Chamomile has one of the most recognizable fragrances in the herbal world. Its scent is frequently compared with apples, and its name is derived from Greek words commonly interpreted as “ground apple.”

Two different plants are commonly sold as chamomile:

• German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is an annual most commonly grown for tea.

• Roman chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile, is a low-growing perennial sometimes used as a fragrant groundcover.

Both have apple-scented flowers, but German chamomile is usually the more productive choice for the tea garden. Kew recognizes Matricaria chamomilla as an annual native across a broad region extending from North Africa and temperate Eurasia into parts of Asia. Kew Science

Chamomile has been associated for generations with the evening cup, the quiet sickroom and the household effort to settle an uneasy stomach or restless mind. That reputation has made chamomile tea nearly synonymous with comfort.

Modern research, however, does not justify treating chamomile as a proven cure for insomnia or other medical conditions. Its greatest dependable virtue may be simpler: it is fragrant, pleasant and naturally suited to a calming bedtime ritual.

Sometimes ritual itself matters.

The kettle is filled. The flowers are measured. The cup is warmed. For several minutes, we stop moving and allow the infusion to develop. Chamomile invites us to create a small boundary between the activity of the day and the stillness of evening.

Harvesting Chamomile for Tea

Chamomile flowers are ready when their white petals are fully open and the yellow centers are prominent. As the blossoms mature, the petals may begin to angle downward.

Pick them on a dry day after the dew has evaporated. The blossoms can be removed individually with the fingertips or gathered with a small chamomile rake when the planting is large enough to justify one.

Spread the flowers in a single layer on a drying screen. Do not pile them deeply, as retained moisture can encourage browning or mold.

Properly dried flowers should feel crisp and retain their pleasant fragrance. Store them in an airtight container away from light.

The University of Minnesota notes that both German and Roman chamomile flowers can be used fresh or dried for tea. University of Minnesota Extension

A Simple Garden Chamomile Tea

For one cup:

• 1 to 2 teaspoons dried chamomile flowers

• 8 ounces freshly boiled water

• A few dried calendula petals, if desired

• Honey or a slice of lemon, optional

Place the flowers in a covered cup or teapot. Add the hot water and steep for approximately five minutes. Strain and taste before adding honey or lemon.

Covering the cup while it steeps helps retain the aromatic compounds that otherwise escape with the steam.

Calendula petals contribute more color than flavor. A small amount will give the infusion a lovely golden appearance without overpowering chamomile’s soft apple character.

This should be approached as an enjoyable herbal beverage—not as a treatment for a medical condition.

A Flower Tea Blend from the Summer Garden

Calendula and chamomile can also form the foundation of a gentle garden tea blend:

• 4 parts dried chamomile flowers

• 1 part dried calendula petals

• 1 part dried lemon balm

• A small amount of dried lavender, optional

Use lavender very sparingly. Too much can make the tea taste like perfume.

This blend combines the apple-like quality of chamomile, calendula’s golden color and lemon balm’s fresh citrus character. It is a way to preserve several moments of the summer garden within one jar.

Knowing What You Grow

Only flowers positively identified and grown without inappropriate pesticides should enter the kitchen.

Do not assume that every plant sold as a decorative “marigold” is calendula. Look for the botanical name Calendula officinalis.

Chamomile also has look-alikes. Purchase correctly labeled seed or plants from a reliable source and learn the distinguishing features before harvesting.

People with allergies to ragweed, chrysanthemums, daisies or related members of the aster family may also react to chamomile. Although serious reactions are uncommon, they can occur. Chamomile may also interact with certain medicines. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health recommends particular caution for people who are allergic to related plants. NCCIH: Chamomile Safety

Anyone who is pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medication, preparing for surgery or managing a significant health condition should consult a qualified healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal products.

Growing a Cup of Summer

Calendula and chamomile do not demand grand garden architecture.

They can grow along the edge of a kitchen garden, between vegetables, inside informal herb beds or in sunny containers. Their flowers attract beneficial insects, brighten the landscape and reward frequent harvesting.

Calendula gives us the color of summer sunlight. Chamomile gives us its fragrance and a reason to pause.

Perhaps that is why these two flowers have remained so beloved. They are useful without being severe, beautiful without being demanding and historical without feeling remote.

A cup of chamomile and calendula tea is not merely something we make from the garden. It is a way of sitting with the garden after the day’s work is done.

Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!

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Spring may receive most of the gardening attention, but autumn offers its own planting season.

Cooling temperatures reduce transplant stress. Rainfall often becomes more dependable. Weed growth slows, and the soil remains warm enough for roots to become established after the air has turned comfortable.

For gardeners in coastal New England, fall can be an excellent time to establish hardy perennial herbs, sow a final crop of cool-season annuals and plant garlic for the following summer.

The secret is timing. Fall planting should give perennial roots time to settle without encouraging excessive tender growth immediately before winter.

Hardy Perennial Herbs

Established plants of these herbs can generally tolerate a Cape Cod winter when planted in well-drained soil:

• Chives

• Garlic chives

• Thyme

• Oregano

• Sage

• Lemon balm

• Mint

• Sorrel

• Salad burnet

• Lovage

• Winter savory

Illinois Extension identifies chives, lemon balm, oregano, sage and thyme as useful perennial culinary herbs. Illinois Extension

Plant healthy transplants approximately four to six weeks before the ground normally freezes. The objective is root establishment—not a flush of soft new foliage.

Water deeply after planting and continue watering when rainfall is insufficient. Roots can dry even when the air feels cool.

Drainage Matters More in Winter

Many Mediterranean herbs tolerate cold better than they tolerate cold, saturated soil.

Thyme, oregano, sage and lavender need excellent drainage. Raised beds, gravelly berms and locations that shed winter water are safer than low pockets.

Do not enrich their planting holes with heavy amounts of manure or rich fertilizer. Excess nitrogen can produce tender growth that is less prepared for winter.

Lavender deserves particular caution. A mature, established plant may overwinter well in a favorable Cape Cod location, but a small fall transplant can be vulnerable to winter wetness and frost heaving. Spring remains the safer season for establishing an important lavender planting.

Mint and Lemon Balm Need Boundaries

Mint and lemon balm can spread aggressively through roots or seed.

Plant them in large containers, contained beds or locations where their expansion will not threaten more restrained herbs. Do not confuse hardiness with good manners.

Fall is also a useful time to divide established clumps of mint, lemon balm, chives and oregano. Replant the strongest outer portions and compost tired or woody centers.

Cool-Season Annual Herbs

Several annual and biennial herbs prefer cool conditions:

• Cilantro

• Chervil

• Dill

• Parsley

Cilantro is especially valuable as a fall crop because summer heat causes it to flower rapidly. Sow small amounts in succession rather than planting the entire packet at once.

Chervil also appreciates cool weather and some protection from strong afternoon sun.

Dill can produce tender foliage before heavy frost, although late sowings may not have time to form mature seed heads.

Parsley tolerates considerable cold and may continue producing well into fall. In protected locations, it sometimes survives winter and resumes growth in spring before completing its biennial life cycle.

A low tunnel, cold frame or floating row cover can extend the harvest, but the covering should not crush the plants under snow.

Garlic: The Great Fall Tradition

Garlic is among the most dependable fall plantings.

Separate healthy bulbs into individual cloves shortly before planting. Set each clove with its pointed end upward. Allow it to establish roots before winter, then protect the bed with clean straw or another loose mulch after the soil cools.

Illinois Extension recommends planting garlic in fall, usually around one or two weeks after the first killing frost. Illinois Extension

Garlic planted in autumn generally produces larger, better-developed bulbs than garlic planted late in spring.

Herbs Better Left Until Spring

Do not treat every herb as a fall candidate.

Wait until warm weather for:

• Basil

• Lemon verbena

• Lemongrass

• Stevia

• Pineapple sage

• Tender marjoram

• Tender rosemary

Rosemary can be overwintered indoors, but it often struggles with dry household air, insufficient light and overwatering. A cool, bright location generally suits it better than a hot windowsill.

Basil should be harvested before frost. Even a short exposure to cold can blacken its foliage.

Preparing the Fall Herb Bed

A good fall planting does not require a complicated fertilizer program.

1. Remove perennial weeds.

2. Loosen compacted soil without pulverizing it.

3. Incorporate a moderate amount of mature compost if needed.

4. Correct pH only according to a soil test.

5. Plant at the same depth the herb occupied in its container.

6. Water thoroughly.

7. Label each plant before winter removes its visible growth.

8. Apply winter mulch after the ground becomes cold—not while it remains warm.

Mulching too early can shelter rodents and delay dormancy. Keep mulch away from crowns that are vulnerable to rot.

Planting for the Spring You Cannot Yet See

Fall planting is an act of confidence.

Garlic disappears beneath its mulch. Chives retreat into the earth. Thyme seems to stop moving. The herb garden becomes quiet.

Below the surface, however, roots are settling into place. When spring arrives, these plants will not be waiting in nursery pots. They will already belong to the garden.

Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!

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Few dishes capture the late-summer garden as simply as ripe tomatoes and fresh basil served over toasted bread.

The Italians gave us bruschetta: bread toasted or grilled, traditionally rubbed with garlic and finished with olive oil. When a baguette is sliced into small rounds and toasted, the resulting pieces may also be called crostini.

Whatever name we use, the governing idea remains the same: good bread, ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil and very little interference.

Begin with the Tomatoes

Choose tomatoes for flavor rather than appearance.

A mixture can be especially good:

• Meaty plum tomatoes provide structure.

• Slicing tomatoes contribute juice and familiar tomato flavor.

• Cherry tomatoes add sweetness and color.

• Dark or striped heirlooms bring depth and visual interest.

Core and dice the tomatoes. If they are exceptionally juicy, place them in a strainer for ten or fifteen minutes. Removing a little excess liquid helps keep the toast crisp.

Do not discard that tomato water. Chill it for a savory drink, add it to soup or use it when starting a sauce.

The Basil

Use fresh sweet basil, Genovese basil or a carefully selected mixture.

Stack the leaves, roll them loosely and slice them into narrow ribbons. This technique is called chiffonade.

Cut basil shortly before serving. Bruised or finely chopped basil darkens quickly and loses some of its fresh fragrance.

University of Maine Extension recommends adding delicate herbs such as basil near the end of cooking or using them as a finishing garnish. University of Maine Extension

Tomato and Basil Topping

For approximately 20 small rounds:

• 4 cups diced ripe tomatoes

• ¼ to ½ cup fresh basil ribbons

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon balsamic or red-wine vinegar, optional

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• A pinch of red-pepper flakes, optional

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, oil and vinegar. Season lightly.

Add most of the basil shortly before serving, reserving a little for the top.

Allow the mixture to stand for approximately ten minutes—not several hours. Long holding can draw excessive water from the tomatoes and diminish the basil.

Preparing the French-Bread Rounds

You will need:

• 1 French baguette

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 peeled garlic clove

• A small amount of salt

Slice the baguette diagonally into rounds approximately one-half inch thick.

Brush lightly with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Toast at 400°F until the edges are golden and the centers remain pleasantly chewy. Turn once if necessary.

For a smokier result, grill the rounds briefly over moderate heat.

While the bread is warm, rub one side lightly with the cut garlic clove. The warm, crisp surface will capture just enough garlic without overwhelming the tomato.

Assemble at the Last Moment

Spoon the tomato mixture onto the warm or room-temperature rounds immediately before serving.

Finish with:

• Fresh basil

• A few flakes of sea salt

• Black pepper

• A restrained drizzle of olive oil

Optional additions include:

• Fresh mozzarella

• Whipped ricotta

• Shaved Parmesan

• A small spoonful of pesto

• Roasted peppers

• White beans

• Chopped Kalamata olives

Use additions sparingly. The tomatoes and basil should remain the reason for the dish.

A Late-Summer Ritual

This is not a recipe that improves through complexity.

Its pleasure comes from immediacy: bread still carrying the warmth of the oven, tomatoes picked at full ripeness and basil cut moments before it reaches the table.

For a few weeks each year, the garden gives us all three.

The wisest thing we can do is toast the bread and get out of their way.

Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!

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For years, our classic way of preparing a butterflied leg of lamb has been wonderfully straightforward: fresh herbs, Dijon mustard, garlic, good olive oil—and a hot grill.

It is one of those dependable dishes that feels both rustic and elegant. The mustard sharpens the richness of the lamb. The herbs perfume it. The grill supplies the smoke, char and crisp little edges that everyone reaches for first.

But a butterflied leg is rarely the same thickness from one end to the other. The thinner portions can become well done while we wait for the thickest section to reach its proper temperature. It was always a slog trying to get each piece adequately cooked.

And so, after resisting yet another kitchen device for as long as we reasonably could, we have finally climbed aboard the sous-vide bandwagon.

We are rather pleased that we did.

Sous vide does not replace the grill. It simply gives us much greater control over what happens before the lamb reaches the fire.

My recommendation for the home cook is the compact Anova Precision® Cooker Mini. It clips onto an ordinary cooking vessel and circulates water at a precisely controlled temperature. It is small, approachable and powerful enough for everyday home cooking. In other words, it is a very sensible way to enter the world of sous vide without turning the kitchen into a laboratory. But what really grabbed us is the wifi app which ensures precision cooking down to 1 degree!

What follows is our classic herb-and-Dijon lamb—with two paths to the grill:

1. The new sous-vide method, for exceptional control and wonderfully even doneness.

2. The more traditional reverse-sear method, for those who are not yet ready to purchase a precision cooker.

Both paths end in the same place: over a lively grill, where the lamb develops its savory crust and unmistakable summer character.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Herbs and Dijon

Serves 6–8

For the lamb

• One 4- to 5-pound boneless, butterflied leg of lamb

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Olive oil for preparing the meat and grill

For the herb-and-Dijon paste

• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano or marjoram

• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder for the sous-vide bag—or 3 finely minced garlic cloves for the reverse-sear version

• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The exact mixture of herbs is forgiving. Rosemary and thyme provide the backbone, but this is also a lovely place for oregano, marjoram, savory, parsley or a little mint from the garden.

Prepare the lamb

Open the butterflied lamb on a cutting board. Trim away any unusually thick pieces of surface fat or silver skin, but leave enough fat to baste and flavor the meat.

If one section is dramatically thicker than the others, make a shallow horizontal cut and open it like a book. The goal is not perfect uniformity. A little variation lets us offer both pinker and more fully cooked slices at the table.

Pat the lamb dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the Dijon, olive oil, herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and seasonings into a thick paste. Spread it generously over both sides of the lamb, working it into all the folds and crevices.

Now choose your course.

THE SOUS-VIDE SIDEBAR

What exactly is sous vide?

Sous vide means “under vacuum.” Food is placed in a sealed bag and cooked in a temperature-controlled water bath.

The great advantage is simple: the lamb cannot become hotter than the water surrounding it. If the bath is set to 133°F, the meat gradually reaches 133°F from edge to edge. We are no longer trying to pull it from a hot oven during a narrow window before it overcooks.

Sous vide provides the interior doneness. It does not produce browning, smoke or a crust. That is why we still finish our lamb quickly over a very hot grill.

My recommended starting device

The proper name is the Anova Precision® Cooker Mini. It is an 850-watt compact immersion circulator designed for smaller home-cooking jobs. It attaches to a suitable pot or heat-safe container and is controlled through Bluetooth. See the Anova Precision Cooker Mini.

You will also need:

• A deep pot or heat-safe container

• A sturdy freezer-grade zipper bag or vacuum-sealing bag

• A binder clip or sous-vide clip

• A rack, plate or other food-safe weight if the bag tries to float

A vacuum sealer is helpful, but it is not mandatory. With a zipper bag, slowly lower the filled bag into the water while keeping its open edge above the surface. The water pressure pushes most of the air out. Seal the bag just before the opening reaches the water.

Choosing the lamb temperature

• 131–133°F: Rosy medium-rare

• 135–137°F: Medium-rare moving toward medium

• 139°F: Medium, with less visible pink

Anova advises against cooking leg of lamb below 130°F when it requires more than 2½ hours. Its published guidance gives a general cooking range of approximately 3½ to 12 hours. Read Anova’s leg-of-lamb guide.

For a butterflied leg, I recommend beginning at 133°F for approximately 6 hours. If your guests prefer lamb closer to medium, use 137–139°F.

Because fresh garlic can remain surprisingly sharp when cooked at sous-vide temperatures, I use garlic powder in the sealed bag. Fresh minced garlic can be incorporated into a small amount of reserved Dijon-herb paste and brushed onto the lamb immediately before grilling.

Course One: Sous Vide, Then Grill

Set the Anova Precision Cooker Mini to your chosen temperature. My starting point is 133°F.

Place the seasoned lamb in a vacuum bag or heavy-duty zipper bag. Arrange it as flatly as possible. Seal the bag and lower it into the preheated water bath, making certain the meat is submerged while the sealed opening remains safely above the water.

Cook for approximately 6 hours. A particularly thick leg can remain in the bath for 7 or 8 hours without the frantic timing demanded by a conventional roast.

Anova’s own butterflied-leg recipe uses 139°F for 6 to 8 hours, followed by a short grill finish. See Anova’s butterflied leg of lamb method.

Prepare for the grill

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill until it is very hot. Clean and lightly oil the grates.

Remove the lamb from its bag. Save the juices if you would like to use them in a sauce.

Now comes one of the most important sous-vide rules:

Pat the lamb extremely dry.

Moisture creates steam, and steam is the enemy of fast, flavorful browning. Use several paper towels and dry every surface and fold.

If desired, brush the lamb very lightly with a fresh mixture of Dijon, olive oil, herbs and minced garlic. Do not apply a heavy coating—the mustard can scorch before the meat develops its crust.

Place the lamb over direct high heat. Grill for approximately 2 to 4 minutes per side, moving and turning it as needed, until the exterior is deeply browned and lightly charred.

Remember that the lamb is already cooked. We are not trying to raise its internal temperature substantially. We are creating color, smoke, aroma and crust.

Transfer it to a cutting board and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.

Course Two: Reverse Sear, Then Grill

A reverse sear follows the same basic logic as sous vide, but uses a low oven instead of a controlled water bath.

Traditional roasting exposes the exterior of the meat to high heat while we wait for the center to cook. A reverse sear begins gently. The lamb is brought close to its desired temperature in a low oven and then moved to a fiercely hot grill for its final crust.

This provides more even cooking and a wider margin for success than placing the raw lamb directly over a hot fire.

The reverse-sear method

Preheat the oven to 250°F.

Place the herb-and-Dijon-coated lamb on a wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan. Insert a reliable probe thermometer into the thickest portion.

Roast until the thickest section reaches:

• 115–120°F for a medium-rare final result

• 123–125°F for a medium final result

Depending upon its thickness, the lamb may require approximately 45 to 90 minutes. Trust the thermometer rather than the clock.

While it roasts, heat the grill to high.

Remove the lamb from the oven and take it directly to the grill. Sear it over direct heat for approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning as necessary, until a dark, aromatic crust has formed.

Watch the thinner sections carefully. They will finish first and can be moved to a cooler area of the grill while the thicker portions continue to brown.

Aim for a final temperature of approximately:

• 130–135°F for medium-rare

• 135–140°F for medium

Transfer the lamb to a board and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Unlike the sous-vide version, the reverse-seared lamb needs a fuller rest because heat continues moving through the meat after it leaves the grill.

Carving and Serving

Look carefully at the grain of the meat. Because a butterflied leg contains several muscles, the direction of the grain may change from one section to another.

Separate the sections if necessary and slice each one thinly across the grain.

Arrange the lamb on a warm platter. Scatter it with parsley, thyme, mint or tender rosemary tips. Add lemon wedges and perhaps a final spoonful of good olive oil.

I especially like it served with:

• Little roasted potatoes with rosemary

• White beans with herbs and lemon

• Grilled summer vegetables

• A tomato, cucumber and feta salad

• Buttered peas with mint

• A cool yogurt, cucumber and herb sauce

• Warm flatbread or a crusty country loaf

The thinner, more fully cooked pieces are usually claimed by guests who prefer less pink. The thicker rosy slices reward those of us who believe good lamb should still possess a blush.

The Real Advantage: More Time at the Table

Precision cooking sounds technical, but its best benefit is wonderfully human.

When friends arrive, I would rather pour a glass, walk through the garden and enjoy the conversation than repeatedly leave the gathering to poke and probe a roast.

Sous vide takes much of that anxiety away. The lamb can wait patiently in its bath until the grill is hot and the table is nearly ready. The final grilling becomes a brief bit of theater instead of a lengthy exercise in temperature management.

So yes—I have finally climbed aboard the bandwagon.

If you love lamb, herbs and summer cooking, I implore you to consider the Anova Precision Cooker Mini. Begin with a butterflied leg, give it the full rosemary-thyme-and-Dijon treatment, and let precision cooking handle the interior while your grill supplies the soul.

It is still my classic butterflied leg of lamb.

It has simply learned a very useful new trick.

Until next time...
I am...
Phil Wilson...
and Here’s to sharing our herbal life-style with you!

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