refreshing greens

Fresh greens are tender and thirst-quenching,” explains Alain Passard, who generously spices all his culinary creations with it from the very first days of spring. “Sour, anise-flavored or slightly bitter, these herbs are indispensable condiments for the summer season,” the chef is convinced. Herb spices can change not only the taste, but also the texture and overall perception of a dish – whether it’s an appetizer, main course or even dessert. Sometimes they give the product that very zest, without which we can hardly imagine it on our dish. Would a tomato really taste good without basil? What about lentils without cilantro? Or lightly salted cucumber without dill?

Any fragrant herbs immerse us in a magical world of sensations, their taste and aroma turn our heads, awaken taste buds and sharpen our appetite. The special role of herbs and spices is that they help restore the balance of substances in the body: their taste and color, as nutritionists insist, help us reduce the consumption of not only salt and sugar, but also fat. Freshly cut greens are stored in a closed vessel in the lower compartment of the refrigerator . And it is best to plant your favorite plants in pots on the windowsill and have them always at hand. To preserve the aroma of plants, they need to be carefully cut, and not pulled out of the ground, as many are used to. Do not be afraid to mix different herbs, experiment, because, as the chef admits, there are no strict rules in this regard: “You can mix everything, the main thing is to use greens as often as possible.”

Strawberry salad with herbs and cilantro pesto

For 4 personsPreparation: 15 minutes

• 8 strawberries
• 2 small cucumbers
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 beam cilantro
• fresh mint
• basil
• olive oil
• Fleur de sel sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

Preparation

First, prepare the sauce: dip the cilantro in boiling water for a minute, then let the water drain. Mix in a blender with garlic and three tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Peel the cucumbers and cut into small cubes with a side of 5 mm. Wash the strawberries and cut the berries into the same cubes, removing the tails. Divide the pesto among plates or wide glasses, add the cucumber and strawberry pieces. Grind aromatic herbs, sprinkle them on the resulting dish, season with olive oil, Fleur de sel sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Fresh Peas with Crispy Rhubarb

For 4 personsPrepare: 15 minutesPreparation: 8 minutes

• 1 kg fresh green peas
• 2 red onions
• 40 g of lightly salted butter
• stalk of rhubarb
• Fleur de sel sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• purple basil

Preparation

In a deep frying pan for 2-3 minutes, simmer the peeled green peas and thinly sliced ​​onion over medium heat, adding butter and a tablespoon of water. Then reduce the heat and then simmer for another five minutes (vegetables should not soften). During this time, thinly slice the rhubarb stalk: first along, and then with sticks the length of a match. After removing the pan from the heat, add the rhubarb to it to warm it up a little. Divide among four bowls, pour over the remaining vegetable juice in the pan, salt, pepper and sprinkle with basil leaves right before serving.