Summertime Meals with Herbs

So here’s your picnic menu:

• Oven-fried chicken. Tarragon is a classic with chicken, so look for ways to incorporate it. If you usually brine your chicken ahead of time (which I heartily recommend), add 2 or 3 sprigs of fresh tarragon to the brine mixture. Then, finely chop fresh tarragon, or crumble dried, into the breading mixture you usually use.
• Red potato salad. Sprinkle diced oregano or lemon thyme on top; fold in just before serving.
• Sliced tomatoes. Arrange a row of thick-sliced tomatoes alternately with whole basil leaves, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a light splash of wine vinegar.
• Sugar snap peas with herbal dip. Make a sturdy dip from equal parts softened cream cheese and plain yogurt; fold in diced green onion and 1 or 2 types of finely diced herbs.
• Fresh fruit skewers. For the grownups, thread basil leaves occasionally between the individual fruits. Give the kids the empty skewers and let them make their own combinations.
  
  

  Siam Queen basil