Herbes de Provence (Recipe: marinated bocconcini)

Who was more ingenious, the Provencal cook who first tossed together a few herbs growing on a hillside and gave it a fancy-sounding name -- herbes de Provence -- or the person who thought to market those herbs in an adorable ceramic crock ?

(You have one of those iconic little crocks on your spice rack, don't you? Me, too.)

Herbes de Provence is a bit of a free-wheeling spice blend. Like garam masala, the blend will vary with each cook, and from recipe to recipe in the cook's kitchen.

Depending on who's doing the blending, herbes de Provence might contain thyme, basil, summer savory, fennel seed and lavender flowers, which is what's in the crock in my pantry. If you purchase from Penzeys, you'll get a mix of rosemary, cracked fennel, thyme, savory, basil, tarragon, dill weed, Turkish oregano, lavender, chervil and marjoram. More complex flavor, but no crock.

The common components, spices that grow wild or are cultivated in the south of France and are harvested in the heat of the summer sun, include bay leaf, thyme, fennel, rosemary, chervil, oregano, summer savory, tarragon, mint and marjoram. Orange zest and/or lavender also make an appearance in many versions of the herbes.

If you don't live in France, you've probably purchased a crock of herbes de Provence to make one or two recipes, and because the ceramic pot is so cute, it's remained on your spice rack even though you don't use the contents very often.

So, get your crock out -- here are ten things to do with herbes de Provence:

1. Mix with olive oil and rub on chicken before roasting or stewing.
2. Add a pinch to scrambled eggs or mushroom-filled crepes.
3. Sprinkle a pinch or two on hot coals before grilling.
4. Add a pinch to a vinaigrette.
5. Mix with oil, salt and pepper, and drizzle on garden-fresh sliced tomatoes.
6. Put two parts mayonnaise and one part Dijon mustard in a bowl with a sprinkling of herbes de Provence. Stir together, thin with a bit of champagne vinegar, and use to season potato salad.
7. Make a paste with butter, and smear under and over the skin of a turkey breast before roasting in the oven.
8. Marinate boneless, butterflied leg of lamb in a mix of yogurt, garlic, and herbes de Provence.
9. Rub fillets of fish with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and herbes de Provence, top with a slice of lemon, and seal in a parchment paper pouch. Bake in the oven or steam over a pot of water.
10. Toss with roasted vegetables.

Though my climate zone is far from Provence, many of the traditional Provencal herbs grow well in my garden. I don't have great success with dill or chervil, mostly because they insist upon going to seed before I remember to cut them back, but I get a healthy crop of most of the other herbs every season. In the Fall, when I remember to do it, I dry them on a contraption Ted made for me out of an old screen window.

Maybe I could market my own herb blend.

Herbes de Rhody.

Coming to a farmers' market near you, maybe, some day. Just as soon as I save up enough little crocks.

Marinated bocconcini (mozzarella cheese)

Inspired by a recipe in Patricia Wells'  Bistro Cooking, this is a wonderful recipe to make for hostess gifts or summer picnics. Find some pretty jars for packaging, and be sure to make at least one week ahead. The original recipe calls for a semisoft goat cheese, such as Montrachet, but I love to make this with the mini mozzarella balls you find at the supermarket salad bar.

Ingredients

12 oz bocconcini (small mozzarella balls)
1 tsp herbes de Provence
4 bay leaves
12 black peppercorns, slightly crushed (place them in a plastic bag, and hit with a frying pan)
1 to 1-1/2 cups fruity extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place first four ingredients in a jar, and cover with oil. Close securely, and store in a cool place for at least one week and up to a month. I usually store mine in the refrigerator, and bring it up to room temperature before serving. Serve the cheese with crusty bread, and drizzle with a bit of the oil.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Mediterranean red snapper
Honey-roasted beets
Deviled eggs
Roasted fennel with potatoes and onions

Comments

Well, no, no crock here. I've been getting mine from Pensy's. The BOCCONCINI I've been getting is already seasoned. With this, I think I'll get some a season my own.

As if I wasn't already anxious enough for my Penzey's order to arrive...

What a terrific list of ideas!

I like it in my omletes as well.

This sounds like a great mix...I've tended to shy from dried herbs, but this combo could definitely pull me away from my bias. I was hoping it called for sage, since I have an abundance (along with normal amounts of the others) in my garden -- it would have been fun to make my own. Do you have any ideas for dried sage?

Makes me want to pop over to Provence right now!

no no no... I don't have this cute pot! I want it!
Your bocconcini recipe sounds much better than the original :)

No, I do not have an iconic little crock, but my Penzey's order arrived yesterday with...you guessed it....herbes de Provence. What a serendipitous post with a great recipe. Hooray!

Too bad President Hoover wasn't a cook. He could have had Herbs de Herb.

This is actually one of those things I've never had in my collection of spices. Its usually something I'll improvise or hobble together as needed based on whatever I have handy...which usually isn't quite every element. Maybe its about time I give it a shot...also, that's a great collection of ideas to show off this blend

Lydia, this is such a coincidence! My first bag of herbes the provence arrived last week - I have never used this mix of spices, and can't wait to try it! I bought it because of one recipe Helen (Tartelette) posted.

I am surprised that anyone calls it herbs de provence without rosemary. I buy it in bulk at Whole Foods (with rosemary, lavender, and others) and if anything, I overuse it. Sometimes I force myself to use some other spice!

To the question about sage, one suggestion: put whole fresh OR dried sage leaves on grilled veal or lamb chops -- with or without tomato sauce.

Love, love, love the stuff and can never keep enough of it in the house.

Lydia, Herbs de Provence is one of my fave herb combos...very versatile.

I read the Penzey catalog like it's Tolstoy.
And don't you just love Patricia Wells. I want to be her whenver I decide to grow up.
Lovely recipe, and yes, perfect for a gift!

No I don't have the crock either, but it doesn't stop me from loving the stuff! Love it with roasted potatoes. I wonder what herbes de rhody would be?

What a wonderful post, all lilting and summery, and the crocks are definitely keepers! You've put me in a mood to break out the herbs de Provence and whip up a few packets of fish on the grill!

Thanks for your wonderful list of ten, a bit late for me - I never really got too creative with those little pots received from friends returning from Provence and they moved with me from from pantry to pantry. I must confess that when I moved to Brazil I made little sachets of the contents and layered them in between the winter coats and sweaters that I left back in Rhody in my self-storage. Much better than moth balls!!!!

To Julia - Make focaccia with crumbled dried sage kneaded into the dough and lots of olive oil and kosher salt sprinkled over the top.

MyKitchen, definitely look for the plain bocconcini at the salad bar in the supermarket -- they are crying out for some of this seasoning!

Genie, see some of the other ideas left in the comments, too. So many things to do with the herbes. They're pretty good on tomatoes....

Peabody, me too.

Julia, see Mae's and Peter's comments below for a great idea for your dried sage.

TW, take me with you!

Gattina, I'm not sure if the little crock makes the herbes taste better, but I'd like to think it does.

Marcia, hooray for Penzeys! What else was in your order?

Rupert, you make me giggle.

Mike, when you make your own, what herbs do you include? I like to make an approximation with herbs from my garden; I even have the lavender.

Patricia, I hope you've found a few more ideas here for how to use your new herbes. I'll check over at Tartelette to see how she's using this blend, too.

Mae, I don't use rosemary in my own blend, because it's not my favorite herb -- and because it can easily overpower the other herbs. What I love about herbes de Provence is that each cook makes it the way he/she likes it.

Ann, Peter: what wonderful dishes you must be making with your herbes! I'll check your blogs for ideas.

Catherine, Patricia Wells does seem to have a bit of a perfect life, doesn't she? I've always wanted to take one of her cooking classes in Provence.

Callipygia, herbes de Rhody would taste delicious, but the name would never sell!

Sandie, I love the flavor of these herbs with white fish, like thick pieces of cod, rubbed with herbs and olive oil, salt and pepper, and cooked over a wood fire. We're lucky to live in the country, where we have a fire pit for just this sort of thing.

Peter, herbes de Provence as sachet? I love it! Probably would make great potpourri in the bathroom, too!

When I was in Europe this spring I bought some Herbes de Provence from a market in Vaals, in the Netherlands. It was a great price and I knew I would love to try it when I got home. No cute crock, though... it's stored in a washed out glass jar that still has part of a label stuck on it!

I love making Swordfish Spedini, a Giada recipe from Everyday Italian. Really simple and delicious! Check it out in my blog... http://cookingandeatinginthewindycity.blogspot.com/2008/04/cookbook-challenge-vegetable-tian.html

Peripheral effects -- you sent me to the library to see what Patricia Wells is doing, came home with "Trattoria" which looks more my speed than Provencal.

Lydia, I want those bocconcini! I can taste them, I can smell them, I will have them. What a lovely and aromatic post! You really need scratch n' sniff with this blog.

I love Herbs de Province thrown in warm oil for a very quick pasta. I use absolutely any vegetables I have, any Herbes de Rhody that are still around, and top with a bit of fish or chicken. Really quick, really delicious.

I used to have a little crock I bought in France. But I don't any more so I guess I broke it at some time.

What a great post! No little crock here, but if you ever start selling it I'll be your first customer. This is a blend I haven't used much but I love your ideas.

I lived in Provence in 2000 - the only thing I don't like about the herbs de provence i've gotten since being home is the lavender they put in it - it was never in the packets i got in france....
My favorite thing to make with it is baked chicken! Just stuff the inside with garlic, onions and the herbs and bake breast side down to keep moist - flip it over for the last 15 minutes and mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!

This is one of my favorites in the pantry! I seem to be using it more and more. It's great with pork chops, on oven roasted red potatoes, and I even throw a bit in soups or in my boeuf bourguignon. Oh, and I don't have the cute little crock, I picked up a tin of this in NY last summer at Dean and Deluca, but I still want the crock...I will have to head over to Williams Sonoma now!

Ooh not sure who was more genius...good question. Adorable crock! :) How about some ratatouille with your herbs de provence? Also a good Provencal dish.

I really like Herbs de Provence it's Provence packed in a jar (or a bag). When I have a bit of time I try to mix my own blend - works nicely and allows me some variety.

Erin, thanks for sharing the link to your recipes. I'm sure you use your herbes more because you can see through the jar; the crocks are cute, but you tend to forget that there's a great spice inside.

Susan, I love this!

Marilyn, is smell-o-blog the wave of the future? Wouldn't that be wonderful for food bloggers?!

Candy, great idea. Clearly my list of 10 ways to use herbes de Provence should be much longer.

Barbara, it's a perfect excuse to find a lovely little jar for these herbes.

Kalyn, there's a potter who lives just up the road from me. Maybe I'm on to something -- and I've already got one customer lined up!

Pamela, the baked chicken sounds divine. I've heard that about lavender -- that it was only added for export, because visitors to Provence expected the herbes to include the lavender that grows everywhere in the region.

Jason, must add your recipe ideas to my list also. It is a wonderful spice blend, isn't it?

Hillary, yes -- ratatouille should be on the list, too. Great suggestion.

Meeta, I also like to mix my own, as I have such a great variety of herbs in my garden.

Ah, the French garam masala ;) Thank you for all those brilliant ideas for using this wonderful blend...I can't wait to try them over the summer.

I have not tried making a dish with herbes de Provence before but been wanted to have roast chicken with those herbs.

Nupur, there are real similarities between herbes de Provence and garam masala, not in the specific spices used, but in the individualized nature of the blend, with each cook making his or her own adjustments. I think you'll like this one.

Tigerfish, it's particularly good with roast chicken or fish. Enjoy!

I'm not fond of the lavendar either - though I love it as a flower, and a scent, just not as food. I bought a packet of Herbes de Provence in Nice years ago, and have been mixing up my own blend based on that packet ever since - fresh when I can, but more usually dried. Its my husband's favorite, and what he usually reaches for on the rare occasions when he cooks. It is the only reason that I dry basil. Mix up 1 part each of the following: savory, marjoram, rosemary, basil, and thyme.

Lydia, I love your blog; thanks

Una, welcome to The Perfect Pantry, and thank you so much for sharing your own herbes de Provence formula. Wonderful idea to mix the same fresh herbs -- I have all of those in my garden!

Well well...great minds think alike. I just did this with Montrachet this past weekend! Love it so...I plan on doing a salad with it later in the summer. But it is so good on crackers, or your finger!
As to Patricia Wells..there are no words.

Mary, a salad with marinated Montrachet sounds divine. As is Patricia Wells.

Thank you for tips on how to use herbs de provence! I bought it (no crock though) and haven't figured out how to use them... they smell so wonderful and now I know what to do with them!

Patsy, I'm so glad this post has given you some ideas. Herbes de Provence is a wonderful seasoning, with or without the crock.

Hi, thank you for the post! I love Provence Herbs and
I agree, the authentic Herbs de Provence that you find in France do not contain any lavender.

Your post is really great.I really had good time reading it as well as good information from the post.Thanks for sharing it with us.