The Art of Herbs Cookbook

Tasty, beautiful, local. Last fall, Cynthia Peters, food writer and owner of From the Farm Cooking School in Prince Edward County, teamed up with artist Susan Wallis to create a visual feast of a recipe book themed around chives, basil, lemon balm, coriander, and tarragon. Each of the 22 recipes is paired with a richly textured encaustic herbal painting. Local chefs, farmers, and winemakers provide the opening remarks for the sections, further personalizing this homegrown homage to the bounty of the County. In honour of this early spring herb, we have reproduced Peters’ spicy shrimp and chive recipe.

The Art of Herbs Cookbook is available at The Red Apron and Collected Works Bookstore. For more information on the book, visit fromthefarm.ca.

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

1/4 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Clean shrimp, removing shells. Finely grate zest of lemon and set aside. Cut lemon into 4 to 6 wedges and set aside. Add oil to a large frying pan and place over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, then stir in the shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp just begin to turn pink.

Add sherry, chili flakes, paprika, butter, and lemon zest. Cook for one minute, until shrimp are cooked through.

Remove from heat. Stir in chives, salt, and pepper. Place shrimp and sauce on small serving plates with a wedge of lemon. Serve with crusty bread.

This recipe was featured in the restaurant section of the May 2012 edition.