Every year we buy a large jar of herbes salées in Kamouraska. It’s a typical Bas Du Fleuve product that lets you enjoy the taste of garden fresh herbs when the temperature is –4°F (–20°C) and your backyard is under a blanket of snow. It is essentially a big spoonful of herbs with carrots and onions that stay fresh because of the brine. You can use this traditional northern condiment with anything: potatoes, soups, seafood, lamb, gravies, terrines, and meat pies.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1 large jarful

　　1 cup (40 g) chopped fresh chives

　　1 cup (40 g) chopped fresh savory

　　1 cup (40 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1 cup (40 g) chopped fresh chervil

　　1 cup (55 g) grated carrots

　　1 cup (40 g) chopped celery leaves

　　1 cup (85 g) chopped green onions

　　1/2 cup (115 g) coarse salt

　　

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine one-fourth each of the chives, savory, parsley, chervil, carrots, celery leaves, and green onions. Top with one-fourth of the salt. Repeat the layering three times, using up all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 week.

　　

Step 2

At the end of the week, a brine will have formed. Uncover the bowl and pour the herbs into a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the fridge for up to a year.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.