A dilly of a dish

Ham and Sprouts Salad

Ham and Sprouts Salad

July 11, 2000
Web posted at: 12:28 p.m. EST (1628 GMT)

By Bev Bennett
Los Angeles Times Syndicate

It seems that no sooner do you plant dill than you have a leggy, feathery giant in your herb garden, waiting to be picked. And even if you don't garden, you can't escape the bunches of dill in your supermarket.

Dill is one of the most prolific and versatile summer herbs. It's made for vegetables. The delicate anise flavor of dill doesn't overwhelm vegetables as hardier herbs such as rosemary or thyme might.

Add dill to sliced tomatoes instead of the usual basil. Dill and tomatoes are a perfect match. Dill and cucumbers are another natural. Top with a dollop of sour cream and you've got a great and refreshing salad. If you're a fan of baby carrots, you'll find dill is just the herb to bring out the natural sweetness in the root vegetable.

There is one caution, however. A little dill goes a long way. You'll find that when making a dish for two, a teaspoon of fresh dill is usually sufficient.

To store leftovers, trim about half an inch off the dill stems. Then wrap the stems in a damp paper towel or stand the dill sprigs upright in a glass of water and keep in the refrigerator up to one week.

Here are two recipes that will inspire you to use more dill. The salad of diced ham, Brussels sprouts and couscous makes a satisfying lunch or light dinner. If you aren't a fan of Brussels sprouts, it could be because you're buying large, bitter heads. Choose sprouts the size of a quarter, and don't overcook them.

Cooked carrots may be going the way of the hour-long dinner. But if anything should inspire you to sit down to a meal, it's the buttery, sweet taste of this vegetable dish.

Ham and Sprouts Salad