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Masters in plant biology adds another layer to cooking

Quick quiz: Is parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme:1. A nice refrain in a Simon and Garfunkel song.2. The medieval version of preservatives.3. The latest celebrity baby name list.

If you picked 2, you are correct, says herbalist Jenny Pawlak, our cook of the week who has her masters in plant biology from the University of Illinois. Pawlak, who wrote her thesis about the anti-cancer properties found in cranberries, is a big proponent of using fresh herbs and homegrown vegetables for your table whenever possible.

Pawlak recently moved from her parent's home in the relative countryside of Hampshire, to the more citified Oak Park.

#8220;I always imagined I'd be getting farther out into the country, but oddly enough I'm going in the opposite direction,#8221; she laughs. Pawlak will be commuting home on the weekends this summer in order to help her family maintain the 1,200 square foot garden she helped create through the years.

#8220;I've been gardening since I was a little kid, when my parents moved to the country.#8221;

The family garden boasts a place for vegetables, (they're trying finicky corn again this year), a spot for herbs and an orchard of fruit and nut trees.

#8220;It really is rewarding to be able to plant something and then eat what you have grown yourself. You know where it came from and it tastes so much better,#8221; she said. #8220;Nothing compares with eating a tomato that the sun has warmed.#8221;

There is no room for an outdoor garden in Jenny's new digs, but she is plotting to take advantage of deep window sills, where she will grow her herbs. Because, she explains, once you begin to cook using fresh ingredients, there is no going back. Even in the winter, she relies on the hearty kale that lasted through December (she likes it steamed with lemon juice) or her indoor crop of baby bok choy.

A dehydrator takes care of the herb collection, or she hangs herbs to dry and then crushes them up for cold-weather use.

#8220;When I'm cooking, sometimes I will base the dish around an herb. It depends on what's growing or what needs to be pruned back in the garden.#8221; Though Pawlak was taught to cook basic, American meat and potatoes type fare, she has expanded her repertoire.

#8220;Over the years I've gotten more adventurous. I like Greek, Indian, Japanese and Middle Eastern food #8230; I like to do a fusion dish #8212; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.#8221; For Christmas dinner she surprised her relatives with a Middle-Eastern meal.

#8220;My dad warned me, #8216;they're never going to eat that.' But they did eat it and seemed to even like it!#8221;

Pawlak also likes to take the #8216;what's in the pantry approach.' #8220;My mom will say, #8216;we've got this and we've got this, what can you do with it?' It's a nice challenge.#8221;

Today, Pawlak shares a recipe for a minted lamb roll with lemon herb sauce. Another favorite recipe, often requested by friends, is her pesto-stuffed cherry tomatoes.

#8220;My friends always ask,' what tiny finger-food is Jenny going to bring?#8221;

Naturally, she isn't opposed to using herbs in baking either. #8220;I like baking, but it's more of a winter thing for me. I like to make loaves of bread and let them rise by the fireplace,#8221; she said.

But for now, it's nearly summer and the garden is the thing. When she isn't working (for a landscape company) or gardening, or cooking, her other favorite hobby is hiking.

Quiz: Name something that can be described as green

1. Jenny Pawlak's thumb

2. Jenny Pawlak's favorite color

3. The color of basil, mint and dill

Answer: All of the above

#8226; To suggest someone to be profiled here, send the cook's name, address and phone number to food@dailyherald.com.

Minted Lamb Rolls with Lemon-Herb Sauce

Lavender Cookies

Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes

Orzo Salad

  Minted Lamb Rolls with Lemon Herb Sauce by Cook of the Week Jenny Pawlak of Oak Park. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Minted Lamb Rolls with Lemon Herb Sauce by Cook of the Week Jenny Pawlak of Oak Park. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
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