Discover Cooking

One of the easiest ways to improve your cooking, and make a recipe “yours” is to liven it up with herbs. Since man began cooking, herbs have been used to complement the flavors and enliven plain food dishes.

Familiarize yourself with some of the common herbs, and proceed with caution until you get a feel for the different flavors and aromas. To get an idea of the strength of a herb, take a small piece of fresh herb ( or a pinch of dried herb) and rub it between your fingers to release the aroma. Is the smell sweet, peppery, mild, strong? The taste of a herb should complement, not dominate, a recipe, so add gradually and allow time for the flavors to develop before you are tempted to “add just a little more”.

Using Fresh Herbs
This is the best option, and there are many varieties of herbs that can be bought fresh in the supermarket. Parsley, chives, tarragon, dill and mint are some of the favorites. Herbs are not difficult to grow, although they do require regular watering. Start a small herb garden, or grow them in pots on the windowsill. Most herbs will thrive, and you will always have a ready supply to hand.

When cutting fresh herbs, always use sharp scissors, or the leaves will get bruised. Don´t chop the herbs on a wooden kitchen board, glass or smooth plastic are preferable.

Dried herbs
These are generally a little more potent that the fresh variety. As a very rough indication, use half the amount of dried herbs that you would use of fresh herbs in a recipe. Buy the herbs in small jars, as like spices, most do not store well for more than a year. If possible store the herbs in opaque pottery containers, or at least keep the glass jars in a cool, dark place to avoid the deterioration of the flavors.

If you want to dry your own herbs from your plants, use the sprigs that are just coming into flower. Spread in a shallow box and when dry, strip off the leaves and crumble the herbs into a jar.

Freezing herbs
It is possible to store herbs by freezing them, and most freeze well. Remember to label any pots carefully when freezing, as after a while the contents will all start to look the same. Wash the leaves and dry on kitchen paper, then pack loosely into small containers. Defrost to use in recipes as required, but don´t use for garnish as the herbs will go soft when they are thawed.

Slow Cooking
Be aware that when using the crock pot you will need to add the herbs in the last half hour of cooking, otherwise they will loose their intensity and flavor. I always recommend Lisa’s crock pot recipes and be sure to cook one of her meat loaf crock pot recipes.

Herb Vinegars
You can now buy a wide selection of herb vinegars, containing the more popular herbs such as tarragon, basil and marjoram. But again, it is easy to make your own. Use white wine vinegar or cider vinegar and add a large sprig of your chosen herb. Leave it to infuse for a few weeks so that the flavor of the herb has a chance to develop. Strain the vinegar and use for salad dressings or to flavor stews.

Herb Teas
Herb teas are increasing in popularity as an alternative drink to conventional tea or coffee. To make a herb tea, place a handful of herbs in a warm china pot, add boiling water and leave to infuse for 5 to 10 minutes. Any longer, and the taste may become bitter. Strain before drinking and add lemon or honey, not milk.
Mint tea and camomile tea are two of the most popular choices for a caffeine free, relaxing drink.