Cooking with Herbs

Cooking with herbs is a great way to add fresh flavors to your cooking. They also can add health-giving benefits, such as anti-oxidants, as well!

Cooking with Herbs Easily

Have you ever thought you’d like to use herbs in your cooking, but it just wasn’t convenient? Perhaps, like many other home cooks, you’ve purchased herbs in the supermarket only to find they’ve spoiled in your refrigerator before you could use them. If this has happened to you, take heart! It is very easy to raise herbs in your home with very little fuss.

Growing Herbs at Home

Nothing can be easier than growing herbs in your kitchen or other nearby area. All you need is a windowsill, a few small pots and some herb seeds. Alternatively you can purchase small pots of herbs at your local supermarket, garden center or at a local herb festival. While growing herbs in your home be sure to check that the plants are kept moist, but not over-watered. Allow your potted herbs to dry out a little between waterings once they become established.

Cooking with Fresh Herbs

Using a recipe that requires a little fresh rosemary or sage? Reach for your nearest potted herb plant and continue cooking! The smell of fresh herbs is very inviting and it adds so much to your cooking. Dried herbs are great, but they simply don’t compare in flavor to using fresh herbs in your meat dishes, pastas and salads.

Use a little care when removing leaves or stems from your potted plants. The idea is to use a few leaves from the sides of the plants, or cut stems that are well established. If you over pick your plant it may become weakened. If you happen to use a lot of a particular herb, such as basil, consider having several of these plants on hand so one plant doesn’t become over picked.

Dried Herbs

Dried herbs can either be purchased or grown by you during the previous year. For those individuals who live in areas that have cold winters, dried herbs may be the only way to add wonderful flavor to their cooking dishes. The best dried herbs are fresh dried herbs.

If you have ever opened a bottle of parsley that has been sitting on your spice shelf for several years, you’ll notice that the green color is greatly diminished and the herbs within may not even smell like parsley anymore. Spices do not last forever, even if they are kept out of sunlight and in a tightly sealed jar. Once you have prepared your own dried herbs or have purchased some new dried herbs, write the date on the package. Herbs usually lose their color and flavor rapidly and are best when used within one year.

Top Herbs for Cooking

The following herbs are popularly used in many recipes. Start with these, then add a few more favorites to create more complicated flavors in your cooking.

• Rosemary – used to flavor many meat dishes and occasionally salads. The sprigs may be used as barbecue skewers and on top of roasts to add flavor. You may also use it in a ground form or chop the thick fresh leaves and add it sparingly to your dishes.

• Dill – one of the easiest herbs to grow, it is popularly used for making pickles. It can also be used to flavor salads, such as cold cucumber salad in a cream sauce.

• Sage – a very popular herb used for seasoning a variety of meats, cheeses, sauces and soups. A must-have in your herb garden.

• Thyme – used to flavor game meats, turkey and other meats. Also used in fish dishes and tomato sauces.

• Chives – one of the easiest herbs to grow. Used in cheeses, fish dishes, butters, sauces and egg dishes.

• Basil – one of the most popular herbs used in Italian cooking. Whether it is fresh or dried, it lends a distinctive flavor, especially when used in tomato dishes.

Experiment while cooking with herbs. Start by using a little bit at first in familiar foods so you’ll know whether you like them or not. Always use the least amount to add the desired flavor. Herbs should enhance the flavors of the dishes, not overpower them.

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