Cooking with Herbs

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Cooking with herbs

 

MMMMMM , what is that wonderful aroma? Soup? Pot Roast? Sauce

simmering on the stove? Have you ever thought about what makes that

dinner cooking smell so wonderful? Consider what it would smell like

without herbs and seasonings made from herbs. It would probably

smell as bland as it would taste!

 

Herbs in cooking is another one of those things we might take for

granted but would be lost without! Almost all cultures use herbs to

give taste, texture and variety to their foods.

 

There are two basic ways to get the herbs you need. One can grow

them or buy them. Let's look first at growing them.

 

 

Homegrown Indoor Herbs

 

Kitchen herbs can be grown indoors or out. Personally I like growing

them indoors in pots and other small containers.

 

Sometimes I put larger pots just outside my kitchen door and grow

little pots of single herbs on my kitchen windowsill. It smells

nice, and makes a kitchen cheerful and inviting. Be sure when

growing in containers to allow for drainage.

 

Thin out the plants if it gets too full. Usually cutting stems and

leaves for use will be enough in itself to do this. Provide plenty

of sun, about 4-6 hours. Fluorescent lights can also be used. Water

as each type of herb needs. Also use a small amount of liquid

fertilizer every few weeks for good growth.

 

Check for bugs and damage routinely.

 

Harvesting Your Herbs

 

Harvest when leaves look tender and plump. The flavor is at a peak

just before the plant flowers. You can prolong the peak by nipping

off the buds before flowering. Nothing beats the taste of fresh

herbs! So easy too just snip off what you need and throw it in the

pot.

 

Storage

 

You can refrigerate herbs for several days. Keep each different kind

in airtight containers. Remember though, the sooner you use them the

better they taste. You can also freeze them, keeping in mind they

tend to get rubbery. The taste is not affected though and they can

be used in simmering dishes. Be sure to label and date them and

freeze in separate containers.

 

Let's Get Cooking

 

If using fresh herbs, wash well and dry well. Be sure to get soil

from crevices in leaves.

Add fresh herbs to your dish near the end of the cooking time

because they are stronger than dried.

 

If you use dried herbs, use half or one-third the amount of fresh.

Your choice of herbs depends on your tastes and common uses. Here

are some basic herbs and cooking uses.

 

Basic Herbs

 

Most cooks depend on these basic herbs in cooking.

 

Basil: This is used in tomato based dishes and salads. A must in

Italian meals

Parsley: Use a sprig as a garnish for meat and vegetable dishes

Thyme: Delicious as an addition to stews,fish,lamb,pork and beef

Chives: Chop these up and sprinkle on baked potatoes, soups, eggs

and salads

Bay: Use a whole leaf in stews, fish dishes,venison,or marinades

Majorum or Oregano: Great in soups,sauces,pizza

Tarragon: Add to fish or chicken

Mint: Fresh leaves can be mixed into salads,stuffings. Add to

vegetables and meats

Sage: Used in stuffing for Chicken,turkey,goose,pork

Rosemary: Great with steaks, stews, sausage

Of course you can also purchase herbs for cooking. Many grow the

basics and shop for less common herbs or even common herbs and

spices that aren't usually homegrown. Some of these are

salt,pepper,cinnamon,garlic,nutmeg,dried peppers savory and many

more.

 

Whether you grow your herbs or buy them. Most cooks agree that

favorite dinner just might not be so well liked without them!

 

About the Author

Connie Byrd is the Editor/Owner of Blueberry Lane Publications.

Blueberry Lane offers family friendly newsletters and more.