Green and pleasant

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Posted at 11:45AM, 26 May 2010 by Carol Wilson - Food writer

I have several pots of herbs growing in my garden and on the kitchen windowsill. Those little packets of herbs from supermarkets work out to be quite expensive and seem to lack the powerful flavour and aroma of those grown in a sunny garden or even a window box. Fresh herbs usually taste much better than dried too as dried herbs seem to lose most of their flavour in the drying process; although there are a few exceptions - sage, fennel and bay, which do retain their flavour well. I use fresh herbs as quickly as possible after picking and wash and dry them carefully.

Herbs, with their characteristic aromatic flavours, can transform a simple dish into something special

Herbs, with their characteristic aromatic flavours, are invaluable in the kitchen and can transform a simple dish into something special. I sprinkle freshly chopped herbs over soups, salads and pizzas. I also make herb pastes (great for flavouring pasta, salad dressings and sauces) in a food processor by blending plenty of fresh herbs (a single herb or a mixture) with enough olive oil and a little lemon juice to make a thick paste, then spoon the paste into a container and cover the surface with olive oil. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

My favourite herbs are thyme , which is highly aromatic and excellent in marinades, stuffings and salads; all varieties of mint, (especially apple mint and spearmint) which is delicious with new potatoes and roast lamb; and chervil which has a pungent flavour, reminiscent of aniseed, although too much heat diminishes its flavour (as with basil), so it's best added at the end of cooking or served raw. Chervil is excellent with eggs, fish, and chicken.

Bay leaves have a strong flavour and exude a wonderful aroma when crushed. I add a couple to stews, soups and stocks. A tip I gleaned from an old cookbook is that placing a few bay leaves in dry stores of flour will discourage weevils. Tarragon has a delicate yet heady flavour and I think is especially good with chicken, fish and pasta. Sage is traditionally used with onions for stuffing meat and poultry and its distinctive taste also complements pork, cheese and tomatoes. Rosemary is warmly aromatic and is wonderful added to marinades, stuffings, risotto and pasta and also with lamb or pork.

What are your favourite herbs?

Comments

beckayork

26 May 2010, 4:42PM
beckayork

I am growing sorrel and chervil this year since both are hard to find in shops. I regularly share branches of rosemary with neighbours because the bush near my front door is rampant

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Whisk Cooking

26 May 2010, 5:11PM
Whisk Cooking

I have found a great way to store herbs if you pick to much and don't want to throw them away http://www.whiskcooking.co.uk/Productdetails3.asp?productid=1340. It's a herb keeper for the fridge. I love it.

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Ali

26 May 2010, 5:40PM
Ali

I love basil:rubbed over fresh bread it gives a lovely base flavour. However, do you have any tips for maintainingg a healthy plant?

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Nicola

27 May 2010, 9:01AM
Nicola

Mmm, I love herbs! My favourite changes depending on my mood...mint, dill, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, basil, chives. I've even gone a bit exotic this year and am growing lemongrass (used rooting powder on shop bought stems - its growing very well now!). Even the plainest of fare can be improved by adding some fresh herbs.

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robert

27 May 2010, 10:15AM
robert

I use thyme and lemon thyme in lots of dishes. Last night on TV I saw a chef use orange thyme. I've never come across this but would like to get hold of some. Does anyone know where to buy this?

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KatyH

27 May 2010, 11:33AM
KatyH

Tried growing basil last year - I hope the garden hedgehog enjoyed the basil-flavoured slugs, because we didn't get much benefit from it! they stripped it bare almost immediately, even though they ignored everything else nearby. I didn't like to put pellets around something we were going to eat.

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drusilla

27 May 2010, 12:18PM
drusilla

Coriander & basil, also parsley I seem to get through a lot of. I try to grow my own, and do use it quite a bit - maybe I should grow more!

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miniminx

27 May 2010, 3:46PM
miniminx

i've yet to grow enough herbs to keep my kitchen happy, unfortunately.....i would need fields of thyme to keep me self-sufficient! so although i've a few plants, i only use them occasionally rather than stripping them bare, and buy herbs still. favs are thyme and parsley :)

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Girl Flower

28 May 2010, 11:15AM
Girl Flower

I have basil, parsley and corriander growing on my window sill. I would like to get chives and dill as well - but one step at a time I tell myself! I tried rosemary last year but it just didnt work out for me. In answer to Ali's question about basil: wait until the plant is actually wilting before you water it and just a bit each time. You can let basil really go all bent over and sad looking and miraculously it still springs back to life with half a cup of water! Good luck!

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