The beauty of cooking with herbs and flowers is that they provide intense flavor and interest to any dish without adding much in the way of fat or calories. Ya gotta love that!
Herbs versus Spices
Herbs -
Aromatic plants whose leaves, stems or flowers are used to flavor foods. They can be used either dried or fresh.
Popular herbs include basil, thyme, parsley, cilantro, sage, rosemary, marjoram, mint, oregano, dill, tarragon, savory, chives, bay leaves, chervil.
Spices –
Strongly flavored barks, roots, seeds, buds or berries that are used to flavor foods. These are mostly used dried.
Popular spices include allspice, pepper, anise, caraway, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander seed, mustard seed, cumin, fennel seed, ginger, juniper berries, saffron, turmeric, sesame and poppy seeds.
Spices usually have a longer shelf life than fresh herbs. Although, the shelf life is not as long as we think it is. How many of us (myself included) have spices in our drawers that are older than our children? Spices should be used or discarded after 6 months to a year maximum. Store them in airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark place for best results.
Herb Guidelines
Only pick small amounts of herbs at a time. Only pick what you are ready to use. If you need to break down and (gulp) buy herbs, just buy a small amount as they are quite perishable. Store the herbs in an airtight container in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. Do not wash them until right before you plan to use them. This will keep them fresher longer.
When cooking with herbs, be sure to use only enough to flavor the dish. The goal is to enhance and balance the flavor of the dish without overpowering.
Before using herbs, crush or bruise them slightly to release their oils and maximize flavor. This is especially true when using dried herbs.
When garnishing a dish with fresh herbs, be sure to use an herb that is also present in the dish whenever possible. And, use the uglier leaves for seasoning and save the loveliest leaves for the garnish. Fried sage leaves make a wonderful garnish for dishes with sage in them.
Dried herbs are MUCH stronger (their flavor is concentrated) than fresh herbs. So when using dried herbs in a recipe, use half the amount of dried as you would use fresh.
When possible, it is best to add the herbs during the last 10 – 15 minutes of cooking so that they retain their color and fresh taste. This is especially true for fresh herbs.
Some herbs are easily dried and preserved. These include thyme, rosemary, sage - basically anything with a smaller and/or thicker leaf structure.
Those herbs with more delicate leaves, stems or flowers need to be preserved in more creative ways. Some can be chopped and frozen. Below are other ways to preserve these delicate herbs for year round use.
Ways to use and preserve delicate herbs:
Pestos
Everyone know basil is great for pesto. But try making pesto with basil, parsley and cilantro. Cilantro pesto is awesome on burritos, enchiladas, beans, fish or chicken. Many herbs can be made into pesto which then can be frozen in small batches. One way to do this is to freeze the pesto in ice cube trays. When the cubes are frozen they can be put in a Ziploc bag and used whenever a little pesto is desired i.e. to throw in a tomato soup. Small containers of pesto can be frozen for individual dinners.
Compound Butter.
Compound Butter is whole butter that has been softened to room temperature and then combined with chopped fresh herbs in a food processor. The mixture can then be placed on wax paper or parchment paper and rolled into a log (like slice and bake cookies). The log can be kept in the freezer and a slice of butter can be taken whenever needed. Good herb choices for compound butter include basil, parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, chervil.
Try basil butter on corn or on a steak, a pat of dill butter on fish, tarragon butter on chicken. Grill the meat or fish and then place a pat of butter on top before service. The butter melts leaving the chopped herbs to cover the food.
Herb – Infused Oils and Vinegars
These are great for cooking, salad dressings and for dipping. Try your favorite herb – oil combinations. Herbs that work well are typically sturdy stemmed herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Olive oil is great but try other oils as well. If you plan to use the oil for stir fry, for example, you may want an oil with a higher smoke point ( that you can cook to a higher heat without it burning) such as canola or peanut oil.
Some hints for successful herb oils (and vinegars):
Start with very dry herbs fresh from the garden. Pick them in the morning after the dew dries. If you must wash them be sure to dry them VERY well before putting them in the oil.
Rub or bruise the herbs before placing them in the oil to release their flavors.
Place herbs in a very clean container and add slightly warmed oil. This will help the herbs release their flavors. Cover the herbs completely with the oil.
Seal tightly and place in a sunny windowsill if possible for about a week.
Strain the oil into a decorative jar and replace herbs with fresh ones for best results.
A Few Creative Herb Uses
Use Rosemary sprigs as skewers for shrimp or chicken.
Place mint leaves in ice cubes (one leaf per cube) for lemonade or iced tea.
Used crushed fresh mint in cocktails (i.e. the popular Mojito or mint julep)
Make an herb paste (in food processor) and rub it on meats before roasting:
For the paste place garlic cloves, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt, pepper in processor and grind to a fine mix, with processor on add olive oil only until paste forms.
These herbs are just a suggestion. Experiment with all combinations. Try mint and rosemary for lamb. Maybe tarragon and sage for chicken (add a lemon as well). Be creative. There are no wrong answers here!
Popular herb combinations:
Herbes de Provence = a mixture of basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme. Herbes de Provence is popular in France. Great on meat, poultry or vegetables.
Fines Herbes = a delicate mixture of parsley, tarragon, chervil and chives - popular in French cooking for stews, soups, in herbed mayonnaise as well.
For adding flavor to stocks, soups, sauces and stews two popular herb preparations are commonly used.
These are placed in the pot and then easily removed before service.
Bouquet Garni - Herbs and vegetables are tied with twine - usually parsley stems, celery, thyme, leeks and carrots.
Sachet - Herbs wrapped in cheesecloth – peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, cloves and garlic. These herbs are bundled up and tied with twine so the bundle is easily removed before service. Sachets are commonly used to make stocks and sauces.
Common Herb Pairings
Here are a few common ways that herbs are used. The goal however is to be creative. If you are in the Garden Club, chances are you have taken the time to grow your herbs. Now, enjoy using the fruits of your labor !!! What is your favorite spice? Try it in new and unexpected places. I use sage in almost everything and it is almost always good.
Rosemary and mint for lamb
Dill for salmon or carrots
Thyme for mushrooms or pork
Basil for pasta, pesto and tomatoes
Cilantro for Mexican foods – esp guacamole, also for Indian, Thai and Chinese foods
Sage - poultry, stuffing, tomato, eggs, pasta
Tarragon in split pea soup or tossed with carrots
Oregano for Italian and Mediterranean dishes
Parsley in almost anything adds a fresh flavor
Chervil in soups (it is actually a member of the carrot family - note its similarity to carrot greens!)
Try this: My favorite herb is sage. My favorite pasta dish is pasta with a sage butter sauce. This is herb appreciation in its simplest form. Chop sage leaves and cook them in butter until tender. (Sage is not as good raw because of its tough, velvety leaves). Season with salt and toss with the pasta. Top with grated parmiggiano reggiano and Enjoy!!!!
Recipes
Here are some sample recipes using herbs for sauces. For more recipes, including the mushroom duxelle hat I have used for the pannini sandwich today and the guacamole, please visit my website at
Cilantro Gremolata
This is a great accompaniment to fish or chicken.
6 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
salt and pepper to taste
juice and zest of 1 lemon
about 1 cup olive oil
Combine first 5 ingredients in food processor. Slowly drizzle in the oil while processor is still on. Serve over salmon, chicken or even beef.
Pesto
1/3 cup pignoli nuts (or walnuts if you prefer)
3 cups loosely packed basil leaves
3 cloves chopped garlic or more if you like
½ cup parmiggiano reggiano grated
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
approximately ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Combine first 6 ingredients in food processor until smooth. Slowly drizzle olive oil in while processor is moving until it reaches desired consistency. When I make pesto, I use only enough oil to make a smooth paste. It is easier to freeze that way and also works better on sandwiches. When I use pesto for pasta sauce, I simply add more oil.
Hint: When storing pesto in the refrigerator, cover the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil. That will prevent it from turning brown.
Herb Mayo
This is an easy preparation using store-bought mayonnaise.
Simply combine 1/2 cup mayo with 1 Tbsp. each basil, cilantro and parsley.
Great on chicken or in sandwiches. Add a touch or two of Tabasco if you like.
Edible Flowers
Eighteen years ago, we served a salad with edible flowers at my wedding. The guests were aghast and laughed at the idea. Now, many years later, it doesn’t seem quite so funny. We sure have come a long way!!!
Edible flowers are great for garnishes of course. But they can also be great in salads (in small amounts) for color and taste. Deep fried squash blossoms are now quite in vogue in the fanciest restaurants.
Here are some examples of edible flowers you may already be growing:
Alliums - also known as “flowering onions.” These include leeks, chives, garlic, and garlic chives. All parts of these plants are edible. Chive blossoms are beautiful and have a slight oniony taste. Try them in your next stir fry.
Nasturtiums and pansies are lovely and frequently used in salads.
Pansies and violas have also been candied or sugared and used to decorate cakes and other special desserts.
Lavender has many uses and is being used more and more for culinary purposes. Lavender infused ice cream or crème brulee is all the rage these days.
Squash blossoms are now being served deep-fried as a vegetable.
Chamomile and lavender are also used for teas.
Johnny jump- ups or small violas - freeze one clean flower in each ice cube for a beautifully decorated iced lemonade
Demonstrations
1. Delicious Guacamole with tons of cilantro
2. How to make a bouquet garni and a sachet
3. How to prepare herbs for use. i.e. chiffonade for basil, sage and arugula
4. How to make an aioli
5. Making Pannini Sandwiches with lots of fresh herbs
Menu for Today
Guacamole with Cilantro, Chopped Tomatoes and Lime
Pannini Sandwiches -
Thyme Mushroom Duxelle with Gruyere
Grilled Chicken, Herb Roasted Root Vegetables, Herb Mayo
Pasta with Pesto, Parmiggiano Reggiano and Toasted Pignoli Nuts
Roasted New Potatoes with Sage
Simple Green Salad with Edible Flowers and Herb Vinaigrette
Fresh Lemonade with Mint