Fresh Herbs in the Kitchen

Part one: Fresh Herbs in the Kitchen

When planning your herb garden think of the herbs you like to cook with. If you are not sure what herbs you would like to grow in your kitchen garden, try these. 

Following is a list of fresh herbs and their flavors: How to use and store. 

Basil: Great for fresh pesto, it is very aromatic when raw, sweet and mild when cooked. This versatile herb is used in Italian, French, and Asian dishes.Does not react well to long cooking time.

How to Use: Stir thinly sliced basil into pasta dishes, homemade mayonnaise, use on devil eggs, and for all kinds of salads. It should be chopped and added just before you remove it from the stove.  Basil should not be chopped too early, or with a dull knife, it will turn black. Top tomatoes and mozzarella slices with fresh basil leaves. Try adding sniped basil to pizza.

Storage: Place fresh basil in ice cubes trays and fill with water and freeze. The leaves can be frozen in a plastic bag but you take the chance it will turn black. I have been successful in freezing just the leaves.

Bay leaves are at their best when cooked for a long time. One or two leaves is all you need in almost any dish, and remove before serving. They do not get soft.

How to Use: Add to soup, beans, stews, pot roasts, stewed tomatoes, and rice. When added to beans they help with digestion as well as flavor. All parts of the plant are edible. Leaves and flowers. Place dried bay leaves in flour and rice to help deter bugs.

Storage: Should be dried and store in airtight container.

 Chervil is a relative to parsley and has a slight anise flavor. Found in French dishes and in some desert dishes.

How to Use: Add whole leaves to green salads, egg salad sandwiches or scramble eggs. Good to help flavor tofu if using instead of eggs in scramble eggs. Add a little turmeric to color the tofu to give it look of scramble eggs.

Storage: Can be dried and/or frozen for winter use.

Chives: A delicate member or the onion family, with a slight hint of garlic. Snip with kitchen scissors or slice thinly.

How to Use: Great in bread especially biscuits. Stir into cream cheese, butter, or sour cream. Great as a topping for potatoes, eggs, and soups. Use as a garnish for almost any dish with onions. The flowers are edible and are great in salad. Wow your friends by making toss green salad with Chives flowers.

Storage: Can be dried and/or frozen for winter use.

Cilantro: This is a herb that people seem to love or hate. No in between. It is also known as fresh coriander or Chinese parsley, this robust herb is used in Mexican cooking. It’s most often used raw.

How to Use: The leaves are used whole or finely chopped. Great in butters and to use on fish and vegetables. Add it to salsa, guacamole, tacos, bean dishes, soup and chilies.

Storage: This herb is better stored in canned salsa or frozen. It seem to looses flavor if dried.

Dill: The feathery leaf plant has a strong distinctive flavor. It can be chopped, snipped and is good with fish and salads.

How to Use: Add to fish dishes, cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, cooked green peas, and carrots. Try in crab salad. One of my favorite ways of using dill is mixed in cornbread. And of course don’t forget the dill pickle.

Storage: Can be dried and/or frozen for winter use.

Marjoram: Similar to mild oregano. Can be used in most dishes that call for oregano.

How to Use: Mix in food process or blender with olives, garlic and olive oil to use as a spread on dark Italian bread or toss on pasta.

Storage: Can be dried and/or frozen for winter use.

Mint: Add to all kinds of tea, it’s taste and flavor will cool you on a hot summer day and settle your tummy as well. If your Asian dish is too hot, add mint to cool it down.

How to Use: Great in marinates for chicken or lamb. Stir into yogurt for a sauce for your lamb. Can be used in chocolate dishes for classic mint chocolate. Add to brownie mix for a cool interesting flavor. Chocolate mint is great use an infusion in apple juice to make mint apple jelly. Another way to use your mints is to add them to water for just a hint of flavor. It will refresh you on a hot day.

Storage: Mint can be frozen or dried.

Stay tuned for part 2

Happy Gardening!

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