Learn how to use your favorite herbs and spices
Basil: Essential in many Mediterranean dishes, this fresh leaf has a
sweet, clove-like spiciness and is superb on fresh tomatoes with a little
extra virgin olive oil, and in any tomato dish. Basil adds interest to rice
salads and combines well with zucchini, beans and mushrooms. Its flavor is
powerful enough to stand up to garlic, and together they make the classic
pesto sauce.
Sage: Is a strongly flavored, pungent herb. Use its leaves in onion
soup, with stewed tomatoes, omelettes, herb scones and bread. Try them in a
sage jelly, butter or vinegar.
Parsley: The mild flavor and bright green leaves of parsley make it
the most useful and popular kitchen herb. Add it to a bouquet garni with bay
and thyme. To increase its potency, use generous amounts and include the
stems. Use in salads, sandwiches, soups, sauces, mayonnaise and egg dishes.
Rosemary: This aromatic leaf is traditionally sprinkled on roast lamb
and pork or added to chops, chicken, sausage meats, patés and stuffings. Put
a whole sprig in the oven to flavor baking bread. Add a sprig to oil or
vinegar.
Oregano and Marjoram: Marjoram has a distinctive savory flavor, while
oregano is slightly stronger. Both should be dried well. Marjoram is
suitable for thick vegetable soups, pasta, fish, game, beef, chicken,
sausages and meat loaf. Tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes and peppers are
enhanced by its flavor. It is also used in omelettes and cheese dishes.
Oregano is good with pizza and chicken; it should be used like marjoram, but
more sparingly.
Laurel (Bay Leaves): Leaves are used to flavor stews, soups and
sauces. Add to marinades, stock, potato soup, stuffing, paté, game or fish
stock. Remove leaf before serving.
Garlic: A strong flavoring for all savory dishes, hot and cold. Rub a
clove around a salad bowl to subtly flavor salads; add one or two cloves to
dressings or marinades, or make garlic vinegar or olive oil. Mash with
margarine or butter and bake on a French loaf, or use on grilled meat or
fish. Insert sliced cloves into cuts of meats before roasting.
Thyme: Common thyme is used in bouquet garni with parsley and bay. It
is best used with meat, shellfish, poultry and game. It is very pungent when
fresh. Try lemon thyme in fish and poultry dishes
