Guide to Common Herbs
Guide to Common Herbs
I store my dried herbs in a tightly closed container in a cool, dark, dry place.
Keep them away from the heat of stove top or oven.
They can be stored for a year then they begin to lose their flavor.
If you have fresh herbs available, substitute them by using three times
the amount of the dried herb called for in a recipe. Remember fresh needs
more in a recipe than when they're dry, they are more potent dry.
Bay Leaf:
Is most often found and used as a dried whole leaf, but it can be finely crushed.
Bay leaf is most effective when allowed to simmer or marinate in the recipe for several hours.
Try 1 to 2 leaves in soups, stews, pot roasts, poultry dishes, gravies, sauces and pickle brines.
Whole leaves are always discarded before serving.
Basil:
Knows for its licorice like flavor, the leaves are used fresh or dried.
Probably most used in tomato or pasta dishes, basil also adds flavor to dips,
Soups, marinated salads, vegetables, stews, fish, beef, salad dressings, poultry and cheese dishes.
Chives:
Perennial, easy to grow, chives have long spiky leaves that are used fresh, frozen or freeze-dried to add a mild onion taste to egg dishes, poultry and fish or to garnishcream soups, salads and cooked vegetables. Preserv your own garden chives by snipping into 1/4 inch lengths and freezing in an airtight storage containers.
Cilantro:
Also known as coriander or Chinese parsley, has a zesty flavored green leaf. The green leaves are used fresh in Mexican-style dishes, Cilantro leaves add distinctive flavor to salsas. Southwestern-style appetizers, dips, sauces, chili, pesto and rice and bean dishes.
Colantro is best added to dishes just before serving tor etain its fresh flavor.
Dill:
Both the green tops (dill weed) and seeds (dill seed) have a distinctive caraway flavor.
Dill weed is used fresh or dried to season pickle brines,salad dressings, sauces, dips, fish, shellfish and egg dishes. It also makes a pretty garnish. Dill seed is most often used in pickle brines and salad dressings.
Garlic:
This strong-flavored, pungent herb is available fresh, dried and in a powder form and adds life to a variety of foods, including dips, soups, salad dressings, flavored butters, casseroles, sauces, stews, grilled foods, marinades and meat, bean, rice or vegetable dishes.
Marjoram:
It can be used fresh or dried, marjoram's green leaves have a strong sweet aroma much like oregano.
Add to meat, poultry, fish, egg, homemade sausage, and vegetable dishes.
It's especially good with Italian-style foods.
Mint:
It is available fresh and dried, mint has a spicy flavor and aroma.
Use it in stews, sauces, salads and mint jelly.
Mint is often used as a garanish for fruits, desserts and beverages such as iced tea.
Oregano:
It has dark green leaves and it is used fresh or dried in Italian, Mexican and Greek dishes.
Oregano flavors soups, stews, chili, poultry, ground beef, seafood, marinades, salad dressings, sauces, hot or cold pasta dishes and pizza.
Parsley:
Available in curly and flat-leaf varieties, fresh parsley adds a refreshing flavor and spark of green garnish to soups. salads, salad dressings, sauces, fish, poultry, poultry stuffings and potato, grain, bean and pasta dishes. Flat-leaf or Italian parsley has a stronger flavor than the traditional curly variety.
Dried parsley is mild in flavor and color.
Rosemary:
Known for its needle-like leaves, rosemary has a distinctive fragrant evergreen scent and bold flavor.
Fresh or dried rosemary complements lamb, pork, poultry, marinades, potato dishes, herb butters and home made savory breads.
Sage:
It has pale green leaves and can be enjoyed fresh or dried and rubbed into a fluffy powder.
Sage is well known for adding a distinctive flavor to poultry stuffings, poultry, roasted red meats, meat pies, soups, stews and Italian dishes.
Tarragon:
it has long slender leaves and has a mild licorice like flavor and are used fresh or dried.
Tarragon flavors chicken, poultry marinades, pasta salads, potato salads, vegetables, sauces, salad dressings, fish and egg dishes.
Thyme:
Thyme has a bold earthy taste and a strong aroma.
There are many varieties of fresh thyme, including the popular lemon-flavored plant.
Use fresh or dried thyme to season fish, potato dishes, soups, stuffings, stews, rice pilaf, wild rice dishes, poultry and meat marinades.
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