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Herbs? Basil---Thru---Curry Leaves

Source of Recipe

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Recipe Introduction

Storage: Dried Herbs Dried herbs have a stronger, more concentrated flavor than fresh herbs, but quickly lose their pungency. Their flavour seldom matches that of their fresh equivalents. Powdered or crushed herbs tend to degrade even faster than their whole leaf counterparts. Buy only the minimum amount possible for your immediate needs. Dried herbs that sit on a kitchen shelf for months, often in full sunlight, will not be worth using. Store dried herbs in an airtight container, in a cool place, and away from direct light in a glass container, preferably dark green or brown glass, at that!

List of Ingredients

Basil
A sweet, fragrant member of the mint family.

Flavour and aroma: Similar to mint, with a hint of licorice and cloves; floral and very aromatic.

Uses: Basil is perhaps the definitive herb of the cuisines of Italy and Southern France. Basil pairs with tomatoes as if they were made for each other, and is the principle ingredient of pesto.

Its flavour can be fugitive, and it loses its pungency when cooked for longer than a few minutes. Add at the last moment for maximum effect. It is also a tasty addition to fresh salads, or clear soups.

Basil is a summer herb; it is easily grown from seed in the garden or window box.

A favourite way to preserve basil is to wash thoroughly, dry, and chop finely, then mix with a little olive oil and refrigerate. To dry basil is probably a waste of time and effort.

Other varieties: Opal Basil, Thai Basil.

Dried Basil: The intense floral aroma of fresh basil is almost totally absent; use only as a last resort.



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Bay Leaves
Also called laurel leaf or bay laurel.

Flavour and aroma: A sweet anise, lemon, and clove aroma and taste.

Bay is small evergreen tree which grows from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and as far east as Iran. It is often used to flavour soups, vegetables, and stews, but more as a 'background' flavour than as a principle flavouring agent.

Bay leaves are also used in meat processing in such products as minced or chopped ham loaves, jellied pig's feet and mortadella.

One bay leaf is sufficient to flavour about four servings of a soup or stew. It is advisable to remove bay leaves before serving. Overuse will result in an unpleasant bitterness.

Variations: There are two main varieties; the Californian, which has narrow leaves, and the more common Turkish, which has shorter, oval leaves.

Dried Bay Leaves: These retain the flavour of fresh bay leaves, but not the strength, as long as they are not too old (less than three months). Fresh bay leaves are occasionally available and are well-worth searching out and experimenting with.



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Capers
Capers come from a bush native to the Mediterranean and parts of Asia and North Africa. The immature buds are sun-dried and pickled in vinegar or preserved in salt.

Flavour and aroma: Acidic and salty, with a citrus tang.

Capers have a flavour all of their own, with the exception of caper berries, which are berries from the same plant. No relation to the nasturtium plant, as is commonly thought.

Capers are most often used as an ingredient of tartar sauce, or as a garnish for seafood, especially smoked salmon. They can be used also to add interest to salads and roasts, or any dish that needs an added piquancy.

Capers come in different sizes, the smallest (nonpareilles, in French) are considered the finest.

Drain and rinse before use. As long as capers are kept covered with brine or vinegar they will last indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Caper Berries are from the same plant and have roughly the same flavour, only less intense, with the texture of something approaching a green olive.



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Chervil
A member of the carrot family that can be grown in any temperate climate.

Flavour and aroma: Mild, parsley-like, with hints of anise and tarragon; faintly medicinal.

Chervil is most often found, if at all, as an ingredient for Omelette aux Fines Herbes.

Chervil loses most of its flavour when cooked, and should be added at the last moment.

Dried Chervil: Use fresh chervil, or substitute with fresh parsley.



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Chives
Flavour and aroma: The most delicately-flavoured of the onion family.

Chives add colour and a mild onion flavour to salads, and as a garnish to almost any savoury dish. The flowers have less flavour, but make a lovely edible garnish for salads.

Pack a clean jar with chive flowers and cover with white wine vinegar, let stand for a few weeks, decant, and use on fresh salads‹delicious!

Dried chives. Widely available, but freeze-dried chives have far more flavour and colour.



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Cilantro
For the sake of clarity, cilantro will be used as the name for the herb, and coriander the spice or seed of the same plant, which is a member of the parsley family.

Flavour and aroma: spicy, with overtones of caraway, lemon zest, and cumin.

Widely used in the cuisines of India, Mexico, the Orient, and the Caribbean, the lacy leaves of the cilantro are highly aromatic and assertive. Some people adore it; others cannot abide it, likening its taste to 'soap'; an acquired flavour.

Use chopped for spicy dishes, salsas, or other highly seasoned foods, or in sprigs as a garnish. Add just before serving.

Also called Chinese parsley.

Dried Cilantro: fresh cilantro is now so widely available that searching for the dried product is probably redundant.



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Curry Leaves
Flavour and aroma: Fresh and tangy, with a hint of lime zest.

Curry leaves are confusingly named ­ their taste in no way resembles what we think of as a typical curry flavour ­ but they are used in many Indian dishes.

Curry leaves are always sold fresh or frozen; they lose their flavour if dried or even just removed from their branch. They are used whole or chopped to add their unique flavour to many Indian and Sri Lanka dishes. Only available at ethnic markets, this ingredient is well worth further investigation by the adventurous cook.


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