Cooking with Herbs – An Introduction To Cooking With Herbs
Herbs, when used in the right manner, can provide some wonderful flavor and aromas to a recipe. Below, you will find a few quick descriptions or introductions to cooking with herbs. We have tried to cover at least the most common herbs that are mentioned in many recipes.
Basil – cooking with herbs
The basil herb will provide food with a slightly minty and clove like flavor. It can be a great addition to various types of salads and pasta sauces. These herbs can be used with any dish that uses tomato as one of the main or prominent ingredients.
Chives – cooking with herbs
Cooking with herbs that are called chives might require one to use both the leaves and flowers of the chive plant. Cooking with herbs that are called chives will require one to purchase fresh chives as chives is one herb that is not very good in the dried form. You can try frozen chives if you cannot find fresh ones.
Chives can usually be included in salads, egg recipes and vegetable recipes. It can also be used to season chicken and fish although it does not work well with fatty meats. These herbs are also commonly used in the seasoning of various kinds of sandwich spreads and butters.
Cilantro – cooking with herbs
Cooking with herbs will almost always require you to use cilantro. Cooking with herbs called cilantro will vary from place to place. For example, Indian and Mexican recipes will call for a heavy use of cilantro whereas Western cuisines will only use the herb quite sparingly. Cooking with herbs called cilantro will result in food that has a slightly sour taste, with a rather foamy or soapy flavor.
Marjoram – cooking with herbs
When cooking with herbs, some recipes might call for the use of marjoram. Cooking with herbs called Marjoram will result in the addition of a sweet and warm flavor. Marjoram is commonly used as a herb to season various kinds of meat and vegetable recipes.
Parsley – cooking with herbs
Cooking with herbs called parsley will require the use of flat leaf parsley or curly leaf parsley. Many chefs agree that flat leaf parsley is much more flavorful than the curly leaf ones. Parsley will add a mild and refreshingly fresh taste to recipes.
Tarragon – cooking with herbs
Tarragon is a very popular herb in France and almost all French chefs will use tarragon when cooking with herbs. These herbs will provide a flavor that can be compared to the flavor provided by licorice. Tarragon, when cooking with herbs, can be used to season recipes that use fish, lamb, pork and various stews that will use these meats.
Thyme – cooking with herbs
If you want a mint and lemon flavor that is not overpowering, there is no better herb than thyme. One can buy fresh or dried thyme from just about any grocery store. They can be used to season dishes that contain beef and fish. They will also work very well with recipes that use a lot of tomatoes in them.