Add Herbs and Spices to Your Repertoire!

Sometimes you get the feeling that it’s time to change  up your old recipes with herbs and spices, improve your cooking skills, or just go for a change of taste. Do you get tired of using the same old recipe that tastes the same time after time? Try a new blend of herbs to add subtle flavor distinctions.  Truly good cooks master the art of spicing up their dishes.

Take the French for example.  They never use just one herb in there cooking but rather a blend of herbs that they call a bouquet of.  Skillfully blending herbs and spices adds subtle but distinct flavors to every dish you prepare. The trick is to get the right blend for so no one herb dominates the dish. You want the flavors to be delicate yet distinct and appealing to the palate.  With just a few herb bouquets you can change the personality and taste of a recipe in new and exciting ways.  Now, old recipes have added spark and will get you plenty of praise for your cooking.

Your aim here is to create complex flavors that are balanced and making each guest want to instantly take another bite. You want to incorporate the right herbs and spices that compliment each other. You also want to use the right quantity of each herb you are using. For meat based casseroles, stews, stocks and soup, try the old tried and true garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaf. For a little more interest go one step further and add a twist of citrus (lime, lemon, or orange) for a little zip. The formula for this herb bouquet is 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme and 1 bay leaf. Get a piece of cooking string and tie the bundle together. Viola, just add the bundle of herbs and spices to your dish and remove it before serving.

Fresh Herbs and Spices

If possible, use fresh herbs and spices, which have a more pungent and fresher taste. You can grow your own or sometimes find them at your local grocery store or a gourmet shop. Experiment with mixtures of finely chopped fresh oregano, thyme, marjoram, savory, and marjoram for Herbes de Provence. Add one tablespoon of each to your dish. This combination can also be used in salads, meat dishes and vegetables. The English version of Herbes de Provence is sage, rosemary, marjoram, Italian parsley chives, tarragon and thyme. Mix them all together and use on lamb, pork or in stuffing. For Fine Herbes, mix together chopped parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil. Experiment with the quantities. Be adventurous! Keep careful notes when you are experimenting so that you can duplicate the successes and toss the disasters.

Herbs and Spices for Salads and Grilling

You will need to identify the flavor and strength of each herb so that you can group them into either mild or robust. Examples of mild herbs are basil, bay leaf, chervil, dill, and marjoram. These herbs combine well with most other herbs and their flavors become milder during the cooking process. With mild herbs you can use larger amounts and with more variation. They can also be used in salads and other dishes where the leaves are hardly cooked or briefly cooked.   Robust herbs and spices stand up to heat and cooking.  Often, they are used for braised or roasted meat or domestic fowl, soups, stews and even grilled foods. You will have work on the recipe since sometime the herbs and spices alter subtly during the cooking process.  Sometimes they become more muted or in some cases they intensify. They can always be combined with the mild herbs.  Robust herbs include sorrel, rosemary, garlic, oregano, sage, tarragon and thyme.

Another easy to use fresh herbs is to flavor oil or vinegar with a blend of either mild or robust herbs.  You will need pretty glass jars (preferable dark) and a tight seal.  Simply put your combination of herbs in the jar, add the oil or vinegar, seal and let it sit out of direct sunlight for several weeks. Oils can be stored in the refrigerator to make them last longer. The herbs will add a subtle flavor to the liquid and will be delicious in a variety of ways. Herbed oils and gift baskets of herbs and spices make a terrific gift too.

Be adventurous, mix and match, keep trying new things and keep notes so your successes can be repeated.  By incorporating herbs and spices into your cooking you may get a reputation as a great cook which is one of the highest compliments!

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