How to Cook with Fresh Herbs?

Answer 1

Don't forget fresh herbs when food shopping or cooking. It's easy to focus on the "main" ingredientswithoutremembering how important spices and herbs really are. They make any dish so full of life that you just have to try it. They are also very nutritious and full of antioxidants. Best of all, they are super simple to use!

There are a few things to consider when selecting herbs to use. First, how much spice you want in the dish. Rosemary and basil are very pungent herbs while dill and parsley are milder. Think about the dish you want to create; does it warrant a strong herb flavor? Or simply one to compliment it? Second, consider how you will use the herbs. Often, when cooking a heated dish it is great to add the herbs at the last minute so the heat from the food extracts the essence/flavor from the herbs. If the dish is cold, chop the herbs finer so that a little bit of spice is in each bite. This is also part of the last step—consider how small to chop the herbs. As mentioned, in colder dishes the herbs should be smaller. In heated dishes, size doesn’t matter as much because the heat takes the flavor from the herbs distributing it in the food. If herbs are not being consumed, such as when placed inside the cavity of a roast chicken, the herbs don’t have to be chopped at all and the stems can even be left on. When the chicken is cooked, simply remove the herbs. Similarly, a bouquet of tied herbs can be dropped into soups and stews to flavor the meal but later removed before serving.