By cooking with herbs, you can make even simple dishes taste like a chef prepared them.
While it's pretty easy to cook with fresh herbs, there are a few tips that will help you get the most flavor.
Once you get the hang of it, you will enjoy cooking with herbs...
and may even start your own garden! Tips for Cooking with Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs are more delicate than dried and can lose their flavor if cooked too long.
To enjoy the most intense flavor when cooking with fresh herbs, you can add them towards the end of the cooking process.
You can also add some of the herbs freshly chopped to your food when you are finished cooking, and save some for garnishing the plate as well.
Since drying herbs concentrates the flavor, you need to use more fresh herbs in your recipes.
A good rule is to use one tablespoon of fresh herbs for every teaspoon of dried herbs called for in a recipe.
Fresh herbs can lose their flavor quickly and need to be used as soon after harvesting as possible.
For the best flavor when cooking with herbs that are fresh is to grow your own.
If you use store bought, look for plants lthat still have their bright green color and do not look wilted.
The fresher they look, the better flavor they will have.
Cooking with herbs that have large leaves, like basil, is easy because the leaves can be torn and tossed into a sauce, soup or salad.
Another method of cooking with herbs that have large leaves is to chop the leaves in a method known as chiffonade.
This is not difficult and creates pretty strings that can be added to your recipe or tossed in for pretty color and flavor.
Tips for Cooking with Dried Herbs.
Dried herbs are stronger than fresh because their aromatic oils are concentrated when dried.
You need to use less dried than fresh herbs, you want to bring out their flavor and aroma.
A good way to release the flavor of dried herbs is to add some to the oil in your pan before sautéing your meat or vegetables.
Another trick is to soak them in the liquid that will be used for your cooking.
When making your own salad dressings, it's a good idea to prepare them in advance (at least 15 minutes) to allow time for the flavor to infuse with the oil and other ingredients in your salad dressing or marinade.
Dried herbs are also best when crushed a little in a mortar and pestle or rolled a little in your hands before adding to your food for cooking.
Slightly crushing and breaking up the dried herbs will release their oils and add much more flavor when cooking with herbs.
Whether you are using dried or fresh, you want to be sure to store you herbs in a way that protects their delicate flavor and aroma.
Fresh herbs need to be used as quickly as possible.
Herbs can be store with their stems in a little water, placed in bags or wrapped in moist paper towels and kept in the refrigerator for a few days.
Dried herbs from your grocery store are best used within about 6 months for optimal flavor, while those from your own home herb garden will last much longer.
The best flavor will come from your own home garden that you have harvested and dried yourself.
If you use store bought herbs, be sure to check the expiration date and look for the freshest possible.
Learn how to cook with fresh herbs from your own garden.