If you were asked to make up your own cooking herbs list, which herbs would you include? This article suggests six that are probably the most common and versatile for adding that extra something to your food.
Remember of course that herbs are intended to complement, not overpower the taste of the food. Used judiciously however, any of these six herbs can greatly enhance your cooking.
CIRCULON PANS
We start off with four that just roll off the tongue: Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, and Thyme. Perhaps they are easy to remember also because of the 1966 music album by Simon and Garfunkel of the same name.
After that we will take a look at Bay and Mint.
Parsley
Parsley can be used to decorate and add color to meat, vegetable, fish, and white meat dishes. It can also be chopped and included in a white sauce served with chicken, fish or veal. Parsley stalks on the other hand can be added to soups and stock to add flavor.
Sage
Sage aids with digestion and is therefore a good addition when cooking meats such as pork, duck or goose which tend to be rich. It is a strongly scented herb and therefore needs to be used with caution. Sausages and stuffing often benefit from the addition of a little sage.
Rosemary
This herb is highly aromatic and has a full flavor. It is also very versatile. You can sprinkle ground leaves over chops and steaks before you grill them, or include a little sprig of Rosemary inside a chicken, or near the bone on a joint of lamb.
Thyme
Chopped Thyme can be used as a garnish when serving cooked vegetables. It can be used in a bouquet garni for inclusion in soups or stock. There is a lemon scented variety which is especially good for fish and chicken dishes.
Bay
Bay leaves are used in both sweet and savoury dishes. They are used to flavor stock, or soups, or casseroles. They can also be infused in milk or cream when making a custard for example.
Mint
It is of course the essential ingredient in mint sauce, often served with lamb dishes, but this herb has a large versatility. Mint leaves can be included in green salads, or put into chilled yoghurt which is served with hot dishes such as curries or kebabs.
Dried mint can be added to stuffing, or casseroles.
If fresh herbs are available, use them. If not, dried herbs are fine although you have to half the quantity. The top 6 cooking herbs list presented here is a good starting point for building up your selection of aromatic herbs in your kitchen.
Cooking Herbs List: The Top 6
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CIRCULON PANS
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