The Power of Herbs

Have you every been in the middle of making your dinner and reach for a beautiful bunch of fresh parsley only to stop in horror and realize you forgot to go back and get it in the store? Me too! (All the time) I keep a small little herb garden on my patio but usually I use way more than I grow, so I always have a backup stash of dried herbs to fall back on. When to use Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs is a great skill to know and will help you elevate the flavor in your meals.

Lets start with the Fresh:

Fresh herbs are wonderful to grow and require only minimal tending to. We had our first freeze last night so my last bit of basil is no more. Parsley is still green and happy, so we will see how long that lasts. Fresh herbs can totally transform a dish, and just like salt it can also enhance the flavor. You should use them mostly at the post heat portion or last bit of cooking time for your dishes to get the maximum flavor punch as well as brightness of color and contrasting texture. Bright green herbs add a 'wow' factor that just do not come in a jar.

With any rules there are always loop holes, and in my world I always try and find a loop hole.  I love love love to use fresh hearty herbs like thyme or rosemary when I'm roasting veggies or any lucky beast of a meat! They lend themselves to big flavor and hold up in high heat and long cooking times much better than say cilantro or basil would. 

On to the Dry goods:

Repeat after me... I will not be a hoarder of spices and herbs! Keep in mind they do have a shelf life and they do lose their magical ability to season your food. Old herbs can work against you and make your meal taste like it has wood shavings in it. It can be gritty and bitter and not so yummy. Don't be cheap! Date your spices with the month and year you brought them home from the store, or follow the use by date printed on them. If you don't have a date printed just follow this simple timeline for your spice cupboard.

Ground Spices: 6-12 months

Whole Spices: 1-3 years

Green Leafy Herbs: 1-3 years

Seeds: 3-4 years

Dried herbs are meant to be re hydrated. Most recipes you will come across have you adding them in the beginning of the cooking process, so they can gradually add flavors, and bloom over time.  

Don't be fooled by pre-made seasoning packages because you can just as easily find a way to use up spices by making your own taco or chili seasonings at home with a quick Google of recipes. They will taste better for two reasons: 1) you know the freshness of ingredients, and 2) you are in control of what you like more of and what you want to keep out, like sodium or starches. 

Now you've got the skinny on the herbage so add them in, mix it up and elevate your dinner game! 

Happy Cooking, Friends!