Experiment With Kitchen Herbs

The human kind has been fortunate enough to be provided with not just a few varieties of herbs but a plethora of them.

Almost every corner of the world is embellished with such varieties of herbs. Some are known for their amazing aesthetic appearances, some for their therapeutic attributes, some for their culinary characteristics and others for all of these

Most of these multi-talented plants possess so many properties that many of us tend to actually forget what most of their beneficial uses are.

Moreover, it gets even more difficult to find out exactly how to use these herbs correctly. Which herb is best for doing what? Which herb pairs well with what other herbs? What are the ways to best obtain the benefits from each type of herb? Though there are no specific rules and regulations regarding these issues, there certainly are some general guidelines and knowing about them will undoubtedly benefit us in more than just one way.

1. Basil

Basil is one of the most common herbs and this makes it even more difficult to know exactly where and how to use it, because most people tend to use it in any dish in any way they want to. However, the foremost thing to know about basil involves the seasoning of basil. It should be as fresh as possible. Basil goes well particularly with dishes that contain tomatoes, such as tomato sauce. Put a bit of basil in your everyday common tomato sauce and be prepared to taste a burst of tangy zest in your tongue, thanks to basil’s capability to add depth and flavor in almost any tomato dish. Basil is also commonly used in egg dishes. Basil pesto is quite common in most households.

2. Chives

Chives unfortunately do not go well with anything and everything, especially not cakes and pies. So how do you use this not so versatile herb when it comes to sweet baked delicacies? Simply use it to garnish your dishes – such as lettuce and pea soup, egg salad, potato salad, crab salad, mushroom stew and so on. Get a knife, chop up those long, slender chives, sprinkle them on your favorite salads and make them healthier and tastier.

3. Dill

Dill goes extremely well with pickles. It also goes well with soups, salads and steam vegetables. You can use it to season fish, make cabbage or potato salad, vegetable dip, or even coleslaw. You can use the fresh dill leaves, often known as dillweed, or even the dill seeds to prepare the above dishes.

4. Marjoram

Marjoram is often used as an alternative to oregano. Thus, the next time you run out of oregano and have this healthy herb nearby, just add a dash of it in chicken salad, bean salad, beef stew, sautéed vegetables, mushrooms and dishes of egg, tomato, and cabbage.

5. Mint

Almost everyone knows how mint tastes like, thanks to all the minty chocolates, chewing gums, ice creams and other products found in the stores and restaurants today. However, its flavor best complements beverages and jellies. It is best for desserts and drinks that contain fruits, such as lemonade, smoothies, or even delectable mint iced tea.

6. Oregano

Oregano is commonly known as the “pizza herb” or the “pizza spice”. So it’s quite obvious it goes amazingly with pizzas. Its petite pungent leaves can also be used in pasta sauces, stews, sautéed veggies, and sea food dishes such as clams and mussels.

7. Tarragon

The first rule regarding tarragon is that it should be considered about being used whenever there vinegar exists in the dish as well. It enhances the flavor of different sauces and various dishes involving eggs, fish, chicken and also sweet corn.

8. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

These four herbs complement each other and have thus been together in a well-known ode of yore. Parsley can enhance the taste of almost any dish. It is one of the most versatile herbs in the world. Sage is especially used for stuffing while thyme can be used to make butter rub, scramble, herbed bread, sauces and seasoning. Rosemary should be used in very small quantities due to its strong flavor. Like parsley, rosemary can be also used in seasoning almost any and every cuisine, including several desserts and drinks.