Cooking With Fresh Herbs - Add Savory Flair to Your Favorite Recipes With Thes

[Herbert Eddy]

Fresh herbs add such savory flair to recipes, but if you don't know
the basic rules for cooking with them, it can seem overwhelming.
Here's what you need to know to start using herbs to liven up your
favorite recipes.
Using Fresh Herbs First, fresh herbs can be used in your baking,
cooking and salads. They pack a lot more flavor than dried herbs. You
can even grow the herbs yourself so that they are organic. You'll also
save a lot of money because store-bought fresh herbs can get rather
expensive.
When you use fresh herbs in a recipe, you need to make sure to use
more than you would for dried herbs. Generally speaking, one teaspoon
of dried herbs equals one tablespoon of fresh herbs. With this
conversion measurement, you can use fresh herbs in any of the recipes
that you currently make. You'll notice the difference in flavor right
away.
If you're creating your own recipes you should know that some herbs
are traditionally paired with certain dishes. For example, tuna tastes
wonderful with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Dill is also a good
herb to be paired with fish. Chicken is traditionally paired with
rosemary, thyme and basil. Sage is another good herb to use with
chicken dishes. Beef does well with allspice, basil, bay, marjoram,
oregano and thyme.
Storing Fresh Herbs When you grow your own herbs or buy them from the
store, you'll always end up with more than you need for a recipe. In
order not to waste your investment in time and/or money, you'll need
to store them properly.
Start out by washing the herbs in cool water. Carefully inspect the
bunches of herbs to be sure that there aren't any dead leaves or
stems. If you've been storing the herbs in your refrigerator or they
are store bought, make sure to inspect the bunch well for mold. Once
you're confident that dead leaves and mold are gone, you are ready to
prepare them for storage.
Pat the herbs dry with a clean towel and then place the herbs in a
short container filled with water. Be sure that the stems are covered
in water but keep the leaves out of the water. After placing the stems
in water, cover the top of the herbs with plastic wrap or a small
plastic bag.
Alternatively, you can dry your own herbs, which will make them
healthier and longer lasting than regular dried herbs. Pick the herbs
and then use sisal twine to tie the bunch of herbs together. Make sure
that your slipknots are tight because the herbs will shrink as they
dry. Hang them and let them dry completely. Check frequently to see if
the herbs are dry by rubbing a few leaves together. Store them in an
airtight container after drying.
With these herb tips, you can use fresh herbs in your recipes for
maximum flavor or make your own dried herbs that are better than store
bought.