Simple Guide to Cooking with Herbs and Spices

I know some herbs go very well with some dishes and
some other not so well. Here is a simple guide to help you get it right.

Basil:
pasta, tomato dishes, pesto, eggs, cheese, salads, italian dishes, Thai dishes.

Caraway seeds:
stir-fries

Cardamom:
rice, rice cakes, cookies

Cinnamon:
cakes, pies, cookies, ice cream, toasts, rice pudding. Can also be infused into tea, soups, stews and sauces.

Coriander seeds:
poultry, fish

Chili:
spicy dishes

Chives:
potatoes, sauces, salads, eggs, savory pancakes

Cilantro:
Asian soups, salads, pesto, chicken, dips and sauces

Cloves:
baked hams, fruit salads, Oriental chicken dish, mulled drinks

Dried herbs:
meat, poultry, fish

Dill:
fish especially salmon and shrimp, mayonnaise or thick dressing, potatoes, tartar sauce

Garlic:
sauces, most vegetable dishes, meat and poultry, spreads

Ginger:
ice cream, Chinese dishes, tea, cookies

Lemon Grass:
tea

Mint:
eggs, lamb, fruit salad, iced tea , chocolate sauces and garnish on deserts such as: cakes, ice cream

Mustard Seeds:
meat and poultry

Oregano:
fish, tomato sauce, pizzas

Paprika:
chicken, rice

Parsley:
cucumber salad, green salad, potato, rice, pasta, egg, garnish on fish dishes, broiled meats and vegetables, seafood, soup, stew, gratins

Rosemary:
roast chicken, lamb, pork, potato, beans, polenta, quesadillas

Salt and Pepper:
most savory dishes.

Saffron:
rice, stews and soups

Sage:
bread, cheese, stuffing, sausage, turkey

Tarragon:
lamb, chicken, fish, mayonnaise

Thyme:
poultry, soups, and stuffing

Tumeric:
Rice

Bouquet garni: parsley, thyme and bay leaf. The bouquet itself is removed before serving. Use with meats and vegetables.

Fines herbes: chervil, chives and tarragon. Mostly used with omelettes to make the famous "Omelette aux fines herbes."

Herbes de Provence: Bay leaf, thyme, fennel, rosemary, chervil, oregano, summer savory, tarragon, mint, and marjoram. Some recipes call for orange zest and/or lavender. Good on rotisseries.

Parsley and garlic: main ingredient in persillade, which is a French sauce. Great with meats and vegetables.

1. Best when fresh:
parsley, basil, thyme, cumin, mint, rosemary, cilantro, oregano, ginger, lemon grass, garlic.

2. Best when dried:
bay leaves, tarragon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika.

3. Growing herbs indoors is easier than you might think. Basil, especially, loves a sunny window sill.

4. Prolonged cooking causes fresh herbs to lose their flavor.

5. Fresh herbs are great in breads including cornbreads, biscuits, dumplings, savory pancakes and waffles.

6. Fresh herbs can be stored in the refrigerator with their stems in water.

7. Dried herbs are good to store for approximately four to six months. Kept too long, dried herbs will loose their flavor and spices will taste stale.

Parsley, or carum petroselinum (bot.) belongs to the Petroselinum crispum species. It is used for its leaves but also for its roots. There are two varieties of parsley used as herb: the curly leaf and the flat leaf which is also known as Italian leaf parsley.

Parsley is packed with Vitamin C but it is also rich in iron and B vitamins, especially B9 or Folate.

Many people use parsley as garnish but you can also chew it raw for fresh breath or brew it like tea or tisane .

Parsley is associated with better digestive and cardiovascular activity. It also promotes elimination due to its high enzyme content.

You will need:
1 whole chicken
1 quarter cup of good Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon of finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of crushed dried thyme
1 bunch parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, chopped parsley,crushed thyme, salt and pepper.
Rub the chicken with the above dressing.
Stuff the bird loosely with the bunch of parsley
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven for about 1 1/4 hours.
Serve hot and enjoy with julienned beets and minced garlic salad.

For he above salad, you will only need: julienned beets, minced garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Basil or Ocimum basilicum is native to three Asian countries: India, Pakistan and Thailand despite its current association with Italian cuisine.

The sweet basil as we now it nowadays has a strong and pleasant fragrance. It is best when used fresh. It compliments very well pasta and tomato dishes.

If using basil in your cooking, it should be added at the end of the cooking time and should be cooked for only a couple of minutes for maximum flavor.

Dried basil does not keep much of the flavor so if at all possible, use fresh one.

Varieties of basil

Nutrition facts and health benefits

Growing, Selecting And Using Basil

Chives or Allium schoenoprasum originated in northern Europe and Asia. They are known to be the smallest species of the onion family. They have a mild onion-like flavor.
There are two known types of chives as herb: the common chives and the Chinese chives, also called garlic chives which has a garlic flavor. Both can be used in cooking.

Chive nutrition facts
Cultivation and harvesting

You will need:

3 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
salt and pepper to taste
Cooking spray such as Pam

Warm a non-stick omelet pan that has been lightly coated with Pam cooking spray over medium-high heat.
Pour in eggs, swirling around pan to distribute evenly.
Let cook for a minute, lifting sides of omelet to let uncooked egg flow underneath.
When the egg whites have actually turned white, add the chopped tomatoes and chives.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let cook for a few more minutes until completely set.
Quickly sprinkle cheese over the omelet, fold and cook for an additional 20 seconds.
Enjoy.