Herbs
Herbs can add great flavor and variety to your favorite dishes. Most herbs are available fresh, dried or ground. Too much of any herb can overwhelm a food or become bitter, so use small amount of herbs, then taste the dish before adding more. Dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh.
Dried and ground herbs begin to lose their flavor after six months on the shelf and should be replaced after one year. When you buy dried herbs, write the date on the box or jar, so you will know when to replace them. Buy them in small quantity.
Basil
Can be used fresh or dried, in most savoury dishes particulary in tomatoes sauces. It is an essential ingredient in the famous italian pesto sauce.
Bay leaves are most often dried. Whole or crumble to flavour sauces, soups and casserole dishes. Always discard the whole bay leaves before serving.
Cilantro
Aromatic and parsleylike. Can be found fresh and dried.
It is much used in Italian cooking – pizza and pasta dishes.
Also good with vegetable dishes, particularly those containing tomatoes, eggplant and sweet peppers. It is nearly always used dried.
Parsley is probably the most used of all herbs. It can used as a garnish for all savoury dishes and can be chopped into salads and sauces.
Rosemary
They are small and spiked, dark green on one side and grey-green on the other. Rosemary has a strone pungent flavour and may overpower other herbs, so it's best used on it's own.
Sage is a perenial herb with grey-green, oval leaves. Used to flavour fatty meats such as pork, goose and duck and can be added to casseroles, stews and stuffings.
Tarragon is often used in chicken dishes and is an essential ingredient in Tartare and Hollandaise sauces. Can also be added to salads.
The low growing, perrennial thyme with it's tiny, dull green leaves is a favourite in most herb gardens. It goes well with all meats.
