Herbs, Herbs & More Herbs…

Fresh Basil Herbs not only enhance the foods that we eat, but throughout history have also played an important role in romance, religion, health and superstition. The taste and health benefits that herbs give to food make them valuable in our homes and kitchens.

If you plan on growing your own herb garden, what you plant in your garden should be dependent on what your primary use of the herbs is going to be. Consider the following as a guideline, but customize your garden based on your own needs and preferences.

A Guide to Culinary Herbs

Herb Name	Culinary Use
Anise	Use in cookies, cakes, fruit fillings, breads, with shellfish or in pasta dishes.
Basil	Use in tomato dishes, pesto, sauces and salad dressings.
Chervil	Use in soups, salads, sauces, eggs, fish, veal, lamb & pork.
Chives	Use in vegetable dishes, dressings, casseroles, rice, eggs, cheese dishes, sauces, gravies & dips.
Dill	Use seeds in pickles and with strong vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and turnip. Use fresh with green beans, potatoes, cheese, soups, salads, seafood & sauces.
Fennel	Use in pastries, sweet pickles, sausages, tomato dishes, soups, vinegars and oils.
Marjoram	Use with meat, fish, dairy or any vegetable dish that isn’t sweet. Add towards the end of cooking time.
Mint	Use in Middle Eastern dishes, as well as in roast lamb, fish, in salads, jellies or teas.
Oregano	Use in Italian cooking, in tomato dishes, with squash, potatoes, mushrooms, beans, or as a marinade for lamb or game.
Parsley	Use fresh in soups, sauces, salads and as a garnish.
Rosemary	Use with poultry, lamb, tomato dishes, stews, soups & vegetables. Also use finely chopped in breads and custards.
Sage	Use in cheese dishes, stuffings, soups, pickles, with beans, peas and in salads. Great for salt-free cooking.
Summer Savoury	Use in soups, stews, stuffings, with fish, chicken, green beans & eggs.
Tarragon	Use with meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, in salad dressings, marinades & sauces.
Thyme	Use in casseroles, stews, soups, ragouts, with eggs, potatoes, fish & green vegetables.

Herbs for Cooking, Healing & Growing


Herbs for Cooking	Herbs for Healing	Aromatic Herb Garden
Parsley	Lavender	Rosemary
Thyme	Fennel	Thyme
Sage	Vervain	Lavender
Marjoram	Rosemary	Mint
Chives	St. John’s Wort	Chamomile
Lemon Balm	Cowslip	Marjoram
Mint	Thyme	Anise
Coriander	Bergamot	Sweet Basil
Bay Leaf	Nettle	Oregano
Tarragon	Lemon Balm	Sage
Chervil	Sage	Tarragon
Chamomile	Mint
Oregano	Garlic
Rosemary	Ginger
Fennel	Echinacea

Herb How To

How to make a Bouquet Garni
Tie together stalks of fresh basil, celery leaves, parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, marjoram, tarragon or any combination thereof. Alternately, place dried herbs into a piece of muslin and tie in a bundle. Drop bouquet garni into your soup, stew or sauce while cooking. Remove before serving.

How to make Fines Herbes
Mix together equal quantities of fresh parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon. Add to omelette, scrambled eggs, or potatoes. Sprinkle over cooked vegetables like carrots, green or yellow beans. Sprinkle over salads for added flavour.

Homemade Herb Vinegar
Fill a jar with a self-tightening lid with your favourite fresh, young, clean, dry herb leaves. Fill jar with a good quality malt vinegar and seal. Shake jar regularly over a three-week period to mix together. After three weeks, strain contents and transfer to a clean jar.

Herb Facts

A culinary herb uses the leafy part of the plant, unlike spices which can use all other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, berries or root.
Bouquet garni (french for “garnished bouquet”) is a bundle of herbs used to prepare soup, stocks or stew.
Fines herbes, a mainstay of French cuisine, is less pungent than a bouquet garni and is not used for long cooking processes.
Anise, dill, fennel, caraway, coriander and cumin are members of the carrot family.
The mint family contains over 3200 species including basil, oregano, sage, rosemary and marjoram.
Ginger gets its name from the Sanskrit word meaning “horn root”.

Interested in learning more?

Read Chef Rob's May 2007 article:
Herbs – A Cook’s Best Friend