Gardening Basics

Give Your Meals A Fresh Twist By Growing Culinary Herbs

Posted by Lee Dobbins

A great way to have a continuous supply of herbs for cooking is by growing culinary herbs in your own garden. There are many great herbs have been used for thousands of years to add flavor to a variety of dishes. Herbs can have a tang to them, or they can be spicy or even salty, or they can be simply delicious. For any recipe out there, there is the perfect herb.

Parsley is a herb best applied to a fish dinner but this popular herb can be bestowed upon a variety of meals with appetizing results. Do not downgrade your parsley to a simple decorative role with your meal, enjoy it in your chosen recipe for the day.

The most common ingredient in recipes is Thyme. Thyme is made from the leaves of a woody-stemmed plant that is small in size. This herb works wonders when added to tuna casserole. It is brilliant in sauces for beef or in stews, and in chicken or cheeses. It seems that almost any dish can benefit when a bit of thyme is added.

One beautifully pungent herb used as a common addition to Italian dishes — Basil — is used for good reason. It adds what many chefs like to call the ‘right’ touch. This is an herb of many uses, whether used for varieties of recipes from colorful pastas to cheesy pizzas, and is recommended greatly when preparing one’s tomato sauce for sophisticated, delicious pasta dishes.

Use aniseed for a spicy kick. Aniseed is related to Tarragon. The narrow leaves of the herb leave a delightfully spicy flavor to fish and mayo. Anise oil has a licorice-like flavor that compliments many dishes and is used to make artificial licorice.

Growing culinary herbs is not a very difficult task at all. Soil, water and sunshine are really all they need, the same as any other type of herb. As a matter of fact, they are actually quite hardy and disease-resistant. Yes, growing your own herbs for cooking is really rather simple!

Another popular favorite is coriander seeds, which are derived from the cilantro plant. Porks and curries taste fantastic with a little zing from the citrusy coriander seed. Their mild and sweet zest creates delicious chutney, as well. Another herb with a bit of kick is dill. It lends itself perfectly to dressing up a plain old salad or for use in pickling. Added to chutney in combination with olive oil, it can’t be beat.

The most popular herbs for cooking come from the mint family. These include sage, rosemary, peppermint, and others. These herbs offer a unique flavor to meats, potatoes, soups and jellies.

Saffron, a rarer herb, is used a lot in chicken and in fish dishes. It is also used in traditional Turkish rice pudding recipes. It is an adventurous spice with a beautiful color and a honey-like flavor with a kick.

No matter what you enjoy cooking, your masterpieces will be enhanced by growing culinary herbs. Cooking with herbs is fun and adds just the right spice to any old ho-hum dish.

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