Herbs are one of Mother Nature's greatest gifts. I love their hardy scents and the way their flavors complement dishes. One of my favorite kitchen tools is a mortar and pestle. I highly recommend one to make freshly muddled herbs stand out in your meals. A food processor, blender, or simple hand chopping works just as well if you do not have one.
Mortar and pestle is a great tool!
When using leafy herbs like basil, picking the leaves and saving the stems for a stock is best. Store the stems and other vegetable scraps in a freezer bag and toss them in a pot when ready to make soup or stock. I love a simple herb salad atop a light protein like chicken, fish, or even soft tofu; my go-to herb salad dressing includes salt, pepper, good olive oil, and some fresh lemon juice. Adding fresh herbs to salads adds more flavors and textures. Another tip: fresh parsley and cilantro help detox your body if you eat a lot of raw fish and worry about mercury poisoning.
Herbs and lemon juice pair nicely together, like fresh sunshine on a Spring Day. This marriage changes your mood and helps you feel better. Eating natural ingredients enables you to think better, sleep better, and feel better than consuming processed foods. Clean eating prevents ailment. Start today.
Herbs with small twigs like thyme, lavender, and rosemary tend to be very aromatic. They have a natural smell, and a little goes a long way! Trust me, adding too much to your dishes will taste like eating soap. Try to separate the stems and the leaves. Use the rosemary stems with kabobs. When you use a super aromatic herb, increase the other ingredients by a few notches for a better-balanced dish.
Some herbs are perfect as aromatics: lemongrass, galangal, and kefir lime leaves. They, in my opinion, are not to eat; instead, they are to infuse flavors in Thai soups. They don't need heat to break open their freshness, all they need is to be cut open or crushed a bit. These three herbs give off a tanginess in curries, soups, and stocks.
Herbs compliment a dish. For instance, they can balance an acid or add a cleaner flavor. Sometimes a dash of nature's flowers can improve a dish. Think lavender ice cream. Remember to taste your dessert often since sugar can alter taste buds, and the flavor can be unbearable. Another example is peppermint meringue cookies; a little oil or a few leaves goes a long way!
But Chef, when do I add fresh herbs?
Add fresh ones at the very end before you serve. The heat helps break open the flavors and scents and immediately gives your meal a lift. Use dry herbs at the beginning of meal preparation. They need hydration and time to infuse their dormant flavors in the meal, cake, or bread.