Some say cooking with herbs is like icing a cake: it makes the dish complete.
The excitement comes when the unique flavour of each herb is understood and can be used to create your own special dish.
Experience your herbs like you would a fine wine - check the fragrant bouquet, let the leaf meet the tongue and chew thoughtfully. It is not necessary to swallow.
Learning about the flavour of the herb this way will help you to decide if it will make the perfect pot roast or sorbet.
The most flavourful culinary herbs are harvested from well-tended plants in their leaf making stage. All herbs have two phases of growth: the leaf stage and the flower (or reproductive stage).
When the plant enters its flowering stage, leaf production slows or stops and the leaves on the plant may become bitter, grassy, woody, or yellowed. These leaves are not of optimum quality for cooking.
Flowering can be delayed by harvesting kitchen herbs often. If your herbs grow too fast to use them all fresh, dry or process the extra for later use.
Flowers do make colourful, fragrant garnishes for salads, sautés, and desserts. And, you might want to consider growing two of the same culinary herb, one that can be allowed to flower and one that can be kept pruned for leaf production. Or, just enjoy both phases of growth on a single plant.
After flowering, herbs should be cut back to encourage bushy new growth.
The flavour in herbs can be best released by pinching them into your recipe or cutting will also release the oils into what you are cooking. Add the herbs to oil as it heats in the pan to create a deep flavour impact.
Basil has become a popular herb today and this member of the mint family has a tender leaf that when used fresh in dishes adds a wonderful anise like flavour with a strong pungent, sweet smell.
Medicinally herbalists use basil to improve digestion and say there is a sedative effect so a cup of basil tea before bed should help with your sleep too.
Chives owe their claim to fame to the baked potato, which brought them centre stage atop a scoop of sour cream.
Also best fresh, this herb adds and onion or garlic flavour to your recipe. A close relative to the onion family, if you were to eat enough of them it can help control your blood pressure.
Since onions have a bigger impact on your health, you may just want to let chives be the flavour snap in your dish.
World War II introduced Canadian soldiers to oregano-laced pizzas, and they came home with a new love for this herb. Great for adding flavour to tomato sauces, poultry and lamb, this strong-flavoured herb needs but a little to go a long way.
Health wise, oregano has been used for centuries to cure indigestion, bronchial illness, and urinary problems. Topically it can be applied as a paste to ease the pain of arthritis and rheumatism.
Your choices of culinary herbs are too many for me to write about here, however I encourage you to explore the many uses of these terrific little plants.
Herbed yogurt baked chicken
200-350 ml plain yoghurt
1/3 cup chives and scallions, chopped finely ?
2 garlic cloves, crushed ?
1 tablespoon (heaped) dried basil, rosemary and chilli powder (not too much chilli) ?
1 teaspoon sugar ?
1 tablespoon vinegar (about two teaspoonfuls) ?
Salt to taste
Ffreshly ground black pepper to taste ?
3-6 whole chicken thighs (we have skinless) ?
Flour as needed
?Paprika to taste (lots)
?Combine the yogurt, scallions, garlic, herbs, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. ? Dredge the chicken in flour, then dip in yogurt mixture and place in a baking dish (remember the baking paper - it can get messy).
Pour on any leftover yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake until brown or starting to brown.
Serve with a salad and rice or other cooked grains. I prepare fried rice while the chicken is cooking and serve with lightly cooked snow peas and raw julienne carrots.
This version of the recipe yields four to five servings.
