All About Home and Garden

One key point to consider when looking at a new recipe is the flavoring elements (herbs and spices) are just beginning points. Each creator of a delicious recipe has probably started out with too much or too little of the flavoring elements. Through trial and error the ideal quantities are finalized. However, you as the cook executing the recipe should realize you have the ability to turn up or tone down any flavoring in the recipe.

Great chefs rarely use any measuring devices. They add ingredients by "gut instinct". We amateurs are probably more comfortable with precise ingredient lists as a beginning point. As you create a new dish, taste it often at various points in the cooking process. That should give you hints as to whether you need to add or decrease the amount of seasoning called for according to your own taste palate.

Its seems logical to double the herbs or spices called for in a recipe if you want double the serving but I urge you to use caution. Some herbs, like tarragon or sage are quite potent and doubling their amount in a recipe can sometimes overpower a dish. I usually like to add the original amount called for in the recipe and then through timely tasting slowly add more hers until I reach a point where the recipe tastes satisfactory to my taste palate.

Here is a case in point; a recipe calling for 5 garlic cloves if doubled might be overpowered by 10 garlic cloves. On the reverse side, the addition of just one more garlic clove will probably not have much impact on the final taste of the recipe. In fact when it comes to large numbers of flavorings, at some point you reach flavor saturation. Additional ingredients do not make much difference in the final taste of the prepared food. Conversely, when dealing with small amounts of flavoring doubling the amount called for will dramatically affect the final taste. This is true for recipes that yield a low number of servings like one or two portions.

The bottom line is recipes are formulas for good food but they are just starting points. The quantities called for have been adjusted over time to yield the best results for the chef who prepared the recipe. If you personal taste palate is not partial one of the ingredients that feel free to decrease the amount called for. If you don't like a flavoring ingredient called for feel free to substitute one you prefer. Be daring, try something new. Who knows, you just might stumble on a creation that will become your families new "heirloom recipe" and be passed on through the ages. Not a bad thing!

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The real bonus your herb garden provides is the ability to cut fresh herbs daily. A fresh batch of pesto cannot be compared to a jar of "store-bought" pesto. Keep in mind that the flavor of the herb is contained in the oil in the leaves or stems of fresh herbs. For this reason it is best to use the fresh herbs as soon as possible after you cut them.

If you harvest more than you can use in your recipes, place the excess herbs in plastic zip bags and store in your refrigerator. They should keep for 5-7 days. The cool temperatures inside your refrigerator will slow down the degradation of the fresh herb oils and allow you to utilize those herbs in a day or so instead of just discarding them.

Oils in the herb leaves are somewhat volatile and therefore affected by heat. In saut?ed dishes I recommend you add the required amount called for in your recipe at the end of the cooking process. Stews and simmering stock or sauce dishes treated normally, i.e. add the herb when called for in the recipe preparation instructions.

Chopping fresh herbs prior to use is better than doing so in advance. If you look at the contents of many recipes that utilize herbs you will see some common combinations. Many French dishes call for fines herbs, which is a mixture of parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon in equal parts. As these are all fairly mild in flavor, with the exception of tarragon, you can substitute other mild herbs such as dill to create your own unique blend for your special recipes. Some of the more flavorful herbs are marjoram, sage, rosemary and tarragon. It is a good practice not to mix two strongly flavored herbs. I.e. Rosemary and tarragon unless the desired flavor is unique to these herbs. A good example would be the herbs that used in some poultry stuffing's.

Many Italian dishes call for oregano; basil and marjoram in various combinations and you will see multiple herb combination in many ethnic dishes as wall. A good example would be Mediterranean cooking, Greek cooking, etc. If you are partial to a particular ethnic group of recipes it is good practice to research the common herbs used and make sure you have them in your pantry or grow them in your garden for daily use and long-term storage.

Another herb combination called for in many recipes is bouquets garnis. The most common combination is bay, thyme, parsley or chervil. This combination is usually used in dishes calling for slow, simmering of the recipe ingredients. You can tie the sprigs of fresh herbs into a bundle and drop the bundle into your pot. Additionally, use a string and cheesecloth tied to form a bag or pouch to add to your recipe. This makes it easier to remove the herbs from your pot when cooking is done. I have seen multiple combinations of herbs depending on the country of origin for classic Bouquet Garni for fish, soup, stews or meat stocks. Here is a common combination of herbs used:

Fresh Herbs:

5-6 sprigs parsley

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs Thyme

1 sprig (small) tarragon

Dried Herbs:

1-tablespoon tarragon

1-tablespoon parsley

1 bay leaf

1-teaspoon rosemary

1-teaspoon thyme

You can usually find numerous listing for Bouquet Garni ingredients on the Internet or just experiment with the combinations and amounts in your personal recipes. I personally like the two I have listed above for my culinary preparations.

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