Feast on Flavour. A Foodies Guide to Fabulous Flavour Combinations and Seasoning with Herbs and Spices. by Di-Di Hoffman.

Transcription

1 Feast on Flavour A Foodies Guide to Fabulous Flavour Combinations and Seasoning with Herbs and Spices by Di-Di Hoffman.

2 This publication is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit First Edition: January 2007 Second Edition: January 2011 Third Edition: December 2012 Fourth Edition: May 2015 Copyright. All rights reserved. Check out Di-Di s Profile at The primary aim of this Bouquet Garni Publication is to help you discover and develop your own savoir faire (your own personal touch) for creating memorable dishes with herbs and spices. Bouquet Garni Cuisine Organique incorporating the SA Herb Academy PO Box Lynn East Pretoria South Africa

3 Contents Benefits of Seasoning with Herbs and Spices 1 Herbs and Spices Defined 2 Part 1: Two Aromatic Culinary Cheat Sheets 3 1. The Basic Flavour Profiles 3 Three Basic Taste Groups 3 Nine Basic Aromatic Groups 3 2. Loudness Groups 4 Light and Medium Volume 4 Loud Volume 5 Part 2: Fabulous Flavour Combinations 6 WARNING: 21 Flavour Combinations to Avoid 6 Master the 33 Holy Grail Pairings 6 Indulge in Duets Made in Heaven 6 Play Cupid Match Up the Flavour Pals 10 Part 3: How To Extract Maximum Flavour 12 How To Prepare Herbs for Maximum Flavour 12 How To Prepare Spices for Maximum Flavour 13 Cook With Bouquet Garni Herbs Simply a MUST HAVE resource for home cooks, food gardeners, chefs and bloggers. It s like having a personal guru at your side saying: Hey, why not try THIS? Facebook: Google +: Newsletter: Feast on Flavour Bites on Twitter for a bite sized menu of herb tips, flavour combinations, flavour poetry and great recipes from around the blogosphere.

4 Fabulous Flavour Combinations A Foodies Guide to Seasoning with Herbs and Spices Cooking is for capturing the taste of the food and then enhancing it, as a composer may take a theme and then delight us with his variations. Fernand Point If you ve ever wondered what goes with what this guide is especially for you. Words of caution though, view it only as a guide. One of the things that make seasoning with herbs and spices so dynamic is the constant evolution of our palates. What do you prefer? Familiar, friendly flavours or bold, unexpected flavours? It doesn t really matter; you ll have a feast with the combinations in this guide. And yes, it s perfectly fine to jump ahead to the fabulous flavour combination tables. But be sure to come back and read through the remainder of the guide. It will help you make the most of the flavours and aromas of your herbs and spices. Benefits of Seasoning with Herbs and Spices Good cooking is an art, as well as a form of intense pleasure A recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation. Madame Jehane Benoit, chef The first and most obvious reason for cooking with herbs and spices is that they can transform your ordinary recipes into exciting culinary experiences. But there are even more good reasons to master the magic of cooking with herbs and spices: They will stretch your budget. By using herbs and spices in your everyday cooking, you can turn cheap staple ingredients into tasty dishes. They offer you variety and gastronomic delight for every individual in the family. You can easily make your own connoisseur pantry products like herb oils, vinegars, and mustards, which make great gifts. You can even turn this hobby into a part-time or full-time business venture. It is always a pleasure to receive compliments for our culinary creations. Herbs and spices will certainly earn you compliments when entertaining friends and family. Used skilfully they really are the cherry on the cake for all your dishes. Then for the more health conscious amongst us, there are many more advantages: Fresh herbs especially are wonderful sources of concentrated micro-nutrients, like antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. All of these are in an unadulterated natural form. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 1

5 In these times of instant vegetables in tins and frozen packs it is clear that herbs and spices can do much to improve the taste and nutritional value of our veggies. Certain herbs and spices will stimulate your appetite and improve your digestion and general health and well-being. They are vital in low salt and low fat diets. One can truly say that herbs and spices give your cooking that something special! Herbs and Spices Defined Spices and herbs for the culinary world are harvested from the entire spectrum of plant species. Most commonly the seeds and leaves of these botanical treasures are used to impart flavour, but bark, roots, nuts, flowers and berries also have much to offer, depending on which plant you have before you. What just about all these species, in their many forms, have in common is a unique pungency compared with other crops. A spice or herb destined for the kitchen is likely to have a strong signature not duplicated elsewhere. - Tony Hill, author of The Spice Lovers Guide to Herbs and Spices (2004) There are many interpretations of the difference between herbs, spices and flavourings. From a culinary viewpoint they can be described as follows: Herbs Herbs constitute the aromatic leaves and flowers that are used, either fresh or dried, to liven up culinary dishes. Some good examples are sweet basil, thyme and rosemary. The shelf life of most dried herbs is much shorter than that of spices. With a few exceptions, herbs should be used fresh for the best effect. Spices Spices are the seeds, bark and roots of plants that are used, mainly in a dried form. For this reason, spices have a longer shelf life than most herbs. Examples of spices are pepper (seeds), ginger (root) and cinnamon (bark) Flavourings Flavourings are products that are often used just like herbs, but are also seen as food sources in their own right, for example fennel bulbs, honey, nuts, citrus and onions. A Stew of Words! Sometimes the ability to distinguish between herbs, spices and flavourings becomes quite confusing. Take horseradish for example. Some might say it is a spice, while others believe it can also be a food source. The same can be said of garlic and onions. There are also a number of plants that confusingly fall into the category of both a herb and a spice because we use their leaves fresh or dried and also their seeds. Just think about fennel, dill and coriander. Or is the latter cilantro? Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 2

6 My advice to you... Make the distinction between herbs and spices if you must. But don t let that limit your possibilities. When you cook, it doesn t really matter whether fennel is a herb or a spice. That is really just semantics, and after all, if you know how to get the best out of fennel, the effect and taste stays the same. Part 1: Two Aromatic Culinary Cheat Sheets Aroma is responsible for as much as 80 per cent or more of flavour. This helps to explain the popularity of herbs and spices. Incorporating them in a dish will enhance the aroma of the dish and, in turn, its flavour. The following two cheat sheets classify herbs and spices according to their basic taste and flavour profile and according to their loudness or how overpowering they are. 1. The Basic Flavour Profiles We can group herbs and spices into 12 basic flavour profile groups. Remember that most herbs and spices do not like to be categorized into rigid boxes. Some will fit into more than one box. And then there will be those that don t seem to fit in anywhere. Use this only as a guide. Your own basic profiles will depend on your own palate. If for example you can t distinguish between spicy and pungent, group them together. Three Basic Taste Groups Most aromatics are essentially bitter. We can however group some of them into three basic taste groups. These groupings are handy when you d like to balance a dish. Sweet Bay cassia, cinnamon, coriander, juniper, paprika, pineapple sage, rose geranium, stevia, sweet basil. Bitter Capers, celery, fenugreek, hyssop, lovage. Sour or Tangy Lemon, lime, sorrel. Nine Basic Aromatic Groups Fresh (or cool) Borage, parsley, salad burnet. Spicy cilantro, curry bush, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme. Minty Apple mint, chocolate mint, eau de cologne mint, ginger mint, mint, pineapple,mint, peppermint, spearmint. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 3

7 Aniseed or Liquorice anise, chervil, dill, fennel, liquorice, star anise, tarragon. Citrus Citrus, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon thyme, lemon verbena. Onion-flavoured Welsh Onion (spring onion), shallot, chives, garlic, garlic chives. Pungent Allspice, chilli, cloves, ginger, horseradish, mustard, nasturtium, pepper, rocket, watercress. Nutty Sesame, poppy. Warm and Earthy Caraway, cardamom, cumin, curry mace, nutmeg, saffron, turmeric. 2. Loudness Groups You can also group herbs and spices according to their volume or loudness. This grouping gives an indication of: How much of a herb or spice you can use. When you can add it to a dish. Flavours which can be combined with each other. Which herbs can stand up to cooking and which can t. This classification is especially handy if you would like to play around with new flavour combinations. There are three main groupings, namely: light and/or quiet, medium and/or moderate, and loud and/or heavy. This classification broadly groups the annuals in one group; and the perennial herbs and the spices in another group. Light and Medium Volume The light and medium volume herbs have the following characteristics: Mostly annual herbs plants. Combine well with most other low volume herbs and spices. Combine well with louder flavours; and most can be used in one combination with a loud herb, if the two complement each other. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 4

8 Their flavours become more moderate when used in cooked dishes. They are mostly used in larger quantities and with greater variation, than their loud cousins. They work very well in raw dishes or recipes that have very short cooking periods. Examples are sweet basil, chervil, dill, marjoram and parsley. Fusion Herbs Some herbs have the ability to help marry the flavours in a dish or seasoning blend without any clashes. Although some of these herbs have delicious flavours of their own, they will not overwhelm the other herbs and ingredients in a recipe. Examples of fusion herbs are bay leaf, parsley, chervil, chives and marjoram. Loud Volume Loud herbs (and most spices) have the following characteristics: They are mostly perennial plants. With the exception of garlic, most pair well with other loud herbs and spices in duets. They are often used in stews and casseroles and recipes that use long cooking periods. They are well suited to the slow cooker used by many of today s busy cooks. Their aromas change subtly during the cooking process. Some aromas will fade slightly while others may intensify. They retain their flavour profiles well when dried. Examples are garlic, oregano, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, and the spices. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 5

9 Part 2: Fabulous Flavour Combinations Counting only the duets in the tables below adds up to When you start using three, four or more aromatics the possibilities become literally endless. And that s what we enjoy most about cooking having an unlimited palette of flavour combinations at our disposal. Good cooking does not depend on whether the dish is large or small, expensive or economical. If one has the art then a piece of celery or salted cabbage can be made into a marvellous delicacy; whereas if one has not the art, all the greatest delicacies and rarities of land, sea or sky are of no avail. Yaun Mei, 18 th Century Chines poet WARNING: 21 Flavour Combinations to Avoid Before we get to the successful flavour combinations, let s look at a few combinations that most agree don t work. This does not however prevent chefs and especially food bloggers from using them. Remember, this is just a guide. basil + tarragon cayenne + caviar cayenne + delicate flavours cayenne + truffles chestnuts + berries cilantro + Japanese cuisine cilantro + oregano coffee + lavender pistachios + strawberries rosemary + corn rosemary + salads rosemary + zucchini smoked salmon + mayonnaise smoked salmon + yoghurt sorrel + salads strawberries + salt tarragon + desserts tarragon + oregano tarragon + rosemary tarragon + sage tarragon + sweet dishes Master the 33 Holy Grail Pairings When I say basil, you say tomatoes. When I say lamb, you say rosemary. When I say crab you say avocado. These are holy grail pairings. You can never go wrong when you use them as almost everybody loves them. But there s more cherries + Kirsch chillies + Mexican cuisine chillies + Thai cuisine chocolate + coffee chocolate + espresso chocolate + raspberries fennel seeds + sausages soy sauce + Japanese cuisine lamb + garlic lamb + mint mushrooms + garlic oregano + lemon oregano + tomatoes peaches + cream peaches + ice cream pork + black pepper prosciutto + melon quince + pears rhubarb + angelica rhubarb + strawberries saffron + rice sage + pork savory + beans shrimps + garlic spinach + unsalted butter strawberries + cream strawberries + ice cream tarragon + chicken turmeric + curry leaves vanilla + ice cream Indulge in Duets Made in Heaven Less is more. Don t over-complicate your dishes. Pair your main ingredient with just one aromatic to enhance its flavour on you ll cook a dish that gets you compliments. The combinations in bold and there are 527 listed below - are considered classic combinations and are especially widely practiced. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 6

10 Apples Asparagus Avocados Bananas Beans, green Beef Beets Broccoli Cabbage Cabbage, Raw Carrots Cauliflower Chick peas Chicken Cod Corn Cucumbers Custards Duck Eggplant Eggs Figs Fish Game Greens Ham brown sugar, caramel, celery, cheese, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cream, custard, ginger, lemon, nutmeg, black pepper, raisins, rosemary, rum, vanilla, walnuts butter, chervil, chives, cream, garlic, ginger, horseradish, lemon, mustard, nutmeg, olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, rosemary, shallots, vinaigrette basil, chillies, chives, cilantro, garlic, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mint, onions especially red, parsley, tomatoes, vinaigrette cardamom, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cream, ginger, rum, vanilla almonds, bacon, basil, butter, chives, dill, garlic, mint, mustard, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, paprika, rosemary, savoury basil, chillies, chives, horseradish, marjoram, mushrooms, mustard, oregano, parsley, black pepper allspice, chives, cloves, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, horseradish, lemon, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, sour cream, tarragon, balsamic vinegar, watercress cumin, garlic, lemon, watercress caraway, garlic, horseradish, mustard, nutmeg, onions, paprika, parsley, pepper, poppy seeds, sorrel celery, chervil, chives basil, butter, cayenne, celery, chervil, chives, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cream, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon, mint, mustard, nutmeg, oranges, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme almonds, bread crumbs, butter, cheese, chervil, chives, garlic, lemon, nutmeg, parsley cilantro, coriander, cumin, garlic, mint, olive oil, onions, parsley, rosemary bacon, basil, chervil, chives, coriander, cream, curry, dill, fennel, five-spice powder, garlic, ginger, horseradish, lemon, marjoram, mint, mushrooms, mustard, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, savoury, tarragon, thyme, wine bay, capers, caraway seed, chervil, cilantro, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, juniper berries, mustard, onions, parsley, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, tomatoes basil, butter, cayenne, chillies, chives, cilantro, cream, garlic, lovage, marjoram, parsley, black pepper basil, celery seed, chervil, chillies, chives, cilantro, cream, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, mint, nutmeg, onions, parsley, white wine vinegar bay, caramel, cinnamon, coffee, ginger, lemon balm, lemon verbena, rose geranium apples, basil, black currants, cherries, chillies, cloves, figs, garlic, ginger, honey, mint, mushrooms, mustard, oranges, paprika, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, sage, soy sauce, star anise, tarragon, thyme anchovies, basil, cheese, chervil, cumin, garlic, lemon, mint, mushrooms, olive oil, olives, onions, oregano, paprika, parsley, green peppers, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar cheese, chives, fines herbes, lemon thyme, mushrooms, parsley, pepper, sorrel anise, caramel, cinnamon, cinnamon basil, cream, ginger, honey, lavender, mint, oranges, port wine, prosciutto, raspberries, rosemary, thyme, vanilla, walnuts basil, cilantro, coriander, curry, fennel, horseradish, leeks, lemon, mace, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, white wine allspice, cloves, cherries, chillies, nutmeg, onions, oregano, thyme, rosemary bacon, garlic, mint, mustard, onions, variety of herbs basil, bay, brown sugar, cloves, garlic, horseradish, juniper berries, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, thyme, white wine Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 7

11 Lamb Lentils Lettuces Lobster Mangoes Melon Mushrooms Mussels Onions Oranges Oysters Papayas Pasta Peaches Pears Peas Peppers, bell Pineapple Plums Polenta Pork Potatoes Prunes Pumpkin Radishes Raspberries anchovies, aniseed, basil, bay, beans, bread crumbs, capers, cardamom, cayenne, chillies, chives, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cream, cumin, curry, dill, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, gremolata, juniper berries, lemon, mint, mustard, onions, oregano, parsley, black pepper, paprika, pomegranates, rosemary, sage, star anise, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, red wine, yoghurt bay, garlic, mint, olive oil, onions, parsley, sorrel, thyme garlic, mustard, olive oil, a variety of salad herbs basil, brandy, butter, caviar, chervil, chillies, chives, cilantro, Cognac, coriander, corn, cream, curry, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, lemon, lemon basil, lemongrass, mayonnaise, mushrooms, mustard, oranges, paprika, parsley, shallots, star anise, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, vanilla, white wine cilantro, chillies, cloves, ginger, Kirsch, lime, raspberries, rum, star anise basil, Champagne, chillies, ginger, lemon, lime, mint, pepper, port, prosciutto, raspberries, strawberries, vanilla basil, caraway seeds, cayenne, chervil, chives, coriander, cream, dill, garlic, gremolata, lemon, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, onions, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, shallots, sorrel, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, wine red or white aioli, aniseed, basil, bay, cayenne, chervil, chives, cilantro, cream, curry, fennel, garlic, lemon, mushrooms, parsley, black pepper, saffron, thyme, tomatoes, wine cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, sorrel, thyme basil, cardamom, chillies, cinnamon, ginger allspice, bacon, bay, caviar, cayenne, chillies, chives, cilantro, curry, fennel, garlic, ginger, horseradish, leeks, lemon, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, black pepper, saffron, shallots, Tabasco sauce, thyme, vinegar cayenne, chillies, coriander, cumin, ginger, lemon, lime, vanilla basil, chillies, garlic, just about any herb, tomatoes almonds, basil, cinnamon, cinnamon basil, cloves, cream, ginger, Kirsch, oranges, raspberries, sherry, strawberries, vanilla anise, brandy, caramel, cheese especially Gorgonzola and Roquefort, chocolate, cinnamon, cinnamon basil, cloves, ginger, honey, lemon, mace, nutmeg, oranges, black pepper, quinces, sherry, star anise, vanilla, walnuts, wine especially red bacon, butter, chervil, chives, cream, fennel, garlic, ham, lettuce, mint, mushrooms, nutmeg, spring onions, parsley, rosemary, sage, savoury anchovies, basil, chillies, coriander, garlic, olive oil,, tomatoes coconut, Cointreau, Kirsch, mint, raspberries, rum, strawberries, vanilla cinnamon, ginger, lemon, oranges, vanilla, walnuts cheese, garlic, mushrooms, pepper apples, bay, coriander, cumin, fennel, fruit, garlic, ginger, honey, juniper berries, marsala, mustard, orange, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, sage, star anise, tarragon, thyme, vinegar basil, butter, caviar, cayenne, celery root, cheese, chervil, chives, cream, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, horseradish, juniper berries, leeks, lemon thyme, lovage, mint, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, salt, savoury, sorrel, thyme cinnamon, lemon, walnuts, wine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, cream, garlic, ginger, Gruyere cheese, mace, mint, molasses, nutmeg, onions, black pepper, sage, thyme, vanilla chives, parsley, salt almonds, Champagne, chocolate, cream, currants especially red, Kirsch, lemon, black Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 8

12 pepper, vanilla Rhubarb Rice, white Risotto Salmon Sardines Sauerkraut Scallops Seafood Shrimp Snails Sole Spareribs Spinach Squash Squid Steak Strawberries Stuffing s Sweet Potatoes Swiss Chard Tomatoes Tongue Trout Tuna Turkey cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, strawberries basil, cardamom, cinnamon, curry, garlic, ginger, nuts, parsley, saffron, tomatoes mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, peas, saffron, shellfish aioli, anchovies, bacon, basil, bread crumbs, capers, caviar, chervil, chives, coriander, cream, cucumber, cumin, curry, dill, fennel, five-spice powder, garlic, ginger, hollandaise sauce, horseradish, juniper berries, leeks, lemon, lime, mayonnaise, mint, mushrooms, mustard, parsley, black pepper, shallots, sorrel, spinach, tarragon, tomato, vinegar, watercress, wine arugula, garlic, lemon, mint, mustard, paprika, parsley, pepper, savoury, thyme, apples, caraway seeds, dill, juniper berries, sausages anise, bacon, basil, bay, bread crumbs, butter, capers, caviar, cayenne, celery, chervil, chives, cilantro, coriander, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon, lemongrass, lemon thyme, lime, marjoram, mint, mushrooms, mustard, onions, paprika, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, saffron, salsa, sorrel, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, vanilla, white wine aioli, lemon, parsley, black pepper allspice, bacon, basil, bay, chervil, chillies, chives, curry, dill, garlic, ginger, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mint, mustard, onions, oranges, parsley, rosemary, shallots, tarragon, thyme, white wine anise, basil, bay, butter, chervil, fennel, garlic, mushrooms, nutmeg, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, shallots, thyme, white wine butter, capers, cayenne, chives, cilantro, cream, garlic, lemon, mint, mushrooms, mustard, nutmeg, onions, paprika, parsley, shallots, thyme, white wine garlic, ginger, pepper, rosemary anchovies, bacon, butter, cardamom, cheese, chillies, chives, cream, cumin, curry, garlic, ginger, horseradish, lemon, lemongrass, mint, mustard, nutmeg, olive oil, black pepper, sorrel, sugar, tarragon, vinegar especially red wine celery root, cinnamon, curry, rosemary, sage basil, bay, cilantro, garlic, ginger, lemon, mint, olive oil, parsley, rosemary, salsa basil, béarnaise sauce, cayenne, chives, coriander, garlic, ginger, horseradish, juniper berries, mushrooms, mustard, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, shallots, red wine almonds, bananas, basil, Champagne, cinnamon, cream, Kirsch, lemon, mascarpone, oranges, pepper, pineapple, rhubarb, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, balsamic vinegar seasoned bread crumbs, celery, garlic, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, sage, savoury, tarragon, thyme apples, brown sugar, butter, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, cream, garlic, ginger, maple syrup, nutmeg, oranges, paprika, pecans, thyme, vanilla chillies, garlic, tarragon arugula, basil, chillies, chives, garlic, lovage, marjoram, mint, olive oil, onions, oregano, parsley, black pepper, salt, tarragon, thyme, vinegar chervil, chives, garlic, horseradish, mustard, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, tarragon, thyme almonds, butter, capers, chervil, chillies, chives, cream, garlic, horseradish, lemon, parsley, sorrel, vinegar, white wine aioli, bay, beans especially black and white, chives, cilantro, dill, garlic, ginger, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mint, olive oil, onions, parsley, black pepper, saffron, sesame, soy sauce, thyme, tomatoes, wasabi celery, celery root, parsley, sage, sherry, tarragon, thyme Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 9

13 Turnips Veal Venison Watercress Yoghurt Zucchini chives, cinnamon, cream, garlic, lemon thyme, mustard, paprika, parsley, potatoes, sugar, tarragon, thyme arugula, basil, bay, capers, cheese especially Parmesan, chervil, cloves, cream, dill, garlic, ginger, lemon, mushrooms, mustard, onions, paprika, parsley, black pepper, rosemary, sage, sorrel, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, white wine apples, bay, cherries, chillies, coriander, currants red, garlic, horseradish, juniper berries, marjoram, mushrooms, mustard, black pepper, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, vinegar especially red wine, red wine mustard, parsley, thyme, vinaigrette dill, mint, watercress basil, butter, Parmesan cheese, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, onions, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes Play Cupid Match Up the Flavour Pals An at-a-glance-guide to using and pairing 25 popular culinary herbs. Fresh Herb Parts Used Flavour Strength Per serving Flavour Pals Basil Bay dried stems for smoking stems for skewers flowers cloves, mint, anise, cinnamon nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla mild 1 heaped tablespoon chives, cilantro, fennel, garlic, lemon verbena, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary fusion 1/2 leaf parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme Chervil mild anise fusion 1 heaped chives, parsley, tarragon tablespoon Chilli Pepper fruits hot, pungent strong to taste bay, cilantro, lemon verbena, Chives Cilantro Dill Fennel flowers seeds flowers, seeds flowers, seeds mint, parsley chervil, dill, marjoram, parsley, sorrel, tarragon basil, chives, lemon verbena, mint, parsley mild 2 teaspoons chives, lemon balm, lemon thyme, lovage mild onion fusion 1 heaped tablespoon green spicy mild 1 heaped tablespoon caraway, parsley anise mild 2 teaspoons lavender, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme Garlic bulb garlic strong 1 clove compatible with all but use sparingly with chervil, chives, lemon balm, mint Garlic Chives flowers mild garlic oniony strong 2 teaspoons chervil, dill, marjoram, parsley, sorrel, tarragon Lemon Balm leaves lemon mild 2 teaspoons basil, chives, dill, mint, parsley Lemon Thyme flowers pungent lemon strong 2 teaspoons bay, basil, chives, dill, fennel, lavender, lemon verbena, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savoury Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 10

14 Lemon Verbena Lovage Marjoram stems for smoking stems flower heads intense lemon Mint leaves menthol, fruit Oregano leaves pepper and spice strong 1 ½ teaspoons basil, cilantro, lavender, mint, rose geranium intense celery strong ½ teaspoon chives, dill, lemon balm, mint, parsley, sorrel mint, spice fusion 1 level basil, chives, mint, parsley, tablespoon rosemary, sage, savoury, thyme mild 2 teaspoons compatible with all strong 1 teaspoon basil, chives, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, savoury, thyme fusion 1 heaped compatible with all tablespoon Parsley leaves pungent green Rose strong rose strong 1 large leaf lavender, lemon verbena, mint Geranium flowers Rosemary pine, strong 1 teaspoon basil, chives, fennel, lavender, flowers, pungent lemon verbena, marjoram, stems for spice mint, oregano, parsley, sage, skewers savoury, thyme Sage flowers spice, astringent Sorrel leaves sour, green mild 1 heaped tablespoon Tarragon leaves peppery anise Thyme Winter Savoury flowers leaves spice, fruit, pear pepper and spice strong 1 teaspoon fennel, lavender, lemon balm. Lemon thyme, lemon verbena, lovage, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savoury, thyme chives, dill, lemon thyme, lemon verbena, lovage, mint, parsley, tarragon strong 1 teaspoon chervil, chives, lemon balm, lemon thyme, mint, parsley, sorrel strong 1 teaspoon bay, basil, chives, dill, fennel, lavender, lemon verbena, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savoury strong 1 teaspoon chives, fennel, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 11

15 Part 3: How To Extract Maximum Flavour How To Prepare Herbs for Maximum Flavour If you ve just harvested the herbs from your own organic food garden, simply give them a quick inspection for bugs or dirt. If they have neither, there s no need to wash them. (I m assuming you are not using any harmful pesticides in your food garden.) The leaves of fresh herbs are much easier to handle and chop if they are completely dry. If you plan on storing the excess in the refrigerator, know that wet leaves promote decay. If you ve bought the herbs from a supermarket or you can see dirt on the herbs from the food garden, you ll have to wash them. When you only have a few sprigs to wash simply hold them under the tap for a rinse, then shake off the excess water and tap them dry between paper towels. With large bunches it is more efficient to wash them like salad greens. Submerge them in water to rinse them and then dry them in a salad spinner. Some herbs parsley, chervil, coriander have soft stalks that can also be used in cooking, but in most cases leaves must be stripped from the stalks before being used. Small and tender leaves and sprigs are used whole in salads or as a garnish, but most leaves are chopped, sliced, or pounded depending on the dish being prepared. Keep leaves whole until just before you need them or their flavours will dissipate. Stripping leaves When stripping herbs you may find that you are not able to go right to the top of the stalk because it is too tender and will break. Such upper stalks are likely to be soft enough to chop with the leaves. Some herbs are easier to strip from the top down, particularly those with large leaves such as sage. To strip tough stalks - hold the bottom of the stalk firmly in one hand, place the thumb and first finger of the other hand on either side of the stalk, and using the thumb to guide, pull upwards, stripping the leaves onto a board. To strip tender stalks - strip fennel and dill from the bottom of the stalk, pulling the leaf sprays upwards with one hand. Take out any thick stalks that remain and strip off the leaves. Chopping leaves Herbs are chopped according to the dish for which they are needed. Finely chopped herbs integrate well with other ingredients. They provide immediate flavour because so much of their surface is exposed, allowing the essential oils to blend into the food quickly, but they may lose their flavour in cooking. Coarsely chopped herbs keep their identity, flavour, and texture longer and survive cooking better than finely chopped herbs, but are less attractive in a smooth-textured dish. Some cooks prefer to use the curved mezzaluna for large amounts of herbs. This handy tool is rocked backwards and forwards to great effect. Herbs may also be chopped in the small bowl of a food processor; use the pulse Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 12

16 button and chop briefly. Make sure the herbs are completely dry or they will turn out unattractively paste-like. It is more difficult to obtain uniformly chopped leaves in a processor. Choose a large, sharp knife for cutting herbs or you will bruise rather than cut them. Lay the herbs on a board, hold the point of the blade on the board with the flat fingers of your non-cutting hand, and chop up and down briskly in a rocking motion. Scoop the herbs back into a pile from time to time with the flat of the blade. Continue the chopping action until the herbs are cut as finely as you need. Making a chiffonade Shredded herb leaves make an attractive garnish and also keep their texture well in a sauce. If using leaves such as sorrel, remove the thick vein from each leaf beforehand. Stack a few similarsized leaves one on top of the other and roll them up tightly. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll of leaves into very fine slices. Pounding herbs Herbs can be pounded to a paste using a pestle and mortar, and garlic is easily pureed in a mortar with a little salt. A smoother (but less flavoursome) result is achieved more quickly in a food processor. Pesto is the classic pounded herb sauce. How To Prepare Spices for Maximum Flavour Many spices need some preparation before being added to a dish or used in a spice blend or paste. Bruising, cutting, and grinding serve to release the volatile oils and perfume of a spice. Large, bruised pieces of a spice are intended only for flavouring and should be removed before a dish is served. Mild spices are sometimes cut into bite-sized pieces and eaten as part of the dish; otherwise, spices should be grated, finely sliced, or shredded. Bruising spices Soft-textured fresh spices such as lemon grass, ginger, and turmeric are often bruised before cooking to release their flavours, then added whole for later removal. Simply bruise using the back of a heavy knife or a wooden kitchen mallet. Slicing and shredding spices Some dishes require discs of fresh spices, while others call for spices to be shredded or chopped. Lemon grass is cut into fine rings from the base, stopping when the texture becomes fibrous. Makrut lime leaves should be shredded as fine as a needle if they are to be eaten. The procedure for spices such as ginger or turmeric is as follows: Peel as much fresh root as you need, cutting off any woody or dry bits. Using a sharp knife, slice the root thinly across the grain into a series of fine discs. Stack the discs, press down firmly, and shred them into fine slivers. Line up the slivers and cut them across to chop. To chop more finely, mound up the pieces and chop as herbs. Grating fresh spices Fresh roots such as horseradish and ginger are best grated. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 13

17 Many Asian dishes call for the pure flavour of ginger juice, which can be quickly extracted from a fresh root. Grate the ginger or chop finely in a food processor. Wrap the shavings in a piece of muslin or a tea towel and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Grating dry spices Although most spices are ground, some of the larger ones are more easily grated. For nutmeg use a nutmeg grater or the finest side of a normal grater. Dried ginger and turmeric are very hard and therefore best grated on a fine citrus grater or rasp. Grinding spices Freshly ground or crushed spices are always more aromatic than spices bought ready-ground. You will soon appreciate the difference if you take the trouble to grind, say, a teaspoon of coriander seeds and put them to one side for an hour or two. Then grind another spoonful. Smell the older batch and then the freshly ground seeds you will find that some of the aroma of the first batch has already dissipated Some whole spices allspice, cinnamon, and cloves for example are aromatic, but most need to be crushed or ground to release their aroma. A blender can be used for a large quantity, but most spices are too hard to grind evenly in a food processor. Use a pestle and mortar that is deep, sturdy, and roughly textured, for many spices are very hard and it needs considerable force to grind them by hand. Most spices can be ground in an electric coffee grinder kept especially for the purpose. Crushing spices Some spices need only to be crushed, rather than pulverized to powder. A pestle and mortar works well because you can easily see and control how much the spice is broken up and you can enjoy its fragrance at the same time. Use a rolling pin put the spice in a plastic bag, spread out the seeds on a hard surface, then crush firmly with a rolling pin. Making spice pastes Spice pastes are made by crushing fresh spices (such as garlic and ginger) together with dry spices or herbs and sometimes a little liquid. The technique is widely used in India and Southeast Asia, and in Mexico. Use a pestle and mortar or the small bowl of a food processor. 1. If dry spices are to be added, grind them first, either in the mortar or in a coffee grinder. 2. Crush the fresh garlic or ginger, and then work in the ground spices, and finally the liquid if needed. Dry Roasting and Frying Spices Roasting whole spices in a dry frying pan is especially common in Indian cooking. The process concentrates the flavours and makes the spices easier to grind. Other dishes call for spices to be Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 14

18 fried before other ingredients are added. Frying brings out the flavour, which is imparted to the oil. The aroma of fried spices permeates a dish more fully than that of raw spices but once a liquid is added the amount of fragrance they release is reduced. Dry roasting spices Some seed spices, notably mustard seeds, tend to jump about as they roast, so have a lid available to cover the pan. A tablespoon of spices will be ready in 2-3 minutes, whereas a large quantity can take up to 8-10 minutes to brown evenly. With large quantities, roast each spice separately. 1. Heat a heavy pan until it feels hot when you hold your hand above the base. With the pan over a medium heat, toss in the spices. Stir them or shake the pan constantly. 2. Let the spices darken and smoke a little and they will soon give off a heady aroma. If they are changing colour too quickly, lower the heat and make sure they do not burn. 3. Turn the spices into a bowl to cool before grinding them. Dry roasting in an oven or microwave In an oven Dry roasting a large quantity of spices may be easier in an oven preheated to 250 C. Spread the spices on a tray and leave in the oven until they darken and are aromatic, shaking and stirring from time to time. Cool before grinding. In a microwave Spread the spices in one layer on a plate or dish and cook uncovered at full power. Roasting 2-4 tbsp will take 4-5 minutes. Stir the spices once during cooking. Cool before grinding. Frying spices Prepare all the ingredients of a dish before frying its spices. Some spices are fried for only a few seconds, others for up to a minute. All will darken, and some, such as cardamom pods, will puff up. Remove the pan from the heat to add more ingredients, and stir quickly to prevent them burning in the oil. 1. Pour a thin film of sunflower oil into a heavy frying pan and heat until you can see a faint haze (mist) rising over the pan. 2. Fry whole spices before ground ones, adding them in the order they appear in the recipe. Spices should sizzle when they hit the hot oil and brown almost instantly. Watch them closely to prevent burning. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 15

19 Delight Your Taste Buds Get Cooking With Bouquet Garni Herbs Simply a MUST HAVE resource for home cooks, food gardeners, chefs and bloggers. It s like having a personal guru at your side saying: Hey, why not try THIS? Best of all It s FREE Facebook: Google +: Newsletter: Feast on Flavour Bites on Twitter for a bite sized menu of herb tips, flavour combinations, flavour poetry and great recipes from around the blogosphere. Visit the Bouquet Garni Flavour Academy at for more flavour building ideas. P a g e 16