Cooking With Herbs

This is the season for herbs. They're everywhere and one of the best things about summer cooking. They amp up the flavor from salads to even desserts. Many home chefs are somewhat afraid of using them . There are some tips to handling herbs and in creating successful dishes.

One of the first steps in cooking herbs is preparing them. Cut what you need to from your garden and wash thoroughly. There may be some dirt or bugs still on them. If you're picking them early in the day, place the newly washed ones on a damp paper towel and store in your fridge until you're ready to cook with them.Herbs can also be frozen for future use too,This required a brief bath in boiling hot water  until the leaves turn a bright green,.Cool by holding them under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Freeze either in freezer bags or in empty ice cube trays.

There's a certain order to cooking with herbs as well.Some stronger herbs such as basil and sage should be added in the beginning of the cooking process so that their flavors will mellow with cooking. Milder tasting ones such as dill should be added in the last minutes of cooking because their flavor will fade during the entire heating process. Different herbs will give different spins to dishes. If you want a flavorful tomato sauce for example use rosemary and oregano. If you want it to zing, then think about bay leaves. A light sauce will be delicate with dill and powerful with sage. Experiment , if you're new to the herb scene. Find out what you and your family like.

Cooking with herbs is a great way to amp up any dish. Know what you're cooking with to get great flavor and new tastes. It's easy and fun.