i Lead Recipes

An aromatic herb, basil loses its pungency easily if the harvested herb is stored too long, or is grown in a cold climate. The dried herb is very different from the fresh in taste and aroma. Fresh basil can be stored in olive oil or vinegar, — this oil can be used for salad dressings or for cooking. Do not chop, crush, or tear fresh basil until the very last minute, or its flavour will dissipate. It makes a zesty vinegar. Fresh basil is an essential ingredient of pesto and is synonymous with “Italian” food. In cooking use basil with tomatoes, cheese, cream cheese, pasta, cream, eggs, peas, potatoes, beets, carrots, stews, soups, salads, vinegars, and oils.

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The primary use of savory is in cooking, and the two savories were among the strongest cooking herbs available to Europeans until world exploration and trade brought them tropical spices like black pepper. The savories have been used to enhance the flavour of food for over 2,000 years. Savory is an herb so bold and peppery in flavour that since the time of the Saxons it has come to denote not only the herb itself, but is synonymous with tasty and flavourful foods. Savory’s wonderfully distinct piquancy brings an agreeable tasty element to relatively mild foods without overpowering them. The classic blend fines herbes and the traditional bunch of herbs for casseroles, bouquet garni will often contain savory. Savory complements egg dishes, whether chopped finely and added to scrambled eggs and omelets, or treated as a garnish with parsley.

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Tarragon’s name is derived from the French esdragon, meaning “little dragon.” The dragonlike roots may strangle the plant if it is not divided often. In medicinal lore and legend, any plant with a serpentine root system is given credit for treating snakebite, and tarragon is no exception. Among cooks, this herb is popularly associated with vinegar and fish. Its anise-like character is particularly suited to both, but tarragon deserves a wider role in the kitchen. Tarragon has a somewhat mysterious property as well; chew on a leaf, and you may notice a numb feeling on your tongue. Although it is one of the French fines herbes, tarragon can be dominating and overshadow or fight with other flavours. Use the leaves fresh in salads, as garnishes, or in such classic applications as remoulade sauce, tartare sauce, béarnaise sauce, French dressing, and veal Marengo. In general, don’t add this herb with a heavy hand, and avoid bringing out its bitter side by cooking it too long.

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It has been said that if a rosemary bush grows vigorously in a family’s garden, it means that the woman heads the household. Consider how many rosemary plants have been pruned low by humiliated husbands while being nurtured by strong willed wives. Rosemary has one of those distinctive, strong flavours that convinces the palate that herbs aren’t just delicate things reserved for dainty soups and sprinkling on baby vegetables. It takes hold of the taste buds with a woodsy flavour, somewhat piny, mintlike yet sweeter, with a slight ginger finish. It can also be used as a subtle accent, using just a hint of the flavour lightening the mood of an otherwise mundane sauce or pastry. Its flavour harmonizes with those of poultry, fish, lamb, beef, veal, pork, and game, particularly in their roasted forms. Rosemary enhances tomatoes spinach, peas, mushrooms, squash, cheese, eggs, lentils, and complements the herbs chives, thyme, chervil, parsley, and bay in recipes.

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Nigella has been used since antiquity by Asian herbalists and pharmacists and was used for culinary purposes by the Romans. The seeds are known to repel certain insects and can be used like moth balls. Nigella is used in India and the Middle East as a spice and condiment and occasionally in Europe as both a pepper substitute and a spice. It is widely used in Indian cuisines, particularly in mildly braised lamb dishes such as korma. It is also added to vegetable and dhal dishes as well as in chutneys. The seeds are sprinkled on to naan bread before baking.

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