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Food

Herbal essences

Fresh herbs spring from your garden - or at least from packages at the grocery store. Here's a guide to the most popular dozen.

By JANET KEELER
Published April 18, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Sage Fuzzy sage could be called the Thanksgiving herb because its musky bite is found in stuffing and poultry seasoning. Sage is best in moderation and when cooked for long periods, otherwise its overpowering taste is unpleasant. To use, strip long leaves from stems. Goes well with: dumplings, savory scones, soups, roast meats and duck. Related links: From salads to entrees, herbs add fresh flavor Video: Using and storing fresh herbs

BASIL

There are many varieties, including purple and Thai, but large-leaf sweet basil is the most common. Basil smells stronger than it tastes, which is why large quantities are used to make pesto. The leaves bruise and discolor easily so cut or tear gently right before using. Use as a finishing touch or at the end of cooking to preserve flavor. Goes well with: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, poultry stuffing, vinegars.

CURLY-LEAF PARSLEY

Better for garnish than eating when uncooked because it has a sort of fake taste, something like plastic. Curly-leaf parsley needs time to bring out its earthy flavor so it should be used at the outset of cooking. A natural breath freshener. Goes well with: sauces for fish and poultry, soups and stews.

MARJORAM

Often mistaken for oregano though the leaves are smaller and slightly curled. Use the leaves only, usually as a finishing herb. More pungent and useful when dried, it is mostly found in herb mixes rather than on its own. Flavor is sweet and slightly spicy. Goes well with: poultry, lamb and vegetables, and in Italian and French herb mixes.

MINT

Spearmint is the most common of the many varieties of mint. It has a distinctive, bracing aroma and taste. Bruise the leaves to release flavor into drinks, including the trendy mojito, a rum cocktail. Mostly a finishing herb. Goes well with: roast meats, tomatoes and eggplant in small amounts, salad dressings, sorbets and yogurt.

TARRAGON

An essential herb to many French sauces such as Bernaise and tartar. It has a strong, licorice taste and is especially popular as a flavoring in vinegar and also salad dressings. Use the spindly, fine leaves sparingly. Goes well with: seafood, chicken, turkey, veal and egg dishes.

OREGANO

Essential, along with basil, in Italian cooking, the small, fuzzy leaves have a hot-spicy taste that is mellowed by long cooking. Strip the leaves off the stem. Because of the sturdy flavor, oregano is excellent dried and most often used this way. Goes well with: tomatoes, Italian herbs, stuffing mixes, vinaigrettes and seasoning blends for barbecued meats.

FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY

The chef's favorite herb brings refreshing flavor to salads and sauces and a variety of shellfish dishes including scampi and bouillabaisse. This is the chopped herb most likely to be scattered decoratively around a plate. Both the leaves and the stems can be used. A slight citrus, cleansing taste. Best as a finishing herb. Goes well with: eggs, potatoes, bulgur (as in tabbouleh), pasta dishes, seafood.

DILL

Feathery dill fronds give off a refreshing, citruslike aroma. Use in modest amounts with a variety of foods as varied as salmon, cottage cheese and omelets. The herb's dried seeds are used in pickled vegetables. Both the fresh leaves and stems may be used. Goes well with: plain yogurt, chicken, seafood, eggs, salads and herb vinegars.

CILANTRO

Heat deadens the distinctive flavor of the herb nicknamed Chinese parsley so it should be used fresh as a finishing touch. The dried seeds of the plant are called coriander. Use both leaves and stems. Prevalent in Asian and Hispanic cooking. Goes well with: salads, stir-fries and curries, salsas and Indian rice dishes.

Sources: Janet K. Keeler, Times food and travel editor; The Spice and Herb Bible by Ian Hemphill (Robert Rose, 2006); and Cook's Country magazine

[Last modified April 18, 2007, 07:08:47]