Written by Jenny Catton
Herbs are a cook’s best friend – an essential ingredient for adding flavour and interest to a whole host of savoury dishes, drinks and even desserts. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can still create your own kitchen herb garden on a sunny windowsill. Alternatively, you could grow different herbs in pots around your back door – making it really easy to grab a handful of a particular herb whilst you are cooking.
Many different herbs will grow successfully on a kitchen windowsill so experiment with different varieties. You could try basil and rosemary for Mediterranean dishes whilst mint will add zing to a potato salad or lamb dish, and then there’s the great all-rounder – parsley which is particularly good with fish dishes.
Of course, if you don’t have the time or patience to wait for your own herbs to grow – a wide selection can be found in most large supermarkets. These can be expensive though so you’ll want to make them last as long as possible. One clever way to make your herbs last longer is by freezing them. Simply take a few leaves from each herb and pop into an ice-cube tray – then add water and freeze. When you next need a particular herb in a sauce, casserole or soup, just pop the ice cube straight into the hot dish.
An alternative way to preserve fresh herbs is by drying them. The process is simple – just take a bunch of your herb and tie a piece of string or kitchen twine around it to create a loop. Then hang the herb bunch upside down in a spot that’s cool and dry. Within ten days, the herbs should be dry and crisp. You can now pick the leaves from the stems and place in a jar. Seal tightly and remember to add a label with the name of the herb and the date. If kept in a cool, dark place, your dried herbs should keep their flavour for around six months. You will find that less delicate herbs such as thyme, oregano, sage and rosemary are particularly well suited to drying.
If you find you have an abundance of a particular herb, you might want to find new ways to use it other than in your cooking. Well, many kitchen herbs are also known for their medicinal properties. Basil for example is said to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, mint can be used to aid digestion, whilst rosemary is thought to be a great anti-oxidant.
You could also use herbs to fragrance your kitchen – rosemary and mint are both strongly scented so will add a beautiful smell to your room.
If you enjoy flavoured olive oils – why not have a go at making your own. Simply place a few sprigs of your herb into a bottle of oil – thyme and rosemary work particularly well. Over time the oil will absorb the flavour of the herb.
For a refreshing and cheap alternative to traditional tea – try putting a few mint leaves in a teapot – cover with boiling water and leave to infuse for a few minutes before enjoying a delicious cup of mint tea.
For more advice about growing herbs in your kitchen, visit: www.rhs.org.uk
