gently pressing down helps remove the moisture from the herbs (F). To cut herbs, use a very sharp chef’s knife. A dull blade will bruise the leaves rather than cut them cleanly; this will discolor the leaves, ren- dering them an unappealing and
flavorless brown or black. When making pesto, the preferred method is to use a mortar and pestle to crush the leaves. For basil and mint, I pluck the leaves from the stems by hand. Woody herbs and grassy herbs, such as tarragon and savory, are on stems, which you can “strip” in order to remove the leaves or needles. Run your thumb and pointer finger along the stem in the opposite way in which the leaves grow and as you do, pull the leaves or needles from the stem.
F E
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cookinG with herbs 47
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usinG tHis sECtion
Following are a few ingredient and equipment notes before you get started.
• All the recipes in this book use fresh herbs.
• You will notice that many reci- pes call for the use of gros sel de Guérande. This is a large salt, hand-combed from the salt beds in Guérande, France. It has a high mineral content, and I love its fla- vor. It is available on the Internet and in many specialty stores. If you cannot find it, then use quality sea salt. Do not substitute table salt or kosher salt as it is much smaller than sea salt and an equal substi- tution will make your dish salty. • Some of the recipes specify “bot-
tled water” because the tap water in some areas has a chorine or metallic taste. If the tap water in your area tastes good, then bottled water is not necessary.
• When it comes to mincing herbs, I find a mini food processor to be preferable because the regular size is too large. However, you can always chop by hand with a chef’s knife, so special equipment is not necessary in any event.
GEnERaL CooKinG tips
Cooking is about using your senses. Look at the appearance of the food. Smell it. Taste it. Salt early and read- just the seasoning and consistency at the end of the cooking process. Review the entire recipe before you begin. Remember that recipe mea- surements of quantity and time (1 cup [235 ml] stock, 1⁄
2 teaspoon salt, 10
minutes) are guidelines that may vary according to your circumstances. Variables can include the weather, oven accuracy, the flavor and age of the ingredients, a flame’s height, the sodium content of the stock used, and even household distractions. Don’t be afraid to adjust. If a purée looks too thick, for example—if it has the consistency of a dip rather than a creamy purée—add more liquid even if you already added the quantity the recipe called for.
Lastly, I have tried to provide you with cooking times where applicable, but remember that the determination of when a dish is done is not dictated by a clock. Rather, it is the appear- ance, feel, and temperature of the food that is relevant. If your french fries are not golden brown and crispy, then they are not done regardless of what the timer says.
FREsH VERsus dRiEd
HERBs
Whether the herbs are grassy or woody determines whether they are good candidates for drying. Herbs are mostly water. Grassy herbs lose their flavor when dried because their strength lies in their fresh taste. When you take away the moisture, the “fresh, grassy” factor is gone and you are left with essentially hay. Dried basil and tarragon also lose their “fresh” appeal in my opinion. On the other hand, woody herbs dry well. Fresh and dried herbs cannot be used interchangeably. Woody herbs take on a stronger flavor when they dry (they are more concentrated because there is no moisture in the product to dilute its properties). The degree of increased concentration varies. Bay is the exception—fresh bay leaves are stronger then dried ones.
Lastly, whether herbs are fresh or dried makes a difference as to when you add the herbs in your cooking. Dried herbs (usually woody herbs) are never added at the end of the cooking, as fresh herb are. It is also recommended that dried herbs be cooked for at least 30 minutes to eliminate any microorganisms that may be present.
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46 hoMeGrown herb GArden
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use just a few whole leaves for a light embellishment with purpose.If you want to merely boost or brighten the salad without changing its flavor or character, add chopped or finely minced parsley leaves to impart a grassy note consistently throughout.
When you use whole herb leaves, the leaves themselves become a focal point. In turn, minced, shredded, or chopped leaves are not given visual priority but can add a splash of color (it can be a contrasting color or the same) in varying degrees, depending upon how much is added. The mere
shape of the herb itself can be used to a cook’s advantage. Chives can be used for their flexible length, and the fibrous stem of lemongrass can be used as a skewer.
pREpaRinG HERBs
Wash herbs and dry them well before you cut or use them (E). Laying the herbs in between paper towels and gently pressing down helps remove the moisture from the herbs (F). To cut herbs, use a very sharp chef’s knife. A dull blade will bruise the leaves rather than cut them cleanly; this will discolor the leaves, ren- dering them an unappealing and
flavorless brown or black. When making pesto, the preferred method is to use a mortar and pestle to crush the leaves. For basil and mint, I pluck the leaves from the stems by hand. Woody herbs and grassy herbs, such as tarragon and savory, are on stems, which you can “strip” in order to remove the leaves or needles. Run your thumb and pointer finger along the stem in the opposite way in which the leaves grow and as you do, pull the leaves or needles from the stem.
F E
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cookinG with herbs 47
(Text)
usinG tHis sECtion
Following are a few ingredient and equipment notes before you get started.
• All the recipes in this book use fresh herbs.
• You will notice that many reci- pes call for the use of gros sel de Guérande. This is a large salt, hand-combed from the salt beds in Guérande, France. It has a high mineral content, and I love its fla- vor. It is available on the Internet and in many specialty stores. If you cannot find it, then use quality sea salt. Do not substitute table salt or kosher salt as it is much smaller than sea salt and an equal substi- tution will make your dish salty. • Some of the recipes specify “bot-
tled water” because the tap water in some areas has a chorine or metallic taste. If the tap water in your area tastes good, then bottled water is not necessary.
• When it comes to mincing herbs, I find a mini food processor to be preferable because the regular size is too large. However, you can always chop by hand with a chef’s knife, so special equipment is not necessary in any event.
GEnERaL CooKinG tips
Cooking is about using your senses. Look at the appearance of the food. Smell it. Taste it. Salt early and read- just the seasoning and consistency at the end of the cooking process. Review the entire recipe before you begin. Remember that recipe mea- surements of quantity and time (1 cup [235 ml] stock, 1⁄
2 teaspoon salt, 10
minutes) are guidelines that may vary according to your circumstances. Variables can include the weather, oven accuracy, the flavor and age of the ingredients, a flame’s height, the sodium content of the stock used, and even household distractions. Don’t be afraid to adjust. If a purée looks too thick, for example—if it has the consistency of a dip rather than a creamy purée—add more liquid even if you already added the quantity the recipe called for.
Lastly, I have tried to provide you with cooking times where applicable, but remember that the determination of when a dish is done is not dictated by a clock. Rather, it is the appear- ance, feel, and temperature of the food that is relevant. If your french fries are not golden brown and crispy, then they are not done regardless of what the timer says.
FREsH VERsus dRiEd
HERBs
Whether the herbs are grassy or woody determines whether they are good candidates for drying. Herbs are mostly water. Grassy herbs lose their flavor when dried because their strength lies in their fresh taste. When you take away the moisture, the “fresh, grassy” factor is gone and you are left with essentially hay. Dried basil and tarragon also lose their “fresh” appeal in my opinion. On the other hand, woody herbs dry well. Fresh and dried herbs cannot be used interchangeably. Woody herbs take on a stronger flavor when they dry (they are more concentrated because there is no moisture in the product to dilute its properties). The degree of increased concentration varies. Bay is the exception—fresh bay leaves are stronger then dried ones.
Lastly, whether herbs are fresh or dried makes a difference as to when you add the herbs in your cooking. Dried herbs (usually woody herbs) are never added at the end of the cooking, as fresh herb are. It is also recommended that dried herbs be cooked for at least 30 minutes to eliminate any microorganisms that may be present.
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48 hoMeGrown herb GArden