Category Archives: Herbs

Cornish hen braised in milk

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sage, cinnamon, garlic and lemon

I had an earlier post about braising chicken in milk, when I tried the recipe using chicken pieces since that gave me something more like a single serving.  Flavor was great, but I thought that for something a bit scaled down, but more in keeping with the original recipe, I would try this with a Cornish  hen and see how that worked. One of the advantages of these little birds is that they are more in keeping with  Jamie Oliver’s recipe, rather than the chicken parts that I tried originally. This might be a way to keep with the spirit of the original recipe, but scale it down to something closer to single-serving size.  While this is a recipe that might do well on second runs, I really don’t want as much as whole chicken would make.

Well, the weather has turned to fall with blowing leaves, and chilly temperatures so this seems an excellent time to try this again…and my grocery shopping provided me with a lovely price on a pair of (frozen) Cornish hens–about 1 to 1-1/4 pounds each.

A Cornish hen–either male or female regardless of calling it a “hen”–is a special breed of chicken (in the USA sometimes also called a poussin, though that is really French for a very young, small chicken that is usually about a pound in weight).  Since my supermarket does not offer poussins, but does have the Cornish hen (which is a young, hybrid chicken–of Rock Cornish with some other breed–not over 2 pounds by USDA specifications) that’s what I’ll use; I was fortunate enough to find some hens that were just about a pound or a pound and a quarter each.

While browsing some of my favorite blogs, I found a discussion of Jamie Oliver’s recipe–where an oversight  of lid on instead of off for part of the time was compared to the bird braised in an open pot.  This made me think of the French chicken in a pot that I had cook recently–one of the things that was  impressive about that was how the flavors seemed to permeate the meat itself.  I decided to try this with the  lid on for part of the time just for that reason.  (I do have two Cornish hens–so maybe I need to do the same here–one each way!

One of the things I discovered when doing the chicken parts was that just because you are using 1 pound of chicken instead of 4 pounds, you might not want to just take a quarter of the seasoning ingredients–the flavor was good, but perhaps a bit on the wimpy side; so I have to find a way to optimize that when cutting the recipe to single-serving size.  I decided that this time, I will make up the seasonings and milk as if I were doing the large chicken (in the 2 cups of milk).  I thought I’d simmer the seasonings in the milk and taste to see what that was like, cool it and add what seemed appropriate for the size of my bird and my pot.

The petit brasier was a no go–too big around–so I used my 4-quart All-Clad pot as being the closest thing to a “small” dutch oven.  The whole stick of butter was obviously not necessary so I used just enough (about 2 tablespoons) with the olive oil (about 2 tablespoons as well) to brown the hen.  (One thing I did discover is that the skin on a Cornish hen is much more fragile and has much less fat under it than does a more mature chicken.)  Just the smell of the hen browning in the butter and the olive oil is fabulous!

browned bird on plate

There was not much fat in the cavity either so I returned about half of the butter/olive oil mixture to the pot with the chicken.  Giblets were mostly not included–just the neck, but I browned that and included it in the braising pot for  extra flavor.

So here’s my bird, browned, and ready to go back into the pot to braise with the seasoned milk.  (Next time I’m doing a Cornish hen or poussin, I think that I’ll try using just half the milk with half to three-quarters of seasonings even though these birds are only about a quarter the weight of the chicken called for in the original recipe.)

browned bird in the pot with milk and seasonings

After steeping the other seasonings in the warm milk, and then letting it cool a bit, I tasted it–very lemony and sage-y, but not much garlic or cinnamon yet; (that came out later in the braising process).  I divided the milk and the other seasonings in about half since that looked like about the right amount of liquid (the eyeball test!!).  It took about 1 cup of milk (and I added half the solids) so the rest went into the freezer for a repeat, or perhaps just to braise some chicken thighs or poach some breasts. ( I did put the cinnamon into the braising pot with this bird).

braised Cornish hen

Since it was a smaller bird and the braising liquid was already warm, I reduced the oven temperature to 325 ° F since I wanted enough braising time to let the flavors actually get into the meat (as it did in the French chicken in a pot).  I decided to go with lid-on for about 30 or 35 minutes and see how it looked then, and finish the braising with the lid off so that the liquids reduced more.

bird in pot after 30 minutes in the oven with lid off

lid off for about 30 minutes

After another 30 minutes in the oven with the lid off, the sauce has reduced some and it looks falling-off-the-bone tender.

Somewhere along the way, all those unlikely, highly individual, and potent seasonings have turned into a complex, earthy  taste and aroma.

I’m ready to eat!

Admittedly this does not look like it’s going to be a dish that lends itself to elegant presentation, but it’s certainly a keeper for comfort food.  Braised in a container that could go directly to the table it would make a nice casual presentation as the skin does brown more after the lid comes off.

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The  pot  that I used was just a bit deeper than I might have liked, but better too deep than too wide since that would need too much liquid to reduce by the time the hen was done.  Unfortunately, the bird was just a bit too tall to fit into my small chef’s pan–but this was close enough.  The sauce does look “curdled” but tastes wonderful!  Just the thing for a damp, drizzly, autumn or winter evening!

chocolate mug with sage-lemons IMG_4796The original recipe for a whole chicken would be great for causal company–this is definitely a keeper!   I had this with basmati rice, roasted baby carrots and baby zucchini.  Sautéed  spinach, or maybe broccoli raab would be good too.  I think that the slight bitterness of the broccoli raab would be a great contrast to the way that these seasonings meld into a very earthy background to the chicken.

A son goût!

More on growing herbs

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For those just starting gardening, and growing herbs is a great place to start, here’s an article from The Herb Companion that addresses the joys of having a kitchen garden of herbs (in containers), and how easy it can be.  You’ll probably find that it’s addictive!  Once you know how easily you can grow them almost any where, and how useful they are, you’ll not want to be without fresh herbs in season.

Chervil & Savory

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Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is a wonderful herb, but unless you grow it yourself, you’re unlikely to every taste it.  It’s too delicate to be found in the grocery store in the little plastic boxes or in bunches.  I’ve not see it at the farmers’ market as a cut herb either.

As the plant is delicate, the flavor is too:  hints of anise/tarragon and parsley but subtle–which is not something you’d say about French tarragon.

Chervil seed is easy to germinate but the plant is difficult to transplant as it has a taproot. It likes rich, moist soil that is well drained, and would like to be in partial shade. You can sow outside several weeks before the last frost.  It is another herb that like cooler weather, but it may be prolonged by providing some shade, e.g. planting it under other plants. Like cilantro, it is a fast-growing annual that will flower quickly.  If you cut off the flowers you can prolong the foliage to some extent, but the old leaves will change color (from the lovely greet to yellow and purple) and become tough and lose flavor.  If it becomes one of your must-have herbs, you can sow successively (as with cilantro) throughout the growing season.

To harvest, cut sprigs about two inches above the ground, taking the older leaves from the outside of the plant, but be sure to leave the new center leaves as this is where the new growth is occurring.  As with most other herbs, you should not harvest more than one-third of the plant at a time since it needs the leaves for photosynthesis.

In cooking, use it where you want delicate flavors e.g. with mild fish or seafood.  It would do well with young poultry that has more delicate flavor than the older bird.  Chervil would be good with young vegetables–e.g. baby carrots, or fresh baby peas.   The leaves are mild enough to add to salads, and to use as a garnish in place of parsley.  It could be used with many of the same foods as tarragon, only where you’d like a more delicate touch–e.g. with eggs. It’s so mild that you will want to use lots of it–quite in contrast to tarragon.

I am not a fan of dried chervil–it seems to lose a lot of flavor and come across somewhat hay-like, even when I’m sure I’ve obtained it from a supplier with good turnover of their dried herbs.  So for me, it’s one of the signs of spring, right along with the new peas.

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Image from Mountain Valley Growers

Winter savory (Satureja montana)

Savory is not going to be found in the grocery store shelves either.  Two savories, summer (Satureja hortensis) and winter savory (Satureja montana) have very distinctly different growth and appearance.

Summer savory is an annual about 12 to 18 inches tall that tends to be rather sparse, lanky looking with grayish green leaves that will last only until frost.  Winter savory is a perennial, evergreen or semi-evergreen, shrub with a bushy habit, usually not taller than about 12 inches.  It’s leaves are glossy, dark green and closely spaced.

While both have are spicy, rather than sweet flavor (like tarragon or chervil), the winter savory is spicier and hotter than the summer, but they can generally be used interchangeably, though the milder summer savory is best with fresh summer veggies.  I think that the savories are most commonly associated with northern European cooking than with American cooking.

Both winter and summer savory are sometimes known as the “bean herb” as they are particularly used with dishes made with dried beans;  the somewhat milder summer savory is great with fresh beans as well (fava, lima, or green beans).  Other uses include with cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and with summer squash, and roasted potatoes.  It’s potent enough to use in marinades for beef, lamb, as well as chicken and pork.

The summer savory is easily started from seed.  Summer savory is not fond of being transplanted (if starting indoors use peat pots so that you do not have to disturb its roots).  It does will is average soil that is well drained, but well watered.   It will want plenty of sun and does need to be well fertilized.  Blooms will appear between the leaves on the upper portion of the plant.  At that point you should cut the plant back by about one-third in order to prolong its culinary use by encouraging more foliage.

Winter savory can tolerate poorer soil than the summer, but it also must be well drained. It also wants plenty of sun.  It is hardy to about zone 5,  if the roots are not wet during the cold weather.  Wet roots in the winter may well mean no savory in the spring–really true of most perennial herbs!    After or as it blooms (I prefer not to let my herbs bloom), it should also be cut back to encourage it to be bushy and increase foliage, which is what you want for cooking.

Both are harvested by cutting springs from the plant–remember not to cut more than one-third of the plant at a time so that it can keep growing and producing.  If you need to store savory,  wrap in a slightly damp paper towel and place in a zipper-lock back.  Summer savory should hold for about a week, and winter for about two weeks.

USDA hardiness zones

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I’ve talked about growing your own herbs, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned that certain perennials are hardy in some zones and not in others.  If you are unfamiliar with these, here is a link  from the National Gardening Association which will answer some questions about hardiness zones, and will let you check out your zone.  Remember that drainage can affect hardiness, and it will make a difference if the plants are in pots, rather than in the ground.

It’s not only cold that affects your plants:  It’s thought that plants begin to suffer physiological damage at temperatures above 86 ° F.  From the American Horticultural Society, here is a link to a downloadable heat zone map; online this map may be viewed at the Southern Gardening website.  This gives the average number of days when the temperature is above 86 ° F

In using either of these (cold hardiness or heat zones) you have to consider where your plants are being grown–in the ground, in pots, the soil drainage, and water availability, among other things.

Epazote & Mexican Mint Marigold

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Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosiodes)

Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosides) is an herb that is used in Mexican cooking (sometimes even referred to as “Mexican herb”).  It’s difficult to describe the flavor.  I’ve asked a number of customers at the farmers’ market who have used it and we agree that flavor is a bit like cilantro (or culantro) with a bit of citrus thrown in for good measure, with perhaps a bit of bitterness.  It is one that has become a part of my kitchen garden each year now.  It’s not really a pretty herb, but it is tasty. (Image from Mountain Valley Growers).

It is a tender perennial (dies back to the ground at frost but emerges again in the spring) hardy to USDA zone 8.  It is an heat-loving herb that will develop best flavor in full sun.  It is tolerant of some, but not complete, drying out.   In colder regions it may be over-wintered indoors.

Young leaves can be treated like sorrel–added to other greens, wilted and added to soups, but use sparingly until you’re acquainted with the taste as it can be potent. It is said to reduce the flatulence that can occur after eating beans, and had other medicinal uses by Aztecs.

As with most herbs, I think it is best used fresh, although it can be dried, and is available from Penzeys Spices.  That is how I first used it, but extrapolating from that use, I decided that I wanted to try the fresh herb–and it’s become permanent part of my herb garden.

Mexican mint marigold/Spanish tarragon (Tagetes lucida)

Spanish/Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida)

If you find it impossible to get French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus sativa) to thrive, but would like a reasonable tarragon flavor, the you might want to investigate Spanish tarragon (Tagetes lucida) or Mexican mint marigold.   This plant does better in hot, humid weather than French tarragon.  It is an annual/tender perennial that likes sun, even moisture (but not wet feet) and average soil.  It can be up to 3 feet in height. 

The flavor is anise/licorice rather than what you expect of other “marigolds”.   It is a better substitute for French tarragon than is Russian tarragon.  In recipes calling for French tarragon, you can substitute this herb is the same quantity.  It does break down more quickly than French tarragon with cooking so might need to be added later, or additional added at the end of cooking if the flavor has weakened with heat.  In vinaigrettes, flavored vinegar and sauces it can be used as French tarragon.  Good with eggs, chicken, mild seafood and tomatoes as is French tarragon. 

Harvesting & using herbs

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Now that you have all those lovely herbs growing in your kitchen garden (or just in containers) you need to get them into the kitchen and use them.  There are some general things that apply to harvesting and using almost all herbs in order to get the best flavor in your dishes.

Even though there are “classic” combinations (e.g. basil and tomatoes) don’t be afraid to experiment…that’s the point of having this selection available at your kitchen door!  Smell and taste the leaves of your herbs.  Think about the dish you’re cooking, how you feel today….

Try something different–fresh oregano or marjoram with the pasta sauce today; or maybe even tarragon or fennel with tomatoes.  (Yes, the leaves of that Florence/bulb fennel can be used as seasoning too.)   Experiment!  Taste!  Smell!  That’s what herbs are all about.

In reading through cookbooks, you’ll find may different opinions about when to harvest, whether or not you want herbs to bloom.  Here are a few generalizations about growing, harvesting, and using those wonderful plants that come from my experience:

  • For best flavor you want to keep most of your herbs from blooming; once the plant starts blooming and making seed it is less flavorful.  (You can find all sorts of articles pro and con; this is my opinion.)  To do this you will want to pinch out forming flowers at the tips.  This is particularly true for basils.
  • You generally need to keep herbs trimmed or they can get very unruly, lanky and leggy and straggly.  If you’re not using enough to keep them bushy, and retard blooming, then give them a “butch” every once in a while to keep them bushy and full.
  • Rosemary is an exception it’s not “pinchable” as it blooms along the stems themselves.
  • If you have several plants or if you want to use the flowers (they are edible) then you may want to let part of them bloom–they are lovely, but you sacrifice flavor in exchange for the blooms.
  • Don’t harvest more than one-third of the plant at a time–the herb needs enough leaves to keep growing since it depends on the leaves for photosynthesis and growth.
  • Fresh herbs are best when harvested as needed–not to be stored in the refrigerator for days. That is the whole point of having those pots on the deck.  When I need to trim, I either find something to do with the trimmings (make an herb vinaigrette or put the leaves in salads), or give them to friends…I won’t store them in the fridge.
  •  You’ll be cutting springs rather than picking individual leaves for most herbs (e.g. thyme, tarragon, sage), and then stripping the leaves from the stems (if the stems are woody or tough).
  • Bay is an exception: harvest by picking individual leaves, not sprigs, and not the newest leaves on the plant.  To harvest bay leaves, take the individual leaf and pull downward sharply.
  • You may want to add herbs at several times during cooking:  early to allow flavors to “meld”, but also again near the end in order to have the fresh flavor as many herbs lose some flavor with heating; you can give you dish a “fresh” boost by adding a bit more of the fresh herbs at the end of cooking.
  • If your recipe calls for dried herbs and you are substituting fresh herbs, you’ll need to use about three or four times as much of the fresh as the dried:  e.g. one teaspoon of dried thyme = one tablespoon of fresh thyme.
  • The way that an herb is cut can affect the flavor of a dish.  The more finely it is cut, the more rapidly the essential oils will diffuse into your dish, and the faster the essential oils may dissipate with heating.  Coarsely chopped herbs will release flavor more slowly and “hang around” longer.
  • You can preserve herbs for off season use by freezing but just throwing them into the freezer in a bag doesn’t do well. You can freeze them in ice by coarsely chopping them, packing them in ice-cube trays, and then cover with cold water and freeze. Color may suffer, but flavor is preserved  though you have to consider the effect that the extra water will have on adding to a dish.
  • My favorite way of freezing is to make a “pesto”–an herb and oil purée–of the herbs and pack into zipper-lock freezer bags.  You can cut off what you need.  This has the advantage of not adding additional water, and I think that it keeps flavor better than water and is more versatile.  The approximate proportions for this would be 1/4 cup oil for each gently packed cup of fresh herbs.  This works with basil, tarragon, marjoram, oregano, dill and cilantro.


Cilantro & coriander

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Cilantro image Johnnyselectseeds.com

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

Cilantro and coriander (Coriandrum sativum) are the same plant–just different parts used at different times–cilantro (herb) and the seeds (coriander–the spice).  I think cilantro (the herb) may be a love-it-or-hate-it flavor.  I like it, and even make a cilantro soup (no kidding).  It’s readily available in most grocery stores, but that large bunch does not keep well once you’ve used that little bit you need for single-serving cooking.  It’s a must-have for salsa, with chili, and Mexican and Asian dishes.

One way to have a continuing supply of cilantro when you want it is to grow your own, but that has its own problems, too.  It likes rich soil, plenty of  even moisture, and sun. Coriander seeds germinate easily. It can be direct sown in the garden or in a container and the foliage cut as you need it. It does best in spring and fall when the weather is cooler (even though it is a tropical plant).  Having a supply all summer (during tomato season) is going to take a bit of effort.

The difficulty with growing cilantro is that it’s not like  perennial herbs or parsley (a biennial) that just lasts all summer. Cilantro is a very quick-growing annual–it’s going to bloom and go to seed (bolt) as soon as it gets hot, perhaps even before it can develop a good crop of foliage, which is what you really want.  If you cut off the flower/seed head you can have the foliage for a bit longer. You can try giving it some shade in the hottest part of the day and perhaps prolong it a bit.

You can do succession planting…a little every two or three weeks depending on how much you use in conjunction with the above suggestions.  If you really love the stuff, then successive planting may help you keep a supply.

There is a benefit of growing your own: you can allow it to go to seed and you have coriander. The seeds, when not dried have some of the flavor of  cilantro and some of the flavor of coriander–so it’s fun to try using them in different ways too.

Frankly, I don’t think that even succession plantings works well  in the hot, humid, North Carolina summers–the small plants can bolt even before there is enough foliage for a single serving of something, and certainly NOT enough for cilantro soup. (This is a potato-based soup that I’ve made hot, but I think I’d like to try it as a cold summer soup too, garnished with some chopped tomatoes….that’s the fun of cooking for one.)

Culantro (Eryngium foetidum)

Another possible solution to get the cilantro flavor is to grow a substitute for it, such as culantro (Eryngium foetidum) sometimes found under the names of saw-tooth herb, or Mexican coriander, among many other names as well.  It is a native of South America and Mexico.  This is an herb which is widely used in Caribbean cooking, and in India, and East Asia as well.  It has the flavor of cilantro–but is a perennial plant (grown as annual in many climates).  The disadvantage of this herb is that the leaves are tough–not at all soft like cilantro leaves.  An advantage is that it’s tolerant of hot, humid climate.  Purportedly, it is increasing in use in industrial herb production as its leaves hold flavor when dried much better than Coriandrum sativum.  I’m trying a pot of it on my deck this summer.  Last summer I tried to germinate seeds and it was a total flop.  I was fortunate enough to find a plant at Stone Brothers & Byrd here in Durham this year so I’m going to try it again.

Vietnamese cilantro (Polygonum odoratum)

There is a second alternative for cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) flavor is  Vietnamese coriander or Polygonum odoratum. I have not been fortunate enough to find this one locally this year–it’s another that I want to explore the possibility of growing for the farmers’ market.  This herb is frequently used in Vietnamese cooking.  It has some “cilantro” flavor so is a possibile substitute.  The big advantage here is that it’s easy to grow.  It likes afternoon shade or even dappled shade all day, but needs to be evenly moist.  It’s fast enough growing that you may need to divide or transplant to a larger pot several times a season.  If it becomes root bound it will quit producing leaves.  It is a tropical plant that will die back at freezing (32 ° F/ 0 ° C).  Not all bad, as it can be kept indoors over the winter in a bright spot.  I had this on the deck last summer and was very pleased with it.  I just did not have enough light to maintain it indoors during the winter.   Now I need to find another plant.

(This image is from Mountain Valley Growers.  For some additional discussion of these herbs you can go to their website.  I’ve ordered from this supplier before and been very pleased with the quality and condition of the plants when they’ve arrived.  They also have some great recipes on that site too. There’s a lot of information on herbs and their use at this website.)

All things considered, I expect that I’ll buy cilantro from the grocery store when I need large quantities for the soup, but for single-serving amounts, I’ll  keep trying succession planting, culantro leaves, and hope to find Vietnamese cilantro locally rather than have to special order it.  (The problem with ordering for herb suppliers is that there is frequently a minimum order which needs to be met…I really don’t need six new herbs on my deck now–but I’m certainly considering it because I’d really like to have this one again.)  I’ll be letting some cilantro go to seed to try more of the green seeds as seasoning, too.

One additional solution to help you through the hot weather is to make “pesto” (leaving out the cheese and nuts) from cilantro leaves and keep it covered with a thin film of oil.  That holds remarkably well in the refrigerator (just like pesto)–about a week.   I’ve not tried freezing this as you can pesto, but I have used a frozen product during the winter.

There frozen cilantro available in the  Dorot (a company in Israel) line of frozen, chopped herbs.  I’ve used their cilantro/coriander during the winter when I need small quantities for things like adding fresh cilantro flavor to chili con carne, and been very pleased with it.  If you go to the Website you can find a store near you that carries the products.  (Image from Dorot.)

Growing & cooking with French tarragon

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French tarragon

French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)

For me, another “must have” fresh herb is  French tarragon (Artemesia dracunculus var. sativa)–now.  Until I tasted the French variety fresh, I disliked it intensely.  I simply could not understand why people would rave about it as seasoning for anything.  Dried tarragon was what I tasted first–and threw it out: it was harsh and hay-like.

Then I decided to try the fresh herb–fresh is better, right?  I trundled off to a garden center and bought a “tarragon” plant.  Tarragon is tarragon, right?

That plant grew well, had nice tall, straight stems, but the taste did nothing for me; in fact I thought it was somewhat bitter.  I did realize that sometimes the flavor of herbs varies–just as anything live and growing varies from one to another.  So being somewhat stubborn, I went to a garden center with a larger selection of herbs and I bought another plant…this one labelled as French tarragon–the botanical name was shown on the tag.  (I almost didn’t buy it because while it was nice and green, it was rather straggly looking and it was expensive (compared to other herbs and the first tarragon plant I had bought).  But–I did buy it as it was the only tarragon  there; it grew slowly and was rather weedy looking–not a pretty plant.  When I was finally able to  pick some leaves to use,  that first taste made it obvious to me that this was something different.

I did some research and discovered that there are two kinds of tarragon:  Russian and French.  The Russian can be grown from seed, is a more robust looking plant, cheaper,  and is what you are likely to get if you buy a plant that just called tarragon.  On the other hand, the French tarragon will likely be more expensive, not as sturdy looking, must be started from cuttings or root divisions as it does not produce seeds; it’s also slower growing–but, the flavor is awesome!

The lessons from this?  Don’t bother to buy dried tarragon unless you like the flavor of hay, and don’t buy a tarragon plant unless it’s labelled French tarragon (Artemesia dracunculus var. sativa).

Once you get this treasure home, you’ll need to see that it has excellent drainage and lots of sun.  This particular herb has a few idiosyncrasies:   it likes a light, richer soil than other herbs such as  thyme, sage or oregano and while it is a hardy perennial, it actually needs (requires) a cold dormant period.  It will die back to the ground in the fall, but should survive the winter if it is in well-drained soil.

[Note:  If you live where you don’t get that kind of cold in the winter you may have trouble growing French tarragon as a perennial; instead of trying the Russian you might want to try Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida) also know as marigold mint.  The flavor of this is slightly sweeter and more licorice-like than French tarragon, but better than the Russian tarragon.]

It may be so slow to show in the spring that you’ll think that it’s not coming back–be patient.  In an extremely hot, humid climate, I’ve found that it does well with about six or eight hours of sunlight and then some shade during the hottest part of the day.  As it is rather slow growing, it may not need dividing for three or four years.

Now that you have this in your herb garden, what can you do with it?  To harvest it for use, you can cut almost anywhere, but don’t take more than half the plant at one time–it needs enough leaves left to have strength to grow back.  By pinching tips you can keep it a bit more bushy–but it’s always going to be a kind of weedy looking herb.

It’s best used as soon as it’s harvested, but it can be stored wrapped in a damp paper towel in a sealed zipperlock plastic bag in the refrigerator for three or four days, but one of the reasons for growing it is to use it at its peak flavor–right away.

The flavor of French tarragon is described as sweet and anise-like, with minty and peppery sensations–complex!  (It contains some of the same essential oil that is found in anise.)  It’s best to add it near the end of cooking because, like some other herbs (basil, for example), it loses some flavor with heating.

This is not an herb that you reach for as your basic “go to” like thyme or oregano but it’s a classic with chicken, mild seafood, and eggs.   A simple lemon/butter sauce is delightful on seafood with a bit of tarragon added.  The sweet, anise-like flavor is also good with root veggies like carrots, beets; fresh vegetables like peas, asparagus, green beans.   You can use tarragon with fruits as well as vegetables:  melon, peaches or stone fruits.  An intriguing suggestion  I’ve seen (but not yet tried) is with citrus sorbet such as grapefruit or lime; sounds like a great summer cooler–I also  wonder about adding it with grapefruit when making aqua fresca for hot weather drinks.

It’s part of some classic herb mixes such as the French mixture called fines herbs and herbes de Provence (actual herbs used and proportions will vary with the producer).  It’s also use in the classic Béarnaise sauce, frequently served with a good steak.

You’ll find your own uses for this herb if you have it readily available.  As always, smell and taste and see what clicks with you; even though there are classic combination, there are lots of other possibilities.

A son goût!  

Bay, basil & oregano

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Turkish (sweet) bay (Laurus nobilis)

New leaves on Laurus nobilis plant

Bay (Laurus nobilis)

This may be an herb that is associated more with winter cuisine because it is so frequently used in soups, stews, and braises which are typical of cool weather cooking.  Once you have used the fresh rather than dried leaves, it will be an all-season herb.

Culinary bay (Laurus nobilis) is often called bay laurel, sweet bay or Turkish bay.  The botanical name is important for this herb as there is another, California bay (Umbellularia californica), that is often found as “bay”.   The flavor of the California bay is more medicinal with a strong camphor smell that is much different from the complex flavors of  true bay laurel.   There is a whole new experience waiting when you use fresh bay laurel leaves in cooking.

This herb is “picky” to grow, but well worth the effort.  To grow bay laurel, you will need to buy a plant from a reputable source so that you can be sure that you are getting Laurus nobilis since the California bay lacks the “sweetness” of true bay.  True bay  is more expensive than most herbs because it’s difficult to propagate and is slow-growing.  You’ll likely (depending on climate where you live) want to grow your bay in a container in order to move it inside in the wintertime, at least until it is about 24 inches tall when the stems will be somewhat woody and better able to withstand cold.

Bay needs sun, but too intense sunlight will burn the leaves–so having it in a pot will let you move it around and discover the best site for it.   It also needs fertile soil, evenly moist but well-drained.  It should never be allowed to dry out completely or it’s likely to die. This is an herb that will need a container all to itself.  If you need to bring it indoors to winter over, you’ll need to put it where there is plenty of light and where it is well ventilated–best in a cooler area.  While indoors bay is susceptible to some pests like mealy bugs, scale, and aphids so you must watch it closely.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum)

If there is a summer herb, as dried bay might be considered a winter herb,  it is most likely basil (Ocimum basilicum), especially the sweet, large-leaf, Italian basil.  Say tomato, and I’m sure a lot of  “foodies” would immediately say basil.  It is a tender annual that will not winter over–so it’s a spring event when you can plant basil and anxiously await that first harvest.   I suspect that basil would be at the top of a list of herbs grown by home gardeners–especially as it is so strongly associated with tomatoes.  There are many varieties of basil (purple, Thai, holy, cinnamon, lemon, and lime, globe for just a few) but we’ll start with the most common: sweet or Genovase basil.

To grow basil, you can start with seed or buy plants.  It is a heat-loving herb so you need to wait for warm weather to plant it outdoors (generally night-time temperatures need to stay above 50 ° F).  You can get a head start if you plant seeds indoors.  Once the weather is warm, you can gradually get your plants used to the outdoors, and finally plant them out. For your first time of growing basil, you should probably just buy plants.  Even so, if you plant your basil outdoors while the temperatures are too cool, you’re likely to have stunted plants that will never do really well.

Basil can be grown in the vegetable garden, herb garden, or in containers.  It needs average soil (so it will do well in that potting soil that you got from the garden center) but needs plenty of water (even moisture, not allowed to dry out between waterings) but must be well-drained.  It needs lots of  sun, but it does not like the drier, poorer soil conditions that some of the Mediterranean herbs will tolerate; however, basil will not do well in soil that is too rich either (don’t fertilize too much)–that will make it less fragrant since it will contain less of the essential oils.  This means that you should not plant basil in the same container as other Mediterranean herbs like sage.

As you start your basil plants, you want to pinch the growing tips so that the plants will branch sideways and be full and bushy.  Basil flowers readily, but after flowering the flavor declines so be rigorous in pinching the flowering tips.

There is one serious fungus disease (fusarium wilt) that can affect basil–it turns the leaves black and will kill plants in a short time.  This is a disease that is carried by seeds–so if you are starting your basil from seed, buy seeds that have been tested and are known to be disease free.  Should you get this disease in your plants, the only thing you can do is (literally) trash them–don’t throw the diseased plants in the compost or that will be contaminated too, and the disease can be transmitted to tomatoes and basil plants on which that compost is used.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum) 

Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare, subsp. hirtum)

There are many types of oregano which vary markedly in the intensity of flavor.  Likely the one most commonly found in the supermarket or in the garden center is common or wild oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. vulgare).  I like to grow the true Greek oregano (subspecies hirtum) for my use as it is very spicy and has an intense flavor.  It is a less vigorous growing plant than the common, but still easy to grow.   While you can start oregano from seed, it takes a long time to germinate and is slow-growing so unless you have lots of patience, buy a plant to start your herb garden.   The best way to tell what you’re getting it to smell and/or taste a leaf from the plant that you’re going to buy.  If you have never tasted Greek oregano, you are in for a wonderful treat–it’s much more flavorful and more peppery than the common oregano (which is what is most likely in those supermarket packs and in the garden center).

The two basics for growing oregano are sun and well-drained soil; given these it is a vigorous grower.  It is a perennial so once you get it started, it will stay with you for quite some time and generally be quite carefree to grow.   As with most herbs, it benefits from being used frequently or having the growing tips pinched occasionally to encourage it to branch and be a bushy, rather than a leggy, lanky plant.

A word of warning:  if you are also growing common oregano (see also Marjoram), don’t put it near your other species of oregano–it spreads by underground off-shoots (stolons) and by seeding itself, and it can (and likely will) replace your prized Greek (or other) oregano.   You might plant your Greek oregano in a container with sage, but not with other species of oregano or with marjoram.

◊ ♦ ◊

These three herbs would have to be part of absolute bare necessities, along with parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary, for my cooking.  The longer I cook, the more herbs I want to have available for spontaneous use:  I’ve added tarragon, epazote and shiso (perilla), and lavender to what I’ve come to consider the “necessities”.  Every growing season is likely to find me adding another herb–this year it’s lime basil.  I’m waiting rather impatiently for the plant to be large enough to harvest some leaves and do something more than nibble on a leaf and contemplate where I’ll use it!

Parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme…

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Those are some of the basics–but there are so many other herbs to use in seasoning your food.   For growing your own, start with the basics–don’t overwhelm yourself at your first attempt at growing.  Better to get a few going well and gradually add to them as you get more comfortable taking care of your growing collection.  Each cook will have favorite herbs (or blends) to add or to substitute to make up you kitchen basics, but I’m going to talk about growing some of the very common herbs first, and then we’ll go on to some less common, but delightful herbs.  Harvesting and cooking with these fresh herbs will come just a bit later.

I am going to include botanical names so that when (or if) you go looking through catalogs you will be able to relate to those.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

Petroselinum crispum

is a member of the carrot family that we (all too frequently) think of as a garnish.  Parsley is grown as an herb, but also as a spice and a vegetable (root).  It’s native to the Mediterranean region–along with the sage, and thyme.  Here we’re considering the use as an herb.  (The vegetable part will come later; seeds are reputedly useful medicinally, but that is not considered here either).

It’s a wonderful herb in its own right–adding freshness and “green-ness” to lots of dishes.  There are two kinds of parsley: curly (Petroselinum crispum var. crispum) and “flat-leaf” or Italian parsley (P. crispum var. neapolitanum). There is a “gourmet” tendency toward the “flat-leaf” or Italian variety, but either can be used.  The essential oils that provide the herbal flavor are the same in either the curly or the flat-leaf; there is a bit of variation in when these flavors peak.   The flavor of parsley is usually described as “fresh”, “woody”, but there is also a flavor of anise (very common in herbs).  It is frequently use with other herbs to provide a rounded out background flavor.   Parsley can also be used as a “salad” green–e.g. tabbouleh.

Parsley is easy to grow–it likes basking in the sun, with evenly moist roots.  It’s a biennial plant so it will not “bolt” (go to seed) until the second year, but you’ll want to re-seed then to be sure that you have a constant crop.

Swallow-tail and Monarch butterflies love parsley (and other carrot-family herbs–so if the caterpillars descend on it, they can munch it down to  bare stems in a very short time.  If you note lots of swallowtail butterflies around, you might want to buy some extra parsley seed and throw it out in the hedgerows and edges of the garden for them–maybe they’ll leave your herbs alone.

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Salvia officinalis var. Berggarten

Sage is the “poultry” herb to many people, but it has so many more uses than just poultry.  I think it has to be described as a rather “dry, austere” herb.  (If that sounds like wine-speak, it really is, but the terms lend themselves well to describing you basic culinary sage.   There are many varieties of sage available.  One of the chief differences between the culinary varieties is the ease with which they bloom, and to some degree, the concentration of essential oils which give the flavor to sage.

Plain Salvia officinalis (regular “garden sage”) will bloom quite readily bloom in the spring; other varieties such as the Berggarten or Extrakta tend to bloom less readily.  (While the blossoms of many herbs are beautiful, they will affect the lifespan and the flavor.)

Salvia officinalis (Extrakta)

 Personally I grow these two varieties as they do not bloom readily and are high in essential oils.  The Berggarten seems to be especially well suited to containers as it is less gangly, leggy or sprawling.  The flavor of both is excellent.  Both are usually hardy throughout cold winters.  You can see the difference in the openness of these two.   For your first attempt at growing sage, you certainly do not need to find anything exotic–just get plain “garden sage” which is what you’ll find in most garden centers.

Sage is one of the “Mediterranean herbs”–hot, dry, drought tolerant group.  So long as sage has lots of sun and well-drained soil, you should not have any problem growing it, and getting it to come back the following year.  If you have problems with it, most likely its feet are wet–and that makes the roots rot, and the plant dies.  Sage tolerates drought well, so don’t plant it in the same container with your basil (which likes more moisture).  You can see that I’ve planted these in larger individual pots.  While some sources say that sages may not survive the heat and the humidity of the Southeast United States, I have not had any problem keeping them going for several years.  These plants are both several years old.  In the heat (and humidity) of the North Carolina summer, I do not put these in all-day sun.  The sage gets put where it has afternoon sun.  Since the deck is mostly shaded, the sage pots are set along the stairs.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

I’m sure this woody, evergreen (but tender) shrub well know to all  for its resinous, pine-y scent from stews and grilled foods.  It’s native to the Mediterranean coast and will not likely survive winters with sustained temperatures below about 10 ° F.  If you live where winters are moderate enough for it to survive, it can be a lovely shrub.  (With a little pruning and shaping I bring mine in briefly to use as a Christmas tree.)  If winters are very cold, it will need some protection in the wintertime–if it is in a container, put is indoors where it is partially protected; mulch it heavily, et cetera.  Mine (potted) has survived several winters of quite cold spells (short) with some protection like moving it to the back porch where it is warmer and protected from wind and frost (but not heated).

Rosemary is usually grown from cuttings rather than seed–we tried seeds last year on the farm, and the germination was very slow and very poor; you’ll be best off buying a plant that is already started.  One of the hardiest varieties is “Arp” which can withstand lower temperatures if  given some protection.   When buying your plant, crush a few leaves and smell it–if it does not have good strong scent, then try another plant.  The intensity of the flavor will vary rather markedly with the season (weaker in the winter; stronger in the summer).

This is another herb which does not like “wet feet”; it needs well-drained soil.  Potted it does best when slightly rootbound or potbound; keep the pot to a size that you can move into shelter in the winter–about 12 inches.   Rosemary also needs good air circulation around it, especially in the humid Southeastern United States.  I would not plant rosemary with other herbs because of this.   Harvesting and cooking with rosemary will follow shortly.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Winter thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Thyme is another Mediterranean herb that loves well-drained soil, and lots of sun.  There are many varieties of thyme.  For now I’m excluding the “flavored” ones like lemon, or caraway.  The basic culinary thyme is Thymus vulgaris.  Look at an herb catalogue and you’ll find winter and summer thyme, French, German, and English thyme.

Most commonly the thyme found at your garden center is likely to be winter or English thyme.  This is called winter thyme because it is quite hardy and will very likely winter over without much fuss.  This is a woody herb so that you have to remove the tiny leaves from the stems, and it’s likely to get straggly and rather ratty looking despite trimming and pinching.

French (summer) thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

My particular favorite is “summer” or French thyme since the stems are not nearly as woody.  The down side of the summer thyme is that it does not tolerate cold winters and may not winter over.  So far I’ve been lucky here in North Carolina; my French, summer thyme as wintered well without my doing more that putting the pot somewhere a bit sheltered (screened back porch).  It’s a pleasant surprise when it comes back in the spring.

Regardless of which variety you’re growing, keep in mind that it is another herb which needs well-drained soil and sun.  You may well want several plants in order to have a good supply as you need to strip the leaves, which are small, from the stems unless you are going to remove the stems after cooking.

If you look at the characteristics of the herbs discussed above, you see that they all need well-drained soil and sunshine to thrive.  With the exception of rosemary, it would be possible to do a container of sage and thyme together; they sage is a more upright plant while thyme is lower growing, and will hang over the edges of the pot.  We’ll discuss some other herbs  which might  go into a planter with the sage and the thyme.