Herbs (chart)

Herb	Flavor	Uses in Cooking & TIPS	Combinations with other herbs	Growing & Storing	History and fun facts	My Favorite Recipes
Basil	Peppery with little spice with hints of clove and licorice	Most popular is pesto, tomatoes, Italian dishes like pizza, pasta sauce; vegetables, poultry, cheese. Tip: Use fresh for best results at the end of the cooking process. If using dried, add at the beginning of the cooking process to develop the flavors	Can be used with oregano, parsley and/or thyme	Annual, plant in spring after last frost. Delicate herb that is very sensitive to cold weather. Take in doors below 40 degrees. Store in refrigerator wrapped in damp towels or in a glass of water for up to 4 days. Cam freeze in olive oil (as in pesto).	There are over 50 varieties; a member of the mint family; called the royal herb by ancient Greeks and a token of love by the Italians.	Pesto; Fresh Mozzarella and tomato salad; Italian Sausage Casserole
Bay Leaves	Smokey	Used to flavor sauces, soups and stews. Can be used to flavor meats, poultry, fish and vegetables. Tip: Use the dried leaves sparingly and remove before serving but if you accidently leave a piece in and your guest spoons it out, declare them a great leader	Use in bouquet garni, i.e, several herbs (parsley, thyme, onions, peppercorns) and spices tied in cheesecloth and dropped in soup, remove at the end of the cooking time	Plant laurel tree in warm climate areas where it is free from frost. Fresh leaves are rarely use because they are so much stronger than the dried leaves	From the evergreen laurel tree; for centuries has been the symbol of a triumphant leader, with magical qualities hence the saying. “winning your laurels”	Lentil and Chorizo Stew with smoked paprika
Chervil	Mild and very similar to parsley with mild anise flavor	Can be used fresh or dried. Common in many Mediterranean dishes Tip: Add at the end of the cooking process for maximum flavor	Used in fines herbs, a combination of fresh parsley, chives, tarragon, marjoram, and chervil	Fast growing, harvest before the plant goes to seed. Store fresh in refrigerator for up to one week, freeze in water in ice cubes. Can be dried but many say it loses some flavor, sauté dried herbs to enhance the flavor	Fernlike beautiful plant in the parsley family	Lemon Green beans and celery salad
Chives	Mild onion	Can be used dried or fresh and their lavender flowers are also edible Tip: Great garnish that also adds flavor	Can be used with rosemary, parsley or cilantro	Are perennials and grow well in warm weather. Store in refrigerator in plastic bag for up to one week, freeze or dry	Related to the onion and contains vitamin A, potassium and calcium. Produce beautiful violet flowers and are great in flower pots or as border plants	Chive aioli sauce for fish Egg omelet with chives
Cilantro	Lemon mint	Can be used fresh in butter, mayonnaise and/or dried in salads, salsa, soups, chicken and meat dishes Tip: Trying to impress your friends with a home cooked meal but ended up having to work late? Keep a jar of salsa in the pantry, open, pour into your favorite serving dish add freshly chopped cilantro and jalapeno or Serrano pepper, use half for dip with chips and pour the other half over chicken pieces or fish, cover and cook. Garnish with more cilantro. No one has to know that the salsa came out of a jar. Serve with rice.	Good with parsley, mint, chives,	Fast growing annual, that does well in pots. The entire plant including the leaves, the seeds and roots are all edible. Produces seeds quickly (coriander) in warm weather Store fresh refrigerated in water, mix in butter and freeze	Was used by the Chinese as a love potion	Roasted tomato and garlic salsa Grilled guacamole; Pecan crusted Halibut with Cilantro aioli
Dill	Sweet, yet slightly bitter	The feathery leaves can be used dried or fresh. Add fresh leaves to butter. Add fresh at the end of the cooking process. The seeds are widely used in pickles. Tip: The seeds increase in flavor with heat and are often toasted for enhancing flavor	Tarragon, parsley or rosemary	An annual plant that grows wild. Store fresh refrigerated for up to 10-14 days or mix in butter and freeze; can also store in vinegar	Sorcerers used to make their concoction more potent. Derived from the word dilla, meaning to lull, because it is said to have digestive and sedative qualities	Granny’s pickles Add dill to your favorite potato salad recipe and to your favorite homemade bread recipe
Lemon Grass	Sour lemon	Used to make tea or for soups	Garlic, cilantro; Chili pepper	Available fresh or dried; store fresh in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and 6months frozen	Used in Thai cooking; long grey leaves with; Also known as citronella	Thai seafood Soup
Marjoram	Mildly than oregano, slightly spicy	The leaves can be used dried which intensifies the flavor or fresh Tip: if using fresh, add at the end of cooking process	Oregano, parsley, sage and rosemary	A perennial plant in the mint family. Store dried in airtight containers. Freeze fresh in freezer bags or in olive oil.	Used as an air freshener some countries thought it to be a symbol of honor and happiness, often made into crowns and worn by newlyweds.	5 Herb stuffed meatloaf
Mint	Peppery; two most popular of 30 species is spearmint and peppermint	Use fresh, dried or as an extract or an oil Tip: Freeze fresh leaves in lemon /lime water then freeze in ice cube trays. Makes a wonderful presentation for cocktail drinks or punch with added flavor, the ice won’t dilute the drink	Basil	Perennial plant that grows wild Store fresh in water refrigerated for up to one week, changing water every two days	The symbol of hospitality with records dating over 2000 years ago	Mint Mojito Layered Mint Salad
Oregano	Pungent mint	Use leaves fresh or dried. Good in tomato dishes, stuffing, pork, soups, and vegetables. Tip: Use sparingly as oregano is a strong herb especially in the hot months of summer, it can over power basil.	Basil, marjoram, parsley, and/or thyme; use sparingly with sage and rosemary	Low growing perennial Makes a good border plant. Store fresh oregano in a plastic bag refrigerated up to 3 days.	American soldiers returning from WWII raved about something they ate while in Italy called pizza Oregano was sprinkled on top. Following that, sales jumped 5000% for the herb which previously was never mentioned in the U.S.	Italian Sausage Casserole Five herb encrusted pork tenderloin
Parsley curly Italian flat leaf	Slightly peppery	The most popular herb worldwide used both fresh and dried; one of 3 herbs used in bouquet garni (tied together with thyme and bay leaf) to flavor soups and sauces TIP: Use as a garnish and breath freshener so take a little piece with you from the restaurant especially if you are on your first date	Parsley can be used with any herb	Over 30 varieties, a biennial herb grown as an annual in gardens and pots Store fresh wrapped in a paper towel, then in a plastic bag refrigerated for up to one week	Parsley has been cultivated for thousands of years, used by the Romans in crowns for banquet guests to ward off drunkenness, a good source of vitamins A and C	Marinated mixed grilled vegetables
Rosemary	Lemon pine	Use the needle shaped leaves fresh or dried. Excellent in egg, lamb, pork, chicken and stuffing TIP: Fresh sprigs make a wonderful bouquet/ air freshener for bath room or kitchen, after the sprigs dry out, remove needles and use stems as skewers	sage; also with thyme and parsley	Perennial evergreen that is fairly hardy; store dried or fresh refrigerated in a plastic bag or in a glass of water	In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the line “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance” came from the ancient belief that it is a symbol of remembrance and fidelity. Used as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics. New research indicates that it may help the memory.	Roasted rosemary and sage chicken Rosemary roasted new potatoes
Sage	Slightly bitter musty mint	Use fresh or dried crumbled or ground in dishes containing pork, poultry, and stuffing TIP: Are you from the South? Well if so cornbread and Sage are a must for the dressing	Rosemary; also with thyme, oregano, parsley and/or marjoram	Perennial plant; store fresh wrapped in a paper towel and sealed in a plastic bag refrigerated for up to 4 days or dried	Used for centuries for culinary and medicinal purposes;	Mom’s cornbread dressing
Savory	Pungent mint and thyme Winter savory is stronger than summer savory	Use Winter savory fresh or dried with care due to strong flavor; Summer savory is good with beef, pasta, vegetables and poultry seasonings Tip: use in dishes that require long cooking time such as dried beans or stew, this will help break down and tenderize the herb	Dill, mint and parsley	Winter savory: woody perennial plant with tough leaves Summer: tender annual	Romans introduced to England 2000 years ago; there are two kinds, summer and winter; often called the bean herb	Savory three bean soup
Tarragon	Aniselike (slightly licorice	Use fresh or dried in meats, fish, mushrooms, butter, mayonnaise, vinegar, béarnaise sauce and fish sauces Tip: preserve in a bottle of rice wine vinegar for a great flavor combination	Used in fines herbes, a combination of fresh parsley, chives, chives, marjoram.	Herbaceous perennial that should be replanted every 3-4 years.	Native to Siberia	Béarnaise sauce Wild mushroom bread pudding
Thyme	Depends on the variety: lemon, sweet, etc. Retains flavor better than most herbs when dried	Use fresh or dried in vegetables, meats, and soups Tip: add at the end of the cooking process to retain most flavor	Basic herb in bouquet garni (bay, and parsley)	Several varieties of this low-growing, wiry-stemmed perennial; store dried or fresh refrigerated 3-4 days	Symbol of activity, the flowers attract butterflies and bees enhancing the flavor of honey	Mediterranean Clam chowder

· All dried herbs should be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months unless otherwise noted. As a general rule, herbs should be harvested before flowering.

· Herbs mixed in butter or oil as in pesto can be frozen in ice cube trays, when frozen, pop them out and store in freezer bags until ready to use. Add one or two to your favorite spreads, sauces, soups or stews.