Herbs and Spices Herbs are from leafy aromatic

plants grown in temperate zones. Their leaves, stems, and sometimes flowers can be used to add flavoring to foods.– Herbs may be fresh or dried

Spices are usually from tropical zones. The bark, seeds, roots, or berries add flavoring to foods.– Spices are most often available

in a dry form.

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Carol Whitlock

Herbs and Spices

Add flavors that harmonize or contrast with the main ingredients.

Should not overwhelm the recipe. Should build the flavor, not dominate

[Avoid a 1-note flavor.] When 2 ingredients contrast, they

should be in balance

Herbs Best added late to recipes if the

recipe has a long cooking time. This avoids loss of flavor by excess heating or evaporation

Remember if you are reducing the liquid, the herbs will get more concentrated, too.

Added earlier into a recipe with a short cooking time.

Herbs For this part of the class we will make

herbal teas by mincing up the herbs available and putting a little in a cup with hot water. Allow them to steep, then smell and taste them.

Try to describe each flavor in words; record these on your summary sheet

Herbs available:- tarragon, rosemary, dill, marjoram, sage, oregano, cilantro, curly parsley, flat (Italian) parsley, mint

Tarragon Has narrow dark green leaves Is classic in béarnaise sauce and

other French dishes Goes well with seafood, chicken,

omelets, and tomatoes Drying may cause hay-like

flavors to develop; best fresh

Rosemary

Has stiff, needle-like leaves Popular as a garnish Slight odor or camphor or pine On drying, loses flavor and becomes

hard Often used with lamb , chicken, or

other roasted meats, and potatoes.

Dill Leaves and seeds are both

used as flavoring A member of the parsley family, but

with a more distinctive flavor, with a touch of anise.

Classic with seafood, potatoes, pickles, bread

Often used in Scandinaviancooking

Cilantro From the same plant as the

spice coriander Sharp, tangy, almost citrus flavor Must be used fresh Added after cooking to recipes Its flavor is destroyed by drying

Parsley

The most commonly used herb Adds flavor to most any savory food

– Cheese– Meats– Poultry– Vegetables– Eggs– Savory butters

Curly or Flat (Italian) forms; curly is used more often and has a clean, tangy flavor

Sage

Fuzzy, soft leaves Pungent and strong flavor Avoid using too much Pork, stuffing, poultry, sausage

Marjoram

Part of the Oregano family– “wild oregano”

Flavor increases when dried Similar to thyme in flavor, but

sweeter Poultry, pork, braised meats, stuffing,

sauces

Oregano

Pungent and peppery flavor Popular in Mediterranean cooking Italian, Greek, and Mexican foods Classic with tomato in sauces

Thyme

Tiny leaves Used by Egyptians for medicine and

embalming Strong, refined flavor, hints of sage Dries well Complements all meats, poultry

seafood, vegetables

Mint

Complements sweet or mild flavors Classic with lamb or fruit or

lemonade Some mints have additional flavors

such as chocolate Does not blend well with other spices

and herbs. A dominant flavor Use sparingly

Spices

Bark, roots, seeds, berries of tropical plants Usually available as dry, ground

spice. Add early in cooking for the dry spice

flavor to blend with other flavors.

Spices: Cinnamon

Cinnamon is the bark of a tropical tree

Like other dried spices, it varies in quality

Used in China 2500 years ago Used in sweet foods, but also with

chocolate (Mexican), with lamb or spicy dishes

Spices: Cardomom

Cardomom is expensive, – second only to saffron in cost

Strong flavor, lemon and camphor notes

Used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine

Scandinavian breads Loses flavor quickly after grinding

Spices: Nutmeg

Strong, sweet flavor Use sparingly to avoid “1 note flavor” Used in sweet pastries, with apples,

in cream sauces, custards, sweet breads

Loses flavor rapidly after grinding

Spices: Allspice

Tastes like a blend of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg

Also known as Jamaican pepper Is the dried berry of a Jamaican tree Sometimes used in pepper blends Widely used in baking and

cooking; sausages, braised meats, fruit pies, puddings