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.
This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded under the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.
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