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Herbs and spices have a traditional history of use, with strong roles in cultural heritage, the appreciation of food and clear links to health.
What are herbs and spices?
Generally, the leaf of a plant used in cooking may be referred to as a culinary herb, and any other part of the plant, often dried, as a spice. Spices can be the buds (cloves), bark (cinnamon), roots (ginger), berries (peppercorns), aromatic seeds (cumin), and even the stigma of a flower (saffron). Herbs have been used throughout the centuries from the time of ancient Egypt, early Greek and Roman civilisations up to the 20th Century when Louis Pasteur discovered the anti-bacterial properties of garlic (which was later used in the battle fields to prevent gangrene). Mediterranean diets include considerable amounts of garlic, rosemary, basil and thyme, among other herbs that have been associated with reduced incidence of diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
Cooking with Herbs
Fresh herbs are usually better added towards the end of cooking or just before serving to preserve their flavour. Parsley can be added at any time. Fresh herbs are usually used in quantities 2–4 times bigger than dried herbs. Some herbs like basil darken when bruised but this does not change the flavour. All fresh herbs should be prepared just before use.
Dried herbs can be added at any stage of cooking, but recipes should guide use. Some herbs, such as bay leaves, are added very early in cooking. Some dried spices are heated at the beginning of cooking to release their flavours. More flavour is released by grinding with a mortar and pestle. Garlic releases more flavour when it has been chopped or mashed. It should not be overheated as it may burn and become bitter. The hottest parts of chillies are the seeds and white internal membranes. Removing them will result in a milder flavour.
Health Tip
For a blast of flavour, add herbs and spices to marinades and dressings, stir-fry dishes, casseroles, soups, curries and Mediterranean-style cooking. Vegetable dishes and vegetarian meals can be made even more appetising when prepared with herbs and spices.
Herbs can be used in recipes to replace some ingredients such as salt, sugar and saturated fat, making a meal healthier. Try roasting some vegetables with pesto for a taste sensation.
To make pesto, blend the following ingredients together:
3 cups sweet basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
30 g hazel or pine nuts
Follow this link to some fabulous recipes.
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