Cooking with Herbs

Making flavorful dishes is a fun, exciting, and family-friendly activity that everyone can enjoy.  And it shouldn't, by any means, be a difficult task to tackle for either the professional chef or novice cook; however, cooking with herbs tends to be a daunting if not downright frustrating topic for folks unfamiliar with them.  On the contrary, herbs are simple to understand, add abundant and nuanced flavor to even the simplest dishes, and can liven up the kitchen for an entire household.  Here are a few tips and tricks for cooking with herbs that you can use whether you’re a professional chef or just play one at home:

1. The First Commandment: Know Thy Herb

Rule #1 for any culinary excursion should be to know the flavors of the ingredients you're working with.  You'll find that experienced professional chefs around the world swear by this mantra, and you should too when choosing the herbs you cook with.  Common fresh herbs found in stores such as basil, rosemary, cilantro, and parsley can spice up a dish singlehandedly, but not all of those herbs work in conjunction with one another.  Understanding the characteristics of each herb and how it interacts with heat and other flavors will give you a leg up on choosing the right one for your dish.  

2. Where in the World? 

Knowing where (geographically) herbs flourish, what climates they enjoy, and most importantly what season is appropriate for each herb will give you an excellent indication of the type of cuisine in which to use the herbs.  For example, basil and flat-leaf Italian parsley grow during the spring and early summer in the United States and typically flower in the heat of the summer in the lower states.  Using these seasonal herbs during their natural growing season will give your dishes more flavor and release more nutrients from the herbs.  Additionally, familiarizing yourself with the native growing regions for herbs will help you understand what flavors go well with certain cuisines.

3. Understand Companions

Another extremely useful tip for cooking with herbs is to use a trick from your friendly gardener! Companion planting is a method of gardening used to accentuate flavors of vegetables and herbs while offering certain disease and pest resistance to each.  For example, basil, onions, tomatoes, and peppers are often planted as companions.  Dill and cucumbers are also excellent companions.  Do any of those combinations sound familiar?  Using these companion herbs with the vegetables they protect and/or enhance will not only give the veggies outstanding flavor out of the garden, but you'll get enhanced culinary effects in the kitchen. 

4. Add Herbs Sparingly

Obviously, if you're following a recipe, knowing how much of any individual herb to use shouldn't be rocket science.  On the other hand, if you're crafting your own recipe or adding to an existing one, it's best to start using herbs sparingly at first.  You can always add more to your dish, but you can never take them away!  Also, based on seasonality, herbs may be considerably stronger than you may account for.  If you use herbs out of the garden that are close to or already flowering, the herbs may exhibit stronger flavors and oils than you otherwise anticipated.  Strong herbs such as rosemary and sometimes basil can often overpower a dish if you're not careful or if the right vegetables aren't in place to absorb some of their essential oils.  

5. Experiment and Have Fun

Cooking with herbs isn't difficult, and it shouldn't be stressful.  Experiment with certain herbs and flavors to find what you like and what combinations work for you and your tastes.  Start by using simple recipes and add to or subtract from the recipe each time you make the dish.  Keep a journal or make notes on the recipe itself about what works and what doesn't.  This alone will help you get a feel for not only herbs but all ingredients you work with on a regular basis.  If you're unsure if an herb will work well with a dish, consider using it as a garnish that can be easily removed in the event that the flavors don't quite meld like you would have liked.  

Having fun in the kitchen should always be your number one goal, but sometimes it takes a push in the right direction.  If you're a budding chef looking to take your talents to the next level, consider contacting an advisor at The Culinary Institute of Virginia to discuss possible career paths and enroll at ECPI University’s culinary arts college. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

Learn more about ECPI's College of Culinary Arts TODAY!

DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.

Gainful Employment Information – Culinary Arts - Associate’s
Gainful Employment Information – Culinary Nutrition - Associate’s

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.