Can you imagine a Caprese salad without basil or tabbouleh without parsley?
Thanks to their complex fragrance, herbs can turn even the most humble dishes into a rich gastronomic experience. No wonder they have had culinary use in kitchens worldwide for thousands of years. But herbs are not only about flavour; they contain antioxidant molecules linked with many potential health benefits.
So, what are herbs exactly? By definition, “herbs” are green or leafy parts of plants used to add or enhance flavours of foods but are not used as a main ingredient.
For example, kale is also a leafy part of the plant, but it can be used as a main ingredient, which is why it is a vegetable and not a herb. You get the idea, right?
Where does the flavour come from?
To protect themselves from various animals that would like to eat them, herbs have oil glands in or on the surface of leaves, which are filled with flavour molecules. While these flavour molecules are unpleasant for animals, they are one of the reasons why we find herbs so interesting. Still, these flavour molecules are toxic in larger quantities, which is why we consume them in relatively small amounts.
Once the leaves are damaged, usually through cutting or crushing, these oil glands burst, releasing aromatic essential oils, the keepers of the herb’s complex flavour profile.
Which are the two main groups of herbs?
To get the most out of herbs when using them in our kitchen, it is good to know that herbs fall into two main groups: HARDY and TENDER (soft) ones.
Hardy herbs usually come from warm climates and are built to resist dry conditions. That means they have tougher stalks and more robust leaves that are good at keeping moisture and oils, hence the flavour.
The most popular hardy herbs are bay, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
On the other hand, tender herbs have soft stalks and more delicate leaves. Therefore, their flavour disperses more quickly once they are picked or cut.
The most popular tender herbs are basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, parsley, and tarragon.
How to cook with fresh herbs?
Thanks to their diversity, they can be used in many different ways, but to bring out their full potential, there are a few rules to remember.
Cooking with hardy herbs
Since hardy herbs have more robust leaves, the best way to use them in the kitchen is by cooking them instead of eating them raw. Also, adding them at the beginning of cooking is best because they release flavour more slowly. This allows them enough time to soften and release most aromatic molecules.
If you want your herbs to release a milder flavour, add them whole at the beginning and take them out before serving.
On the opposite side, if you want a more fragrant result, chop them into your dishes. Chopping the leaves will burst more of the oil glands and help release more flavour.
When it comes to herbs like thyme and oregano, if their stalks are more tender, you can also chop them down and add them to the leaves.
Further, what can intensify their flavour is cooking them in oil. Why? Most of these flavour compounds dissolve and disperse in oil, not water. Adding them to the oil at the beginning of the cooking helps to bring out the best in them.
Cooking with tender herbs
After being picked or chopped, gentle leaves of tender herbs disperse their flavour molecules much quicker than hardy ones. They should be eaten raw or just shortly cooked to preserve the most flavour.
As for tender herbs, chopped or whole, add them to cold or warm salads, spreads, smoothies, ice-creams or as a garnish to various dishes. You can also add them to various soups, stews, pasta dishes, or braising liquids right at the end of cooking to retain most of their flavour.
Another vital thing to keep in mind when it comes to tender herbs is that once the leaves are damaged or cut, they start browning quickly. That is especially true for herbs like mint and basil. But why is that so? They have high levels of a browning enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which activates once the cells are damaged and in contact with the air.
How can you prevent tender herbs from going brown?
- Use a sharp knife when chopping your herbs. You want to burst the oil glands but damage the surrounding tissue as little as possible. Also, before cutting the leaves, ensure they are nice and dry.
- Cut or chop them right before you plan to use them. You don’t want them to sit on the counter while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients, as that would allow enough time to turn them brown and unpleasant to the eye.
- Blanch them for 5-15 seconds in boiling water and refresh them in ice-cold water once done. Since the enzyme is heat-sensitive, the quick blanch will deactivate it, while shocking them in ice-cold water will preserve their vibrant colour.
- Cover the leaves with oil or lemon juice. While oil acts as a barrier between the enzyme and the air, lemon juice can deactivate the enzyme by changing the pH, and it is the most efficient tool.
As we can see, while some herbs are more robust and encapsulate the flavour more efficiently, others are incredibly gentle. Based on that significant difference, how we cook them is quite different. Hardy herbs take longer to release their full potential, while tender ones need short cooking or no cooking for the best result.
Just as a little reminder, here are the main takeaways:
- Add at the beginning of cooking: bay, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme.
- Add at the end of cooking or eat raw: basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, parsley, and tarragon.
How to cook with dried herbs?
To prolong their shelf-life, fresh herbs are often dried. Generally, the drying process makes them less potent and flavourful but more convenient to always have on hand. The only herb that benefits from drying is bay since raw bay leaves have a slightly bitter flavour.
Even though dried herbs are somewhat inferior to fresh ones, you can still use a few tricks to maximise their flavour. Here they are:
- Use dried herbs in the right amount; use a ratio of 3:1, fresh to dried herbs, for the best switch.
- Before you plan to use them, grind them in a pestle and mortar to encourage the release of flavours.
- Cook your dried herbs in oil to help disperse those oil-soluble flavour compounds.
How to store fresh herbs?
You will probably agree that using almost all fresh herbs is far superior to using them in their dried form. Still, once they are picked, fresh herbs have quite a short life if not stored right. Follow my tips for storing fresh herbs and enjoy them for two weeks or more.
Now, as we use hardy and tender ones differently when cooking with them, we also need to store them each in their own way.
How to store hardy herbs
To keep hardy herbs fresh for longer, wrap whole sprigs in kitchen paper and place them in an airtight container inside your fridge. The kitchen paper will help absorb excess moisture inside the container and prevent them from getting mouldy.
Don’t wash the herbs before storage, as that would encourage rotting; wash them once you are ready to use them. In case you decide to wash them beforehand, make sure to dry them properly before wrapping them in kitchen paper.
Check them every 3-4 days and replace the kitchen paper if needed.
How to store tender herbs
For tender ones, start by trimming their stalks at a 45-degree angle as you would do with fresh flowers.
Place your bunch of tender herbs in a glass jar with water. It is essential that the stalks are immersed in the water and that the leaves are not touching it, as that would encourage rotting. Then, cover the tops with a reusable plastic bag and secure it with an elastic band.
The leaves will stay fresh, crisp, and flavourful as if freshly picked.
To keep their freshness for longer, change the water inside the jar every 2-3 days.
There is one exception to this rule, tho, and it is called basil. Gentle basil leaves don’t like cold temperatures, so storing them at room temperature is best. As for basil, place it in a jar with water, cover it with a reusable plastic bag (without the elastic band), and keep it on your kitchen counter.
How to store dried herbs
To store your dried herbs, find a cool, dark place inside your kitchen with the least temperature fluctuations, as light and heat can deteriorate their flavour and always keep them inside an airtight container.
Why should you use herbs in your home cooking?
Apart from enhancing flavour and adding some pleasant aromas to various dishes, herbs also have a few other perks!
Using herbs in your cooking can help you lower the amount of salt used, which can have multiple benefits for your health. As you know, high sodium intake is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, and this might be a good strategy to start with.
Furthermore, herbs are rich sources of polyphenols, compounds also found in fruits, vegetables and green tea. Even though they are mostly known for their antioxidant properties, they show other benefits (anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic and neuroprotective), offering protection against the development of various chronic diseases.
Considering that we use them in relatively small amounts, there are not enough high-quality studies to confirm their potential health benefits, but one is for sure, they definitely have a positive impact.
I hope this story helps you get the most out of your aromatic herbs and encourages you to use them more often. If you have any questions or simply want to add something I might have forgotten, drop me a line or leave a comment below! I would be more than happy to hear from you!
Here, you might find some inspiration on how to use herbs in your kitchen:
Goat cheese gnocchi with broad beans
