When cooking we use herbs and spices to increase the intrinsic taste of the food, but not to cover it. Herbs contain many vitamins and minerals and are therefore a valuable supplement and improvement of the dishes.
Herbs should always be used fresh and finely chopped, because they are so particularly aromatic.
The main rules for the use of herbs
Fresh herbs contain much vitamin C.
Therefore wash herbs just before using and finely chop them. Grind dried herbs between fingertips before using. Thus the aroma will be enhanced.
Use the following herbs especially sparingly:
Mugwort, Lovage, Marjoram, Thyme.
Use the following herbs mostly fresh:
Borage, dill, chervil, parsley, chives and lemon balm.
Basil should not be washed before use, otherwise it loses its aroma and its typical smell
Storage and shelf life of food:
When freezing food to note:
Some herbs and spices lose their aroma:
Anise, savory, marjoram, nutmeg, paprika, pepper and mustard.
In other herbs and spices, the aroma is enhanced:
Basil, dill, tarragon, sage and thyme.
The aroma of all other spices remains unchanged.
Furthermore, you can pick up herbs that you want to store something as follows:
Wash, then place them in a water-filled container, put a freezer bag over and put in the fridge.
So herbs stay fresh for about a week or sometimes even longer.
Especially in the vegetarian kitchen a great importance is attached to seasoning. But also for normal cooking should be taken for health reasons as little salt as possible.
With a little time and practice, beginners will also learn how to prepare delectable dishes with sensitivity and imagination. It is recommended to start with small spice quantities first. You can then add something from one or the other, because an over-spiced food can not be saved even by the best cook.
Tips for dealing with herbs and spices
Almost every apartment has a sunny window seat where herbs can be grown in a pot or in a flower box. After each cut, the herbs will sprout again: So you always have fresh herbs that you can use at any time.
If you wrap fresh herbs in a damp kitchen towel and put them in a plastic bag, they can be kept well closed in the refrigerator for a few days.
Fresh herbs are added to the food just before the end of cooking so that their entire aroma can develop and it does not go away.
Dried herbs and spices should always be stored airtight and dark, otherwise they will change their aroma and reduce the spiciness. Different spices and herbs should never be stored in the same container so that their flavorings do not mix.
Whole spice grains should only be cooked in the dishes if you can remove them after cooking. Seasoning is done shortly before serving with freshly ground or cracked spices. Basically, only so many herbs or spices come into a dish, as necessary, to support and refine the intrinsic taste of the food.
| Term - Herb name | Usage |
|---|---|
| Anise | Liqueur production, cakes, pastries |
| Basil | Oxtail soup, pate, omelets, white beans, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce |
| Mugwort | Pork, Beef, Poultry |
|
Savory (Never cook it, adding just before serving) |
Beans, beans vegetables, soups, stews, vegetable soups, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage dishes, meat stews, pepper substitute in green lettuce, cucumber salad (better digestion) |
| Watercress | Salads |
| Cayenne pepper | Fish dishes, soups, sauces, rice dishes, salads |
| Curry | Curry, pork, beef, asian rice and chicken dishes, crab, shrimp, prawn, curry sauce |
| Dill | Cucumbers, salads, soups, sauces, fish, potatoes, pasta, mayonnaise |
| Tarragon | Vinegar production, game stew, cucumber canning, Bernaise sauce, Hollandaise sauce, vegetable soups, fish, venison, meat |
| Ginger | Onion and potato soups, beans, pickled cucumbers, roast meats, fruit salad, cooked and preserved fruits, ginger biscuits |
| Capers | Sauces, salads, ragout fin (for queen pies), Königsberger minced meat balls |
| Chervil | Sauces, soups, herb butter, cottage cheese |
| Garlic | Dressings, vegetables, marinades (almost everything) |
| Coriander | Salad dressings |
| Cress | Salads, bread and butter, buttered bread |
| Caraway Seed | Potatoes, cabbage, sauces, cheese, quark, junket, curd, lamb |
| Curcuma (very hot) | Rice, meat, potatoes |
| Lovage (very intensive) | Sauces and Soups |
| Laurel | Spicy and sour sauces, broth, stain, lentil soup, beef, meat marinade, flavoring vinegar, pickling cucumbers and pumpkins, red cabbage |
| Majoram | Pork ragout, goose ragout, rabbit ragout, omelette, fish sauces, roast, liver dumplings, potato soup, vegetable stew, soups, tomato dishes, pizzas, goulash, legumes, minced meat, mutton, veal and lamb dishes |
| Lovage (Maggi herbs) | Sauces and Soups |
| Horseradish | Salads, grated with meat dishes and sauces |
| Nutmeg | Mashed potatoes, bechamel sauce, vegetable gratin, cabbage, white meat, ragouts, minced meat, vegetable soups, meat soups, cake and pastries |
| Cloves | Marinades, cabbage, roast pork, pot roast, boiled fish, mulled wine, compote, sauerkraut, game, beetroot |
| Oregano (Wilder Majoran) | Sauces, roasts, fish, soups, pizza, paella, stew, poultry, salad, goulash |
| Paprika | Chicken, meat dishes, pasta, sauces |
| Paprika (hot (roses) paprika) | Hungarian goulash, serbian bean soup, shashlik, stew, exotic vegetables, sauces, rice dishes |
| Parsley | Vegetables, salads, soups, egg dishes, fish, sauces, potatoes |
| Pepper (dried, black or white) | All kind of meat, dressings, sauces |
| Pepper (fresh, green) | Sauces, dressings |
| Rosemary | Mutton, pork and veal, minced meat, tomato dishes, cooking fish, game, rice dishes |
| Sage | Game dishes, peas, carrots, beans, tomato salad |
| Chives | Vegetables, salads, potatoes, omelette, quark |
| Mustard Seeds | For pickling venison, sour roast (german: Sauerbraten), pickling cucumbers, marinades |
| Thyme | Roast mutton, roast pork, roast lamb, minced meat, pigeons, mushroom dishes, stews, potato casseroles with minced meat and tomatoes |
| Juniper | Sauerkraut, game, roast pork, marinades, soups, sauces |
| Cinnamon | Red cabbage, pear compote, rice pudding, punch, cinnamon stars, apple compote |
| Spring onions | Green salads, lettuce, meat in small amounts |
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