Dried herbs for cooking are ok but if you really want to wow your guests and your tastebuds you can’t beat the fresh variety

Italians insist upon fresh ingredients in their food, and their herbs are no exception. There are a variety of fresh herbs common in Italian cooking.

What is Pizza without oregano?

Most people are familiar with the little bottles of dried herbs from the grocery store, but if you haven’t prepared food with fresh herbs, you really need to give it a try.

What’s the distinction between an herb and a spice?

Spices are made from the seeds, root, fruit or barks of aromatic plants, while the herbs primarily consist of the leaves and stems. Herb plants contain oils which are very fragrant and add the distinctive aroma and flavor that Italian food is known for.

A few of the most common herbs are basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme

Basil is a member of the mint family, and like all mint herbs, it is extremely fragrant when picked fresh. Basil leaves blacken when exposed to metal, therefore it is common in Italy to tear the leaves by hand before throwing the basil into a sauce or onto a dish. Basil is the primary herb for the famous pesto sauce.

Oregano is another popular herb in both Italian and Greek food. Most people are familiar with this herb in tomato based pasta sauces and with meats.

Italian Parsley, also known as flat-leaf parsley, is readily available in most grocery stores and is easy to distinguish it from the curly variety frequently used as a garnish. Italians favor this parsley for cooking because it has a much better flavor, while the curlier variety is best saved for garnishing your dish.

Rosemary is another widely available herb and resembles a little branch from an evergreen tree. This is one of the most fragrant of all the fresh herbs and it will retain its flavor and aroma when dried. It’s excellent with vegetables and is often cooked into the dough of breads like focaccia.

Sage has long, broad leaves and is the herb which flavors the traditional Italian Saltimbocca dish. Sage is also very fragrant so be sure you don’t use too much and overwhelm your meal.

Thyme is another herb of the mint family, but in contrast to the other mints, it has tiny leaves that can easily be thrown whole into your sauce or dish. I use this herb frequently because its mild flavor goes well with everything and won’t overshadow the rest of your dish.

There are some basic rules for cooking with fresh herbs. Fresh herbs are more delicate than dried and can lose some of their flavor when cooked too long. For slow cooked sauces and meats, you can add the fresh herbs at the last minute keeping their flavors and aromas intact. On the other hand, the oils in dried herbs are concentrated requiring a smaller amount of than fresh herbs in your recipes. A good general rule of thumb is to use one tablespoon of fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs needed in a dish. But remember, cooking is an art and you can use as much or as little as you like.

The next time you want to spruce up an everyday meal, throw in some fresh Italian herbs!

>>  Cooking Italian Recipes Learn More

By: Joy Harrison

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Joy Harrison is a home cook and cooking instructor. She loves to find easy ways to prepare great home cooked meals in today’s busy world. Visit her site at Easy Italian Cooking

Technorati Tags: cooking, dried, fragrant, fresh, herb, herbs, instead of, italian, spice, spices, with

Many people enjoy growing herbs because they are easy to grow and a lot of fun. Using them in you cooking can make even the most humble meals seem like a gourmet treat.  Fresh herbs are fantastic in soups, vegetables, breads, and stews. Herbs change the flavor of these items in may different and exciting ways. You completely change the taste whenever you add an herb.

When you first start cooking with herbs, experiment a lot. Add a little bit, here and there, see what works for you. Eventually you will get the hang of it and can easily go nuts mixing and matching flavors. Some herbs just seem to go naturally with some foods, tomato with basil, oregano with sauces, rosemary with lamb, chives with butter or sour cream. This is just to get you started. Try all kinds of mixes and matches to see what works. You can infuse vinegar with herbs to make salad dressings, marinades or soups. You can infuse oil with herbs to add extra flavor to your cooking.

You can use fresh herbs as garnishes such as chives on your potato salad or rosemary spigs on lamb chops. The possibilities are limitless and delicious.

In the fridge, fresh herbs will last for several days. After that you have to freeze them. You can freeze them by laying them on a paper towel and putting them in a plastic bag. Oncce they are frozen you can only use them for cooking but not as a garnish. A good method for preservation is to wash them, put them in an ice cube tray, cover them with water, and then freeze them. When you need them for soup, stew, or a sauce, just drop a cube in.

This will  spice up your italian cooking the quick and easy way .

My favorite herbs to grow are basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley and mint. Mint is great but be careful, mint can over run your garden. A tip here would be to bury an empty coffee can and plant the mint in it. The can prevents the mint from “creeping” all through your garden.

Herb butters a great thing to make with fresh herbs. Mix together half a cup of softened butter and about 4 tablespoons of a fresh herb. Take a pice of saran wrap or wax paper and put the butter in the middle. Roll up your paper to form a log. Put it in the fridge. Whenever you need some extra oomph for your food cut a pice off the end. This is great on potatoes, bread, steak, noodles, or anything else you would put butter on.

Uses of herbs are not limited to the culinary. You can make a natural face mask from basil, lemon, and avocados (this would also make a great topping or dip). Put a big handful of basil in a blender and run it on high. Once the basil has been pulverized, throw in a half of an avocado and a large teaspoon of lemon juice, mix until smooth. Wash your face, pat it dry and gently rub the avocado mixture on. Leave it on as long as you like, then use warm water to it wash off.

By: Jayson Inman   Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com  Jayson Inman is a retired postal worker and a lifelong gardener. Check out his blog, Southern Gardening to find out where to buy herb seeds and other great information about what you could be doing in your backyard.

Eco Gadgets: Osmos Reuses Waste Heat And Steam To Nourish Herbs
UK based designer Jonathan Banton has started work on the a futuristic kitchen by designing a herb grower that reuses the waste steam from whatever you are cooking to nourish those herbs.

Bea’s Beatitudes/All About Herbs.: Stevia-the Sweet Herb
Bea’s Beatitudes on herbs comes from a life long journey of a wish to create a desire in others that will lead to better understanding of safe and healthy food knowledge. Which will promote better land stewards

Technorati Tags: authentic, cooking, dressing, herbs, ice, italian, pizza, recipes, sauce