Apiaceae Herbs - Different Varieties
Apiaceae Herbs - Different Varieties
Fresh herbs are delicate and bruises easily, so carefully store sprigs in a jar with water and loosely cover with a plastic bag in the fridge or wrap in damp paper towel and place into a bag in the crisper. If you dry any of the herbs keep in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Use fresh herbs as quickly as possible within a week but dried herbs will last years. Dill is known to freeze well for extended use. 25g bags
Choice of herbs below;
Parsley has a fresh, green aroma and flavour that is a combination of citrus, clove, and nutmeg, creating a unique taste. Parsley has been used for culinary applications for centuries. Parsley stems are traditionally used in a ‘bouquet garni,’ a bundle of herbs classically used to infuse flavour into brines, sauces, soups and stocks. The leaves are typically reserved for garnish. Both the stems and the leaves can be chopped and added to soups and stews at the end of the cooking process, to impart a fresh green flavour. Add freshly chopped Parsley to potato salads and coleslaws, green salads and grains. Parsley adds a freshness to tomato sauces, salad dressings and herbed marinades for meats, fish or chicken. Parsley will lighten the intensity of garlic or the overpowering aromas of a fish in a dish. Chewing parsley after a meal can help freshen breath.
Cilantro leaves often contain peppery, tangy, and citrus-like nuances. It’s an aromatic herb well suited as an edible garnish or finishing flavour in savoury dishes. The leaves can be sprinkled over soups, curries, and stews, tossed into stir-fries, cooked into omelets, or stirred into rice and noodle-based dishes. Cilantro can also be blended into sauces such as pesto, hot sauce, chopped into salsa, folded into creamy dips, or used as a flavoring in marinades, brines, and salad dressings. The fragrant leaves are popularly used in Mexican cuisine as a topping over tacos, enchiladas, and bean dips, and in Vietnamese cuisine, the leaves are combined into fried egg rolls and tossed over pho. Indian cuisine also uses Cilantro in samosas, vegetable side dishes, and chana masala, a chickpea curry. Beyond using the fresh leaves, Cilantro can be chopped, mixed into salt, and served as a flavour enhancer.
Dill Leaves; It has a flavour likened to the combination of anise, mint, liquorice, parsley, and celery with a mild lemon finish. It’s best used as a fresh garnish or a flavouring herb in cooking. Dill is the go-to herb for flavouring pickles and is also commonly used to flavour greens or potato salads, soups like Ukrainian borscht, and dips, dressings, or sauces like the traditional Greek yogurt-based sauce, tzatziki, and classic buttermilk-based ranch dressing. Dill shines in seafood dishes, notably cold-water fish like salmon or herring, and is often used in couscous, quinoa, bulgur wheat, barley, egg, and cream-based dishes.
Dill Flowers - have a bright herbal flavouring slightly stronger flavour than the leaves and can be used in any recipe as a substitute. The flowers can be removed from the stems and tossed into green salads, gently stirred into side salads such as cucumber or a garden vegetable medley, or they can be used as a topping over grain bowls. Dill blossoms can also be folded into butter, mixed into dips, or added to sauces. Dill flowers provide a visually attractive element to dishes, used as an edible garnish. The flowers can be scattered over seafood, egg-based dishes, and pasta, floated over soups and stews, sprinkled over roasted potatoes or corn, layered into sandwiches, or stuffed into pitas. Try them baked into bread, muffins, and scones. The flowers are often incorporated into pickle brines and provide a stronger flavour than using dill sprigs alone.
Herbs pairs well with;
Fruit & Veggies - cucumbers, squash, celery, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, corn, ginger, jicama, kohlrabi, potatoes, scallions and beets.
Dairy & Meats - chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, beef, shrimp, fish, and scallops, eggs, yogurt, sour cream, milk, butter and cream.
Others - chives, fennel, and parsley, pistachios, tofu, mint, parsley, and basil, legumes, olive oil, soya sauce, cumin, turmeric, beans, rice and grains.
