NLSeptember2016

Techniques in Using Fresh Herbs for Flavor

Crushing herbs to release flavor happens by use of a knife, a mortar and pestle, or the fingers. The choice between knife, bowl, and fingers, is most often decided by the quantity of herbs and the fragility of the variety of herbs.

A marinade of olive oil and chopped herbs, left in the refrigerator for a few days, yields an herbal infused oil with layers of flavor that add depth to a vegetable saute, tomato sauce, or salad. Addition of lemon or lime juice to the marinade further broadens the spectrum of flavors. Mild-flavored vegetables such as jicama benefit from such a marinade.

Finally, heating herbs releases more aromatic oils and intensifies the flavor. However, because herbs are defined as plants with the flavor being mainly in the leaves and flowers, it's important not to overcook them and lose flavor instead of gaining it. For this reason, herbs are added during the last fifteen minutes of cooking a soup or a vegetable side.
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