Cuisines for fresh herbs

Here are some tips on how to get the best out of your fresh herbs in cooking:

Minimise how much you handle herbs. The more fragrance in the air or on your hands, the less flavour will be in the herbs

Stripping tough stalks: hold the bottom of the stalk firmly in one hand, place the thumb and first finger of the other hand either side of the stalk and using the thumb to guide, pull upwards stripping the leaves onto a board

Delicate herbs such as basil, chervil, chives, dill or coriander are best added just before the dish is served

Strongly flavoured herbs such as tarragon, marjoram & lovage can be added at any stage during cooking

To become familiar with the specific flavour of an herb, try mixing it with butter, place in the refrigerator for an hour to set, before spreading on a plain cracker to taste

After chopping onions or garlic, rub hands with parsley to remove the odour

If you’re unsure about what herb to use, here are some favourite combinations that we hope will help you make the most of the many different fresh herbs available to us:

Chicken – tarragon works well with chicken dishes

Beef stew – add a combination of fresh herbs such as thyme or bay. Also, the stems of rosemary add a wonderful flavour when cooking a stew, just remember to remove them before serving

Seafood – the light flavours of parsley & chervil work well with seafood

Salmon – dill is the perfect herb to accompany salmon and other meaty fish

Root vegetables - respond well to thyme & rosemary

Aubergines - go well with thyme and parsley

Tomatoes – basil, parsley and oregano all add great flavour, drizzle with oil and add mozzarella for a simple and delicious dish

Carrots – glaze with honey and sprinkle with thyme before roasting for a delicious flavour

Flavoursome butter – try adding parsley and fresh garlic for a simple twist to new potatoes or melted over grilled scallops or prawns

Classic cheese & tomato sandwich – to add a peppery tang to this simple favourite, use fresh basil leaves to transform into an aromatic toasty

Quick and easy canapés – with a cocktail stick, spear together half a cherry tomato and small pieces of mozzarella wrapped in a basil leaf. Finish with a dash of balsamic vinegar