by Renee Sweers, Human Sciences Specialist, Food and Health
Take your cooking to the next level by using fresh herbs in the kitchen. Fresh herbs can add a bright or subtle flavor, depending on how you use them. Cooking with fresh herbs is also a flavorful way to use less salt in cooking.
Let’s start with some definitions. Herbs are the fragrant leaves of the plant. Spices come from the bark, buds, fruit, roots, seeds, or stems of the plant and are usually dried and ground. Occasionally, one plant provides both herbs and spices. For example, the seeds of the coriander plant provide a spice that is used in curry powder, and the leaves and stem from the same plant is the herb cilantro. Cilantro is easily grown in our area and is often used to flavor Mexican dishes.
Fresh herbs are often crushed or chopped to get the most flavor from them. Tender herbs with soft stems, such as parsley and cilantro do not need to be removed from the stem, just chop the stem with the leaves. Leaves are often removed from the tougher stem when using thyme, oregano, rosemary, and tarragon.
Cooking with fresh herbs is not difficult. If you are substituting fresh for dried herbs in a recipe, use two to three times as much fresh herbs as what the recipe calls for in dried herbs. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano, use 2-3 teaspoons of fresh chopped oregano leaves.
Adding fresh herbs to food at the right time is key to flavoring food. Delicate fresh herbs such as basil, chives, cilantro, dill leaves, parsley, marjoram, and mint should be added to the dish a minute or two before it is done cooking, or better yet, sprinkled on at the end of cooking, right before it is served. Less delicate herbs, such as dill seeds, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme, can be added the last 20 minutes of cooking. In general, the less heat exposure with fresh herbs, the more flavorful they will be.
Dried herbs can be added throughout the cooking process. The flavors from dried herbs and spices are released slowly as they are heated with the food. Dried herbs and spices should be stored in airtight containers and replaced when they have lost their savory smell. Experts recommend replacing dried herbs and spices about every year.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has several upcoming programs focused on growing and cooking with herbs.
Growing Herbs:
April 12, 6 to 8 p.m., at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office in Orange City. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/BUCGYO or call 712-737-4230 for more information.
April 14, 6 to 8 p.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Woodbury County office in Sioux City. Register online at https://bit.ly/herbs2022 or call 712-276-2157 for more information.
April 28, 6 to 8 p.m., at the ISU Extension and Outreach Osceola County office in Sibley. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/RSO20B or call 712-754-3648 for more information.
May 19, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Lyon County Fair 4-H Exhibit Building at the Lyon County Fairgrounds in Rock Rapids. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/KJ2MJE or call 712-472-2576 for more information.
Cooking with Fresh Herbs:
May 5, 6 to 8 p.m., at the ISU Extension and Outreach Woodbury County office in Sioux City. Register online at https://bit.ly/herbs2022 or call 712-276-2157 for more information.
May 12, 6 to 8 p.m., at the ISU Extension and Outreach Osceola County office in Sibley. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/RSO20B or call 712-754-3648 for more information.
May 17, 6 to 8 p.m., at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office in Orange City. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/BUCGYO or call 712-737-4230 for more information.
June 9, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Lyon County Fair 4-H Exhibit Building at the Lyon County Fairgrounds in Rock Rapids. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/KJ2MJE or call 712-472-2576 for more information.
ISU Extension and Outreach also has a variety of resources related to growing and cooking with dried herbs, such as PM 1893 Cilantro, PM 1894 Garlic, HORT 3082 Growing and Using Basil, and SP 437 Seasoning Savvy. Download these free publications from the ISU Extension and Outreach Store online at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/.