Cooking With Herbs: Some Tips

Tips for Cooking with Herbs
Given today’s budget crunch (winter time fresh herbs cost about $3.00 for a small amount), it is wise to use ALL of the plant; leaves in salads, sauces, stems in slow cooking, flowers in salads, plant as whole vegetable. Cook them at their best.

--Use with a light hand—the aromatic oils are strong

--Blend judiciously for different purposes. Have a leading flavor and combine two to four less pronounced flavors with it.

---Never emphasize more than one of the very strong herbs in a blend.

---Blend or heat with butter, margarine, or other cooking fats as the best way to draw out and extend the flavor of the aromatic oils.

---Fresh (unsalted) "sweet" butter gives more satisfactory results than salted butter or margarine.

---Have salad oil tepid, not chilled, when using herbs in French salad dressing.

---Cut or chop the leaves of fresh herbs very fine.
For some purposes they should be ground in a mortar.

---The more of the cut surface exposed, the more completely the aromatic oil can be absorbed.---Keep in mind that dried herbs are three or four times stronger than fresh herbs.

--The delicate aroma and flavor of savory herbs may easily be lost by extended cooking.

(Excerpt from Savory Herbs: Culture & Use )

Shopping Tips: Herbs to Plant

What to look for in the herb plants:
Plants should not have yellow leaves, browned tipps---or have their roots spilling out of the holes at the bottom of the pot.

If possible, get herbs grown at the location. If you ask, you may find the woner saying,thee herbs are brought in. That is often because herbs make up a small part of the business, unless it is an herb specialty business. Well Sweep Farms in Port Murray is just that.

Buy soon enough that you get a choice.

If you buy online, find out if the herbs are shipped bare-root or in pots. It makes a difference-although both methods should result in you having healthy plants. Make sure you can get your money back if the plants are damaged.

Make sure you place your herbs in the garden IMMEDIATELY. The plant will go through a shock and send out stress signals such as yellowing leaves, drooping stems, etc.

We are on the edge of Garden Club Sales in Bergen County and Rutgers University. Other Garden Clubs in NJ have excellent reputations for this sale such as Maplewood. 

Locally? The Garden Club of Teaneck has a sale that ends on Mother’s day. The Very Best Sale in my opinion as a participant.

“Moderate” prices for herbs at Garden Club sales are about $2.00 to $2.50 a plant. On the high end is 3-4 a plant, whereas high is $4-5.50 a plant. Make sure you get a good sized plant, the longer it has spent time growing, the better are the chances to form a healthy root system. Grocery stores? Examine the plants.

Some Local Retailers

Old Hook Farm: herbs are grown orga nically and are in good condition. Prices: Moderate-midrange for the quality.

Secor Farms , 85 Airmont Ave., Mahwah (www.secorfarms.org). ibrings in a limited array of herbs in excellent condition and charges a moderate to high price.

Willow Run in Cresskill has a wide variety of herbs (ranging from several basils to lemon verbena and many rosemaries) for a moderate price.

Culinary Herbs Shopping Tips (Local: Teaneck, NJ)

What to look for: Herbs that are in good condition do not show signs of wilt, yellowing, or “mushiness” in a plastic wrap. Price: it varies greatly, from nearer the $1.00 range to nearly $3.50 a bunch. Look at the size of the whole package when comparing pricing.

Also look at the packing when you are buying dried herbs. It is difficult to tell how long it has been packaged. Flavor “escapes” plastic and cellophane bags in a short time. Look for relatively green dried herbs as opposed to brown. If you can get herbs in glass jars as opposed to plastic; it is preferable.

When you get home, empty the dried herbs into glass jars, and even put a dark paper liner in it to prevent loss. If that is not possible, store the herbs in a dark, dry place, NOT above the stove or in an open, decorative shelf.

Whole Foods Bergen Mall, Paramus. Large variety, fresh herbs, moderate price. array includes lemon grass, basil, cilantro, mint, chervil, dill, tarragon, parsley, sage, other. Farm of origin: www.jacobsfarm.com

Kings Market, Cresskill. Pricey. Good condition. Limited variety ( dill, rosemary, mint[spearmint],thyme, chives], but the basics are in excellent condition.

Farmer’s Market, Hackensack, Main Street: Fresh herbs, including horseradish, mint, other, many dried herbs from the Hispanic tradition, both medicinal and culinary (passionflowers, manzanilla, borage, etc.-about 20.)
Hackensack Market, Passaic Street, next to railroad track Moderate price for a big amount dried in cellophane bags (oregano, chilies [several kinds], malecheta, manzanilla, herba Buena, anise stella (star anise0 whole aloe, more. Dried herbs also include Jamaican curry.
Market at New Bridge, Bergenfield. New Bridge Rd.,opposite Pathmark. Exceptional fresh herbs at about ½ the price of local supermarkets. Fresh ginger, tarragon, mint, oregano, oregano-limited, but fresh.

Market in Foster Village, Bergenfield. Primarily Asian root herbs, spices, fresh and dried. Worth exploring for Asian cooking, as well as for kinds of noodles, fresh produce. Prices? Moderate, although ginger is not cheap anywhere.

Local Supermarkets:
Stop & Shop, Wide variety of fresh herbs, as well as standard brands of dried herbs.

Herbs & Pests

Rosemary can be infected by spidermites (indoors).
Other herbs repel insects: Thyme, Lemongrass and Rosemary turn insects away from your garden. Look up the specific herb in Rodale’s.

Pot Gardens You may be one of those gardeners who enjoys gardening in manageable pots. Indeed, having your herbs in pots ensures that you can decorate with them on your deck and bring them indoors when fall arrives. Also, in the case of plants which wander, such as mint, this is a good way to contain them.

What Kind of Pots? Terra cotta pots let moisture escape, plastic pots keep moisture in, and glazed pots are decorative. You have to play  it by ear! If you do not water regularly, the plastic pots insure moisture longer.

Light? The same amount of light the herb needs in an outdoor garden is true here, with one exception. The sunlight can be more direct through glass. You can move pots to suit the needs of the plant.

Because your herb is in a pot rather than the ground, its water needs will be greater. Be sure to use a regular watering schedule. You can find out just when a plant needs water by placing your finger in the soil to a depth of one inch. If you feel no moisture, water your herb.

It also helps if you consider your plant as needing a new pot occasionally. Look at the bottom of the pot: if you see roots escaping, repotting is needed.