Produce Guide - H

Herbs

Basil

I can still remember a time when more than half my friends thought of Fawlty Towers rather than pesto when they heard me talking about basil. Times have changed. Basil is one of the most popular herbs, with a growing number of varieties available. Sweet basil is used extensively in Italian cooking, while spicy basil is a fundamental herb in Thai cuisine. Basil's spicy-sweet aroma is very alluring, and it is not surprising that it's a common base note in perfumes.

Basil can be found in almost any supermarket; if it's not where you expect to find it, ask for it. If you're lucky you'll have more than one variety to choose from. Rub a leaf between your fingers to release the oils, and sniff to find out whether it has a sweet and citrusy or a spicy fragrance. Small-leaf basil, or bush basil, has an intense, clean aroma and sweet, lemon-like flavour. I like to throw a handful into a bowl of strawberries or fruit salad. Larger leaves will have less flavour, but they make a beautiful addition to leafy salads. Purple-leaf basil is pungent and spicy, a terrific last-second addition to Asian-style soups and stir-fries.

Bay leaves

Bay leaves have a distinguished history, culinary and otherwise. Ceremonial wreaths of these fragrant leaves were bestowed upon the heads of ancient Greek and Roman athletes, warriors, and poets. And bay leaves have long been one of the three herbs in a classic bouquet garni, used to flavour stocks and casseroles. More frequently available and used in their dried state, bay leaves have an intense woodsy aroma and spicy flavour when they're fresh. Unlike many other herbs, bay leaves are always cooked, and they're usually removed before serving.

If you happen upon fresh bay leaves, buy some. Although you're unlikely to use them all when still fresh, they will probably remain more aromatic over a longer period of time than any dried ones you have in your cupboard. A bay tree makes an amazing house plant and supplies your kitchen at the same time.

Aside from using bay in marinades, soups, or stews, try adding a leaf to the water when cooking potatoes, rice, or pasta. Use fresh leaves sparingly, as the aroma may infuse itself more stridently than you expect.

Chives

Chives look like miniature scallions and in fact are a member of the allium, or onion, family. Their subtle sweet-onion flavour makes them a pleasant addition to scrambled eggs and omelettes as well as salads and soups. They can also be snipped with scissors and blended with soft butter as a mild alternative to garlic spread. Garlic chives, sometimes called Chinese chives, have flat, broad stems and a distinct garlic flavour. More robust than common chives, these are good in stir-fries and other spicy dishes, and they can be braised in a little butter and white wine and served as a side dish.

Chives are a favourite with gardeners as well as cooks, as the hardy perennial grows in grassy clumps with pretty mauve flower heads. If you're growing chives for the kitchen, you'll have to cut stems that aren't in bloom, since the flowering stems are much less flavourful and tender. On the other hand, chive blossoms are edible and make a colourful salad garnish, and fancy restaurants sometimes serve the flowers lightly battered and deep-fried.

Cilantro

I love it, I love it, I love it! If I had to choose the herb of the 1990s, it would have to be cilantro. Ten years ago this zesty green beauty was still unknown to many people, and you'd have been hard-pressed to find it in your local supermarket. However, the increasing influence of both Asian and Latin American cooking has driven cilantro to stellar heights of popularity.

Cilantro is also known as coriander, although in North America this term usually refers to the dried seeds, which are used mainly as a curry and pickling spice. The plant's lacy green leaves somewhat resemble flat-leafed or Italian parsley, and cilantro is variously called Mexican or Chinese parsley. Whatever you call it, you can't mistake its pungent fragrance and grassy, citrus-like flavour. It is a primary ingredient in Mexican salsas and Indian chutneys, and it is featured in most Asian recipes, especially soups and stews.

Available year-round, cilantro should be bought and used as fresh as possible. Unlike parsley, which can keep well for some time, cilantro is extremely perishable. Choose bright green, leafy bunches with thin stems. Wrap the stems in moist paper towel, and place the whole bunch in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where it should stay fresh for a few days. Don't rinse the leaves until just before using, and then spin or pat them dry.

Dill

Even the most inexperienced cook can identify the fragrance of the herb that flavours the ubiquitous pickle. Dill is one of the prettiest herbs around - with its slender stems and lacy green fronds - and one of the most common, used by "plain" cooks all over the world. Scandinavians are particularly fond of dill, perhaps because it grows well even in harsh climates, and its seeds are as useful as its leaves for flavouring everything from fish, poultry, and vegetables to baked goods.

Fresh dill is vastly more flavourful than the dried herb and has a distinctive licorice-like flavour, with a hint of celery and parsley. Because it is so easily available, I would never buy dried dill, and I'd rather substitute dill seed and fresh parsley or even celery leaves if I had no fresh dill on hand.

When buying dill, choose sprightly green stems and leaves, avoiding any that are pale or limp. Wrap them loosely in paper towel, store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and use within four or five days. Snip the leaves and tiny stems from the larger stems with scissors. The stems can be chopped finely and added to soups and stocks. I like to throw a sprig or two of dill in the water when cooking potatoes or carrots, and then toss the cooked vegetables with fresh snipped leaves. The same thing can be done when poaching fish. And don't forget dill when it comes to salads. Toss the feathery sprigs in with green salads, sliced tomatoes, beets - almost any salad vegetable you can think of.

Lemon Grass

Lemon grass is relatively new to the North American scene. We can find it in our supermarkets thanks to the rise in popularity of Southeast Asian foods, especially Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian. As its name suggests, lemon grass resembles coarse, heavy grass, and it has a subtle sweet-and-sour citrus flavour which provides balance to hot curry spices.

Fresh lemon grass is sold in single stems, anywhere from six inches to two feet (15-60 cm) long. The outer leaves, coarse and dry but very aromatic, can be used to flavour soups and stocks. They should be removed, like bay leaves, before serving. Only the innermost tender heart of the lemon grass is chopped finely and used like a spring onion, adding flavour to everything from curries to stir-fries, sauces, marinades, and salad dressings. Choose short, fresh-looking green stems with a pungent lemon-lime aroma. Wrap them in foil or plastic and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

A trick for getting the most aroma and taste from lemon grass is to bruise the leaves by crushing them with the flat blade of a knife before chopping them.

Mint

Everyone who brushes their teeth will be familiar with the taste of mint, which is by far the most popular flavouring ingredient in toothpaste. The Elizabethans also valued mint for its teeth-whitening and breath-freshening properties. Long before them, the Romans believed in the stimulating qualities of the fresh herb and showered their dinner guests with mint leaves to encourage hearty appetites. We still use mint in a bewildering array of cosmetic and medicinal products, as well as in the kitchen. Mint is used to flavour tea, candy, liqueurs, and cough medicines, and its fragrance graces everything from shampoo to air fresheners.

There are any number of mint varieties, including spearmint, peppermint, and orange mint. This is definitely a herb that you want to get between your teeth as well as under your nose to see if it appeals before buying. Spearmint is the most commonly used variety in cooking, and it is also used to make mint juleps, teas, sauces, and jellies. Any cuisine that features lamb makes use of mint in cooking, but it is also good with fish and poultry, as well as with vegetables. Peas, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes all have an affinity with mint. Add a few leaves to the cooking water, and then chop some more into melted butter to season simply prepared vegetables. Combine chopped mint with plain yogurt to serve as a cooling sauce with spicy dishes, or add whole leaves to balance a salad of bitter or tangy greens. And if you forget your toothbrush, chew on a mint leaf before you greet your loved one with a kiss.

Marjoram and Oregano

Marjoram and oregano are so closely related that it only makes sense to discuss them together. Oregano, in fact, is simply the Italian name for wild or hardy marjoram, and this is the stuff that is used so commonly in Italian and other Mediterranean cooking. It has a spicy fragrance, with a hint of cloves and pine. Its leaves are green (sometimes striped with yellow) and narrow, growing in clumps on tender stems. Sweet marjoram, in contrast, has a sweet, almost peppermint smell and a tart, resinous flavour. Its leaves are similar to oregano leaves, but they're smaller and a paler shade of green. Unless you purchase your herbs from a nursery or specialist market (or grow your own), you'll probably be buying a hybrid of sweet marjoram and wild marjoram, which will be called oregano. This is true of both dried and fresh herbs, and oregano is one of the few dried herbs that I tend to have on hand.

Oregano is a must in many Italian dishes, including ratatouilles and tomato-based sauces. It also complements mushrooms, eggplants, and other earthy-flavoured vegetables, as well as meat and poultry.

Parsley

Even those who shy away from buying fresh herbs often chuck a bunch of parsley into their shopping baskets. This is the most familiar of the herbs, one that we all feel comfortable using to garnish and flavour anything from salads to soups, sandwiches to grills and casseroles. Parsley might even seem a bit boring compared to more exotic sprigs like cilantro. However, its fresh but mild flavour and colourful appearance make this herb a must-have in the kitchen for both beginning and more sophisticated cooks.

There are two main varieties of parsley. Curly-leafed parsley is the most recognizable, with its decorative, tightly furled leaves that are most commonly used as a raw garnish. Flat-leafed, or Italian, parsley looks like a cross between cilantro and celery leaves. It has a more intense flavour and is often preferred over its curly cousin for use in cooking. Both are available year-round.

Parsley keeps best when it is placed in a jar of water, much like cut flowers. Rinse the leaves just before using, and spin or pat them dry. The stems can be chopped and added to soups and stocks. One way to chop the leaves is to stuff them in a measuring cup and use scissors to snip them down to size. When chopping large quantities, I like to use a mezzaluna, which is a curved, double-handled blade. It allows you to chop quickly and efficiently without reducing the herbs to a pulp. Don't reserve the leaves just for garnish; parsley has a clean, slightly peppery flavour that makes a wonderful base for soups and sauces. Because parsley is inexpensive, it makes an economical addition to pestos and herb breads, as well as balancing stronger-tasting herbs and spices. Curly parsley can be deep-fried and served as a crisp garnish on grilled fish.

Rosemary

Rosemary for remembrance, so the old saying begins. Trouble is, I never can remember the rest of it. What I do remember is a mouth-watering shish kebab I once had - tender bits of lamb skewered on rosemary twigs, pervaded with their woodsy aroma. It was served with crunchy potatoes, roasted in olive oil and seasoned liberally with black pepper, rosemary and garlic. Makes my knees weak just to think of it.

Rosemary is essentially a Mediterranean herb, popular in Greek and Italian cooking. The Romans introduced the plant to the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages, where it was cultivated mainly as an ornamental shrub, and rosemary is still a favourite with gardeners, with its dense, aromatic pine-like needles and pale blue flower clusters.

This is one of the few herbs that retains a lot of its character when dried, but you'll still find a big difference between fresh rosemary and the stuff you buy in bottles, especially in terms of its aroma. Fresh rosemary smells of both the woods and the ocean, and no wonder: its Latin name, ros marinus, means "dew of the sea." It's available year-round, so look for fresh, sprightly twigs with greyish-blue to bright green leaves. This fairly hardy herb will last for at least one week if popped into a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator.

Sage

Known as the healing herb, sage's name comes from the Latin word salvere, "to save." Sage also means wise, and any truly sage cook will want to have this fresh herb on hand. While we often turn to sage when making stuffing for a Sunday bird, this aromatic herb can be added to many other recipes. With its strong flavour - a bit musky, like resin and lemon peel - sage should be used sparingly, whether you chop a few leaves into a tomato salad, blend finely chopped leaves with soft cheese, or use sage to flavour focaccia bread. I like to place whole sage leaves on chicken breasts or pork chops and pan-fry them in butter.

Fresh sage is available year-round and can be grown successfully indoors throughout the winter months. It is a bushy plant, with leaves that are narrow, slightly fuzzy, and a pale greenish-grey in colour (sage green, in fact). I much prefer fresh sage to dried, as drying almost eliminates its lemony scent, leaving a strong, camphor-like aroma. You can infuse fresh sage leaves in hot water to make a refreshing tea, good for an upset tummy as well as for freshening your breath. Get wise, and experiment with sage. It's not just for the birds.

Tarragon

Tarragon is a herb that we associate most closely with classic French cooking, and the best tarragon come from the French plant. Russian and Mexican varieties are also called "false" tarragon, as their flavour can't hold a candle to the real thing.

Fresh tarragon is sold in sprigs of soft, narrow leaves, which have a peppery, licorice flavour and fragrance. It is used to flavour classic French sauces such as Béarnaise and tartar, as well as poultry and fish dishes. I like to add a sprinkling of tarragon to simply prepared vegetables, especially carrots, potatoes, peas, or cauliflower. Like the other classic aromatic herbs - rosemary, sage, and thyme - tarragon is best used on its own or in combination with lighter herbs such as parsley and chives.

Unlike more delicate herbs such as basil, fresh tarragon is more subtle than the dried herb. When added to cooked dishes, its flavour intensifies. One of the most popular ways to preserve the flavour of fresh tarragon is to infuse it in vinegar. You can simply add a few sprigs to a bottle of white wine vinegar and note how the flavour grows stronger with age. Tarragon vinegar makes a beautiful vinaigrette, and you can add a splash to the water when poaching fish or chicken.

Thyme

Thyme, parsley, and bay are the three herbs that make up a bouquet garni, the classic herbal posy used to flavour stocks and soups. There are literally hundreds of varieties of thyme, but the four most commonly cultivated for culinary use are common thyme, lemon thyme, silver thyme, and caraway thyme. Common or garden thyme has a strong, resinous flavour and adds warmth to many meat and fish dishes. It is also used to flavour vegetables, particularly full-bodied roots such as potatoes and carrots. Silver thyme, more mild in flavour and aroma, perhaps tastes better with lighter fare such as eggs, rice, and grains. Lemon thyme is also popular with cooks, with its mild flavour and sweet, citrusy fragrance. I like to add lemon thyme to vinaigrettes and sprinkle the fresh leaves on tomato salads. Caraway thyme, as its name suggests, has a warm, nutty flavour, with a touch of aniseed and lemon. This is a particularly nice herb to blend with soft cheese or to use in flavouring baked goods such as focaccia bread or herb muffins.

Use your nose when choosing thyme, and pick one with a scent that appeals. Usually thyme leaves are stripped from their stems and used raw or added towards the end of cooking. However, you can use whole sprigs to infuse a stock or sauce and remove them before serving. Heavy stems make good kebab skewers for barbecuing or grilling fish and vegetables.

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