Anyone use fresh herbs in cooking?

[Tiamat]

I've been freeloading at a buddy's place until I find a job so I've decided to cook a majority of dinners. I'm a pretty adequate cook, but I just started using fresh herbs (thanks to food channel) and am amazed at the amount of flavor they bring to the table compared to the bottled dry herbs.

Does anybody have any idea how much 3.5oz of say Italian Parsley is? I have a whole bunch. Reason I ask is that the wikipedia has nutritional facts based on 3.5 oz and for that amount the vitamin K and C are pretty high, but is it the typical amount of parsley you use to cook? or is it an ungodly amount?

Any ideas how to keep them fresh? I am "Forced" to buy huge bunches of these herbs (including cilantro) as the bunches are only about 1$. However, the bunches are easily 10x the amount that I need within a week.

Thanks in advanced.

Also, if any of you have any quick flavor profiles for the other herbs like thyme, rosemary, etc. I'd be glad to hear them. For example, I have found that flat leaf parsley has quite a heavy citrus zing to it. At my local market, only parsley/cilantro are out in the open, the rest is sealed in packages so I couldnt sneak a taste or at least a nose of the other herbs to see what they bring to the table in terms of flavor.

 

[LS21]

herbs are a personal choice in terms of WHAT and How Much

when using dry put in less because they tend to be a bit stronger.

herbs are expensive to buy and difficult to store. if you can find some that are potted and remember to water them frequently. it saves soooooo much money over 2 or 3$ for a small bushel of herbs. i do this for basil (my fav) and i always have more than i need ... for pesto, etc

 

[spidey07]

There's a conversion between fresh and dried but I can't recall it off my head.

My rosemary and thyme bushes are probably 3 feet tall by now, they grow all year round and do best when they aren't in pots. I moved the rosemary to a rocky/sandy soil location and it's going crazy there. Basil, 2 kinds of parsley, sage and some others are always planted in the spring. So nice to just step outside and cut a few of what you need. Careful with rosemary - it's a really strong herb especially when fresh. So far the parsley is still growing, it may make it through the winter.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: spidey07
There's a conversion between fresh and dried but I can't recall it off my head.

My rosemary and thyme bushes are probably 3 feet tall by now, they grow all year round and do best when they aren't in pots. I moved the rosemary to a rocky/sandy soil location and it's going crazy there. Basil, 2 kinds of parsley, sage and some others are always planted in the spring. So nice to just step outside and cut a few of what you need. Careful with rosemary - it's a really strong herb especially when fresh. So far the parsley is still growing, it may make it through the winter.

Can you describe the flavor of rosemary and sage? I know they are used in poultry, but i have no clue why (in terms of flavor)

 

[Gibsons]

Growing your own is a great thing if it's an option.

Fresh basil is incredible, really no comparison to the dry stuff.

Oregano grows like a week and mine has survived winter freezes so far.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Gibsons
Growing your own is a great thing if it's an option.

Fresh basil is incredible, really no comparison to the dry stuff.

Oregano grows like a week and mine has survived winter freezes so far.

Yeah, I first started experimenting with fresh basil, and it was awesome. I found out that it doesn't like storage in the refrigerator though, it turned black like in 2 days! Although cilantro and flat parsley seem to last at least a week in the fridge...

 

[spidey07]

Rosemary is a woody, sharp herb with lots of oil. You'll know it when you smell it and your fingers will reek of it from the oils and the taste is unmistakable. Goes great with lamb and useful in all roasts if used sparingly. This is one herb where fresh and dried are remarkably different.

Sage is softer, sweeter, almost subtle. Good for stews and roasts as well - you know the old sage-rosemary-thyme mix?

Forgot about scallions and green onions - those are GREAT to have planted and on hand for potatoes or a garnish for soups.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: spidey07
There's a conversion between fresh and dried but I can't recall it off my head.

My rosemary and thyme bushes are probably 3 feet tall by now, they grow all year round and do best when they aren't in pots. I moved the rosemary to a rocky/sandy soil location and it's going crazy there. Basil, 2 kinds of parsley, sage and some others are always planted in the spring. So nice to just step outside and cut a few of what you need. Careful with rosemary - it's a really strong herb especially when fresh. So far the parsley is still growing, it may make it through the winter.

Can you describe the flavor of rosemary and sage? I know they are used in poultry, but i have no clue why (in terms of flavor)

I know you were not asking me but I wanted to inject.

Rosemary has almost a spicy, floral scent/taste. I would say it works best with beef, not poultry.

If you ever make a good prime rib roast, I have a rub that will take you to heaven. Pepper, bit of salt, 3 cloves of garlic and fresh rosemary. Either crush them with a mortar and pestol (sp?) or use the salt as an abrasive to help chop the garlic. once in a paste, rub entire roast and pop in the oven either low and slow, or high at first then shutting the oven off, or bring it as low as you can.

It is amazing.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Lola

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: spidey07
There's a conversion between fresh and dried but I can't recall it off my head.

My rosemary and thyme bushes are probably 3 feet tall by now, they grow all year round and do best when they aren't in pots. I moved the rosemary to a rocky/sandy soil location and it's going crazy there. Basil, 2 kinds of parsley, sage and some others are always planted in the spring. So nice to just step outside and cut a few of what you need. Careful with rosemary - it's a really strong herb especially when fresh. So far the parsley is still growing, it may make it through the winter.

Can you describe the flavor of rosemary and sage? I know they are used in poultry, but i have no clue why (in terms of flavor)

I know you were not asking me but I wanted to inject.

Rosemary has almost a spicy, floral scent/taste. I would say it works best with beef, not poultry.

If you ever make a good prime rib roast, I have a rub that will take you to heaven. Pepper, bit of salt, 3 cloves of garlic and fresh rosemary. Either crush them with a mortar and pestol (sp?) or use the salt as an abrasive to help chop the garlic. once in a paste, rub entire roast and pop in the oven either low and slow, or high at first then shutting the oven off, or bring it as low as you can.

It is amazing.

Wow, thanks! Heeh, I don't think I'm ready for all out prime rib roast yet . I take it you remove the leaves of the rosemary and just crush the leaves within the mortar and pestle? For any of these herbs you are supposed to throw away (not eat) the stems?

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Rosemary is a woody, sharp herb with lots of oil. You'll know it when you smell it and your fingers will reek of it from the oils and the taste is unmistakable. Goes great with lamb and useful in all roasts if used sparingly. This is one herb where fresh and dried are remarkably different.

Sage is softer, sweeter, almost subtle. Good for stews and roasts as well - you know the old sage-rosemary-thyme mix?

Forgot about scallions and green onions - those are GREAT to have planted and on hand for potatoes or a garnish for soups.

Thanks for the descriptions, these help quite a bit. Most of the italian cooking I have seen uses the 3-herb mix, but I figured it was just for looks and didn't really do much for flavor (because when I used the dried versions in bottle, it was just bitter).

Are all these herbs capable of being grown indoors, or do they need to be outside to really grow? I noticed some stores sell them in small pots, but I didn't know if you were supposed to take them out of the pot and put them into the ground outdoors...

 

[Descartes]

We grow a lot in our backyard, and when it's winter we bring them in the house. Basil, parsley, cilantro, rosemary and oregano mainly. For us, it's fresh because it's on the plant until we use it. Keeping fresh picked herbs in the fridge in a bag seems to last us at least a week.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: Lola

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: spidey07
There's a conversion between fresh and dried but I can't recall it off my head.

My rosemary and thyme bushes are probably 3 feet tall by now, they grow all year round and do best when they aren't in pots. I moved the rosemary to a rocky/sandy soil location and it's going crazy there. Basil, 2 kinds of parsley, sage and some others are always planted in the spring. So nice to just step outside and cut a few of what you need. Careful with rosemary - it's a really strong herb especially when fresh. So far the parsley is still growing, it may make it through the winter.

Can you describe the flavor of rosemary and sage? I know they are used in poultry, but i have no clue why (in terms of flavor)

I know you were not asking me but I wanted to inject.

Rosemary has almost a spicy, floral scent/taste. I would say it works best with beef, not poultry.

If you ever make a good prime rib roast, I have a rub that will take you to heaven. Pepper, bit of salt, 3 cloves of garlic and fresh rosemary. Either crush them with a mortar and pestol (sp?) or use the salt as an abrasive to help chop the garlic. once in a paste, rub entire roast and pop in the oven either low and slow, or high at first then shutting the oven off, or bring it as low as you can.

It is amazing.

Wow, thanks! Heeh, I don't think I'm ready for all out prime rib roast yet . I take it you remove the leaves of the rosemary and just crush the leaves within the mortar and pestle? For any of these herbs you are supposed to throw away (not eat) the stems?

Correct, the best thing to do is run your fingers up the stem to take off the leaves. chop them with the rest of the ingredients or crush them. This will help release the fragrence and oils.
you can use this for any kind of beef roast, not just prime rib! also, I love rosemary with pork too.

 

[MrChad]

Roasted rosemary potatoes > all other side dishes.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://americangardens.suite10.../growing_herbs_in_pots

u can grow all sorts of things in pots

 

[Gand1]

best way to keep the herbs fresh as possible in the fridge is to wrap them lightly in a damp paper towel and put them in a zip lock. Your herbs should last at least a few weeks then.

 

[Atheus]

Yep all the time. Whenever I make an Italian pasta sauce or pizza or lasagna (which is often) I throw a handful of fresh basil and oregano right at the end. That's the rule - dry herbs and spices at the beginning and fresh herbs at the end. If you put fresh in at the beginning you cook them down to nothing and you don't want that.

Originally posted by: TiamatI noticed some stores sell them in small pots, but I didn't know if you were supposed to take them out of the pot and put them into the ground outdoors...

Nope you just keep it in the pot and put it next to a window in your kitchen. It'll stay alive as long as there's sunlight and water theoretially, but in reality they go a bit tough and dry after a while and then eventually die. This hardly matters though because you use pretty much everything you buy all at once - there's no point in putting in a few wussy bits, you need to measure fresh herbs by the handful.

 

[dennilfloss]

Mmm fresh-herb brownies....

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Atheus
Yep all the time. Whenever I make an Italian pasta sauce or pizza or lasagna (which is often) I throw a handful of fresh basil and oregano right at the end. That's the rule - dry herbs and spices at the beginning and fresh herbs at the end. If you put fresh in at the beginning you cook them down to nothing and you don't want that.

Originally posted by: TiamatI noticed some stores sell them in small pots, but I didn't know if you were supposed to take them out of the pot and put them into the ground outdoors...

Nope you just keep it in the pot and put it next to a window in your kitchen. It'll stay alive as long as there's sunlight and water theoretially, but in reality they go a bit tough and dry after a while and then eventually die. This hardly matters though because you use pretty much everything you buy all at once - there's no point in putting in a few wussy bits, you need to measure fresh herbs by the handful.

Oh whoops, I threw in basil at the beginning of making red sauces. I guess I'll switch that.

Do you have to treat the plants to keep bugs away from them?

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: dennilfloss
Mmm fresh-herb brownies....

Darn, Canada has much better grocery stores than we have :/

 

[wwswimming]

i like using basil in salads. for example,

basil
cilantro
red leaf lettuce
mung bean sprouts
whatever i forgot

that + a salad dressing composed of -
* Briana's blush wine vinaigrette - 2 parts
* Johnny's Jamaican Mistake - or whatever the name of that marinade is -
1 part

... makes a good salad. i took it to a neighborhood party and it
actually disappeared.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: wwswimming
i like using basil in salads. for example,

basil
cilantro
red leaf lettuce
mung bean sprouts
whatever i forgot

that + a salad dressing composed of -
* Briana's blush wine vinaigrette - 2 parts
* Johnny's Jamaican Mistake - or whatever the name of that marinade is -
1 part

... makes a good salad. i took it to a neighborhood party and it
actually disappeared.

Interesting, I never thought of using basil in salads. I've stuck with parsley, sprouts, cilantro

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: dennilfloss
Mmm fresh-herb brownies....

Darn, Canada has much better grocery stores than we have :/

:laugh:

Making brownies with dried herbs is fun, though.

EDIT: My parents always use fresh herbs in their cooking. They bought a variety of a bunch of different herbs in little, square pots. They are new so they will be transplanted soon AFAIK.

 

[Howard]

1) Get a digital kitchen scale accurate to 1 gram or less
2) Don't eat too much parsley

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Howard
1) Get a digital kitchen scale accurate to 1 gram or less
2) Don't eat too much parsley

Lol, i was hoping someone else had the scale to give me a figure of "oh thats a few springs, or thats a handfull etc."

It's not my kitchen so I don't really have any say on what equipment is purchased. Frankly, if I need a scale, Id just take it to my former research lab were the scales are accurate to 1 microgram :laugh:

Anything bad about eating too much parsley or any culinary herb that I should know about?

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Tiamat

Originally posted by: Howard
1) Get a digital kitchen scale accurate to 1 gram or less
2) Don't eat too much parsley

Lol, i was hoping someone else had the scale to give me a figure of "oh thats a few springs, or thats a handfull etc."

It's not my kitchen so I don't really have any say on what equipment is purchased. Frankly, if I need a scale, Id just take it to my former research lab were the scales are accurate to 1 microgram :laugh:

Anything bad about eating too much parsley or any culinary herb that I should know about?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsley#Health_risks

Scales are useful for more than just herbs.