Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Herbs in the Garden and the Kitchen

There is something magical about herbs growing in the garden and being able to fetch the leaves from the garden and use them immediately in the kitchen.

The Chives are in bud in the raised bed - these are nice chopped into mayonnaise over new potatoes, the flowers look colourful in a salad, too.

Flat-leafed parsley - lovely chopped into mushroom and pea rissotto.

Rosemary - laid on top of home made Focaccia bread with halved olives before baking in the oven.

Mint - wonderful chopped in with cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions and bulgar wheat to make a tabouleh. Or just put a sprig in the pan with new potatoes or peas.


and in the conservatory windowsill - Basil - roughly torn and placed in a mozzarella and tomato sandwich or scattered over a homemade pizza. Just brush the leaves and smell your fingers as you pass by!

and coriander which we use to make carrot and coriander soup.

I love herbs in the garden and in cooking! Do you have a favourite herb that you often use?

9 comments:

  1. I do. I could not live without my Bay tree. Several Bay leaves feature in most Roast Chicken dishes. I loved it in France where they had the most enormous Bay trees ever - I used to steal a couple of leaves from the branches that overhung the road - some to sniff, and some to use back at the campsite. I love herbs in the garden, I call it my "scatch and sniff" garden. xxxxx

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  2. Yesterday I planted basil, chives and sweet onions. Are you saying the flowers of the chive are edible too?

    Loved reading about your herbs!

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  3. I love growing herbs and have recently put several in one of the new raised beds (I feel a post coming on!), as opposed to keeping them all in pots.

    I'v been using a lot of chives lately, and mint - now that IS merrily romping away in a pot!

    Jeanne
    x

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  4. We were planting herbs on Sunday and the Sundsy before David made lovely rosemary topped focaccia bread while I was working! I'm not sure if I have favourite herb, but mint, parsley, rosemary and coriander would all be competitors! There are just so many to choose from.

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  5. You've got some great tips for using these magic helpers in the kitchen! My favourite herb is sage, on pasta with some butter, or into steaks with ham and cheese. And it's a great addition to the garden because its bush has got a lot of lovely purple tiny flowers! xxx

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  6. I constantly use rosemary, parsley, mint and bay leaves.I love having herbs close to hand.
    Love Kathy xxx

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  7. Your herbs look wonderful Rosie and very healthy too! I love mint but can't grow it!!! I don't really have a favourite herb as I use them all. I do love basil though added to sauce or in a mozarella panini!!! x

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  8. I love, basil (Italian dishes), chives (potatoes, salads, rosemary thyme (soups, stew), watercress (salads),
    but now I don't have a garden (I could have a deck garden, but I'm too much away -in California they should be watered every day in the summer)) - so I mostly end up buying my herbs:)

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  9. You sound like bit of a domestic goddess,all that cooking and you bake your own bread.i wish I could be a bit more like you!

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