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Post by existentialcrisis on Mar 17, 2010 19:05:06 GMT
Fresh cilantro and parsley, and I plan on using fresh basil more often. I also discovered that fresh thyme is much more flavorful in a stew than dried. I suppose if I ever need mint, I will use fresh. And I seem to recall using fresh dill on a couple occasions, but I like dry dill sprinkled on my salmon before I poach it, which is my most frequent use of the herb.
For everything else, I used dried.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2010 19:15:26 GMT
I overuse any fresh herbs that I can get -- cilantro, basil, dill, parsley, chervil, chives -- and love them all the more for their overwhelming flavor.
In the dry department, I use a lot of Cayenne, cumin, thyme, bay leaves, turmeric, fennel seeds, tarragon, and various peppers.
I would use a lot of saffron if it were not so expensive.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2010 19:30:03 GMT
I am very heavy handed with cilantro and parsley as well.To think,the very first time I had fresh cilantro,I was in a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco and I was absolutely repulsed by it. Now, I can't get enough of it. Existential,try experimenting with more of the fresh herbs,you will taste a world of difference. Very often,it's the essential oils in the fresh leaves that release the desired flavor. It's just not the same in the dried versions.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 17, 2010 20:22:08 GMT
Out of curiosity, do you all consider seeds to be herbs, or spices? For instance, I've always considered the leaf of a plant such as dill to be an herb, but its seed to be a spice. I'd say ginger and turmeric, whether dried or fresh, are spices, and bay leaf could fall into either camp.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 17, 2010 20:26:06 GMT
I like to make tabbouleh with coriander instead of mint. I've made it that way, and it's really good. I think my favorite, though, is the version I originally learned that used parsley and mint.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2010 21:35:52 GMT
Wouldn't roots like turmeric and ginger be in a third category? turmeric root
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 17, 2010 21:40:08 GMT
Theoretically, yes, they would be, but I think the roots associated with Asian and Indian cooking are considered spices, for whatever reason. But what does that make horseradish?
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Post by hwinpp on Mar 18, 2010 10:40:39 GMT
Much of what has been mentioned above already. Two herbs more typical of this region are sawtooth coriander and holy basil. I don't like the latter but it is very popular with the other member of my household If roots are included, ginger, galangal, turmeric in the dried powdered state and that illusive 'krachai' I've written about.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2010 10:45:49 GMT
And then,there are the leaves such as bay laurel,kafir lime...that are for flavoring but not ingested.
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Post by hwinpp on Mar 19, 2010 8:01:26 GMT
I eat the kaffir lime leaves that we use. They come from my own pot and we always just use the young ones, but deveined of course. I even eat the galangal slices, it's available very fresh and young.
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 19, 2010 15:51:27 GMT
That reminds me of something I've wanted to know for a long time .......
Recipes calling for lemon grass frequently say to chop the tender portions. What if there are no tender portions? Depending on the season, or the source of ones lemon grass, there may be nothing but the top leaves, or leaves and very tough bottom sections. What then? I've been putting leaf sections in whole, then removing them before serving, but is that correct?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2010 16:47:43 GMT
Yes,this has been a question of mine as well,and never think to ask when I think of it.
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Post by hwinpp on Mar 20, 2010 7:38:05 GMT
If you get the very young shoots, yes, you peel them (similar to an onion), then chop them up across the grain, maybe half a millimeter thick... anyway, very narrow. You can actually use this to make into a dip or as a salad dressing.
Wait a second... I just reread Bixa's post more carefully. The tender part is not actually at the top, it's at the bulbous part, nearest to the root. You can peel of the woody outside then you get the tender part that you can chop up. Maybe more similar to 'peeling' a carrot (as described by gertie in another thread I think) than an onion.
Finely sliced and deveined kaffir lime leaves are an important ingredient in fish patties. I think Baz has written somewhere that normal lime leaves are an adequate substitute.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2010 10:00:35 GMT
Thanks HW!! My new hero!!! (I did know that the soft tissue was at the bottom,and I think Bixa knows as well,but clarification of the other is what I was looking for.) (Also of new note to me,lemongrass is incredibly cold hardy,mine survived 2 hard freezes...).
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Post by bixaorellana on Mar 20, 2010 16:58:00 GMT
Thanks, HW. What I meant was that, depending on the time of the year, climate conditions, age of plant, etc., sometimes the only usable portion seems to be the top, i.e., the leaves.
So yeah, I knew the tender part is supposed to be the bulbous section at the bottom, but not what to do when that section is woody. I guess I should have realized that the heart of it would be still be nice, so thank you for the good tip.
Speaking of tips -- maybe everyone already knows this, but a garlic press is useful for expressing ginger juice as well.
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Post by hwinpp on Mar 23, 2010 10:35:02 GMT
Yes. I do that myself.
When I was still in Germany I had a doner kebab machine at home. For parties I'd fire it up. One of the ingredients I used to marinate the meat in was ginger juice. I got that from the garlic press ;D
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2010 10:39:27 GMT
Since I never press garlic, I can't press ginger either...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2010 23:17:28 GMT
I'm sorry, but I have to post this of my cilantro in the garden today...
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Post by lagatta on Mar 23, 2010 23:55:17 GMT
Beautiful! Up here, I've always had trouble growing it, though a lot is grown commercially by market gardeners in season.
I like most of those herbs - I'm not among the many who hate coriander or the anise family (I have friends who are passionate haters some of coriander, some of anise, fennel etc). Sage is perennial here, but the Russian tarragon is more perennial than the French - no surprise.
Now I live on the upper floor of a triplex and can only grow balcony herbs. For the moment the coop has nixed a tiny vegetable and herb patch, leaving the wee backyard to families with small children, but there is only one small child now and her parents would like to garden, so we'll have to think it over. Unfortunately some structural work will have to be done this spring so I doubt there will be any garden started.
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Post by hwinpp on Apr 6, 2010 11:08:15 GMT
That's quite a bush you've got there, Cas. I'll see if I can get a pic of our lemon grass.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2010 11:17:14 GMT
Thanks HW! That is only 1/4 of it,I have clusters of it scattered throughout the potager. Some are 'volunteers' from last year,the rest is from seed I scattered all over the place,in between rows and other bare spots. I would love to see your lemongrass. Mine is looking sickly right now. I'm hoping it will make a comeback.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 6, 2010 16:41:11 GMT
I think lemongrass reaches a point where it's tired. Then it's best to cut it back fairly close to the ground. The crew cut looks awful, but pretty soon the whole plant will look fresh and thriving again.
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Post by hwinpp on Apr 7, 2010 5:19:04 GMT
Sorry, no pic. Brought the wrong memory card with me.
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Post by fumobici on Apr 7, 2010 5:33:36 GMT
I grow and use basil, chives, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, tarragon and sage in pretty much descending order. I seem to have quit buying herbs aside from fresh basil out of season. It's probably been a couple of years since I used dried.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2010 7:57:13 GMT
I wish I had a tarragon bush.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 14, 2010 17:24:13 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2010 17:49:01 GMT
That is really interesting. My father absolutely despised cilantro, yet he was the member of the family who had traveled the most, having been in the navy for 20 years. He would eat just about everything but absolutely couldn't stand that item.
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Post by gertie on Apr 14, 2010 22:15:32 GMT
You can still get ginger juice without a garlic press. Just grate the ginger and squeeze with your fingers. Don't think me very smart, I learned this on a cooking video and found it works great.
I have yet to find an herb I dislike, though I don't really care for a dish with much tarragon. I have currently in my garden basil, oregano, thyme, mint, sage (hopefully, I planted seeds recently), and also some edible flowers. I kind of include them with herbs since often a little is useful for changing the taste of food similar to herbs. I've got some marigolds growing since I read the petals have often been used as a substitute for saffron. I'm tending to believe it's more a matter of coloring rather than flavoring the food like saffron, but will see.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2010 14:49:54 GMT
I think marigold petals might be pushing it, as a substitute for saffron Gertie,kind of a stretch there. Let me know how it works.
I have a plethora of chervil in my garden at the moment. I am always in a quandary about this herb,which I love,but seem to have so much at one time,then the hot weather kicks in and then kaput. Has anyone used or recommend drying chervil? Perhaps a vinegar or an oil,butter? Help!!
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 21, 2010 8:30:47 GMT
I think when you read about "marigold" petals being used for saffron, it's a reference to the original marigold -- calendula. The name was appropriated for a new world plant. Dried safflower petals are sometimes sold as a substitute for saffron, but they're tasteless. marigold / Tagetes pot marigold / Calendula safflower / Carthamus officinalis tinctorius
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