Looking for an easy way to step up your cooking? What better way to do so than with all the flavors of fresh herbs that you can grow yourself! Fresh herbs add vibrancy and enhance the flavors of any dish. In today’s blog, we’ll learn a bit about different types of herbs and their uses, as well as a few tasty herb recipes to try out at home!
The two general types of herbs are hard and soft herbs. Hard herbs include those such as rosemary and thyme. They are hardier and can keep their flavor while cooking, so they are added in the beginning and are best used in stews, roasts, and pan frying. Soft herbs include parsley and basil, which are far more delicate than hard herbs. Because of this, they aren’t as well suited to intense cooking but instead are best for using at the end of cooking or as a garnish. In order to ensure the best flavor no matter what you’re cooking, make sure the herbs that you choose look nice and healthy with strong stems and no blemishes.
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
- Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds of halved Yukon Gold potatoes
- 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoons of salt
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of minced fresh rosemary
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Fill a large pot with water and add half of the salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook just until they’re tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let sit to cool and dry a bit in a colander for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add the potatoes, olive oil, and all of the seasonings, mix the ingredients together to coat well. Spread the potatoes once coated onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes before flipping the potatoes with a spatula, then bake for another 15 or 20 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a plate and enjoy immediately!
Basil Pesto
- Ingredients:
- 2 cups of fresh basil (without stems)
- 2 tablespoons of pine nuts
- 2 large cloves of garlic
- ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Combine basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle olive oil into the processor until the mixture is smooth. Add the cheese and process just until combined. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Enjoy with pasta, chicken, or fish!
Salsa with Fresh Cilantro
- Ingredients:
- ½ cup of roughly chopped white onion
- 1 clove of roughly chopped garlic
- ½ roughly chopped jalapeno with seeds removed
- 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 14 ½ ounce can of roasted tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
- ½ cup of fresh cilantro
- Juice of ½ lime
- Pinch of sugar
Preparation:
Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno to a food processor and chop until the onion pieces are about ¼ inch. Drain the extra liquid from the can of tomatoes and chilies and add the contents into the food processor. Add the can of roasted tomatoes with the extra liquid into the food processor, along with all the remaining ingredients. Process until the salsa reaches your desired consistency. Enjoy now or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7-10 days!