Cooking herbs: how to bring Spring into your home

The arrival of spring gives us the opportunity to start rethinking our garden. More and more people are looking to rejuvenate their souls with a bit of green, even indoors or just outside: the practice of gardens and rooftop gardens in large cities is a clear and unmistakable example. Now, there are small patches of aromatic herbs that grow and thrive even in home kitchens. In fact, this type of kitchen aromatic plants  can be a great companion for your home, near a bright window and away from excessive heat sources. Besides becoming an excellent decorative and design element, they are also great natural air fresheners for your environments and suggest creativity in the kitchen. It is time to regenerate your home plants, and we suggest a few based on their gastronomic qualities and functionalities. 

Dill

Dill is a very finely leafed herb with particularly feathery leaves. It has a delicate and slightly spicy flavor. Fresh leaves and seeds are used: perfect for recipes with fresh or smoked salmon, also ideal for flavoring pickles and vegetable medleys.

Basil

The basil is perhaps the most representative aromatic herb of Italian cuisine. It perfectly complements our extraordinary tomato sauces from Southern Italy. Great on pasta and gourmet pizzas, but it is also the fundamental ingredient of Genovese pesto, especially that from the western coast between Savona and Imperia. 

Coriander

Coriander is an herb that has gained popularity especially in recent years, also thanks to the numerous culinary shows on TV, yet it boasts a long history and widespread use around the world. Its fresh leaves, seeds, roots, and stems are excellent to use. It is widely used in traditional Indian, Thai, and Mexican dishes. It has an intense aroma and pairs well with fish, seafood, peppers, cheese, rice, and chicken.

Watercress

It is a very characteristic herb with a pungent aroma. It is usually consumed fresh, added to savory fish dishes. It is also great for enhancing the first spring salads of fresh lettuce. Excellent for egg and cheese dishes as well.

Chives

A very fine herb that stands straight and upright in its pot, much like the cypress trees of Bolgheri, just to play a little with poetic verses. The chives is a smaller relative of garlic and onion, in fact its flavor can be described as intermediate between the two, but much more delicate than both. However, on the plate, it always provides an intense and pleasant flavor: great for enhancing salads of tomatoes, lettuces, fish, seafood, eggs, potatoes, and creamy cheese.

Marjoram

At first glance, the marjoram might be confused with oregano, especially when dried. However, its aroma is sweeter and spicier, less fresh and floral. Marjoram is usually used during the autumn months with dishes based on nuts and soups of cereals and legumes. Ideal for accompanying creamy fresh cheeses as well.

Thyme

The thyme always grows very well in home gardens: it is a product of Middle Eastern origin, and its use is particularly suited to Southern European and Arab cuisine. Thyme can be consumed fresh or dried. It pairs very well with fish and shellfish, such as a good dish of stewed cuttlefish. It is also great for flavoring blue cheeses and fresh tomato salads. To give more spice to your chicken, marinate it with oil, lemon, and thyme.

Oregano

What would pizza be without a sprinkle of fresh oregano? This extraordinary herb brings with it all the flavor of Southern Italy, of the coasts, of the hedges that accompany us before reaching the beach. Its essential oil is a scent that remains persistent and intense among the Mediterranean scrub. In the kitchen, besides pizza, it goes very well with meat in general and in many preparations from various culinary traditions. 

Mint

Increasingly used in the kitchen to refresh and add depth to some dishes. The mint is an herb that can be found in various forms and species. It is excellent in the summer for flavoring salads. If you fry vegetables, always add mint leaves to the plate where you serve them: it helps to eliminate the strong taste they take on when fried. Mint is ideal for serving cocktails, for accompanying chocolate-based dishes, for flavoring bergamot drinks, and making some citrus jams and marmalades refreshing.

Savory

Let's also add a very particular herb that is sometimes unknown to most. Savory is a classic plant that comes from the ancient culinary tradition of French Provence. Ideal for flavoring strong-tasting dishes such as legumes and roasts. Perfect to add to the quintessential Easter dish of Central-Southern Italy tradition, such as fava beans. Great in sausage mixtures, it sometimes replaces wild fennel. Finally, it is ideal for preparing infusions and preparations for liqueurs.

Bernardo Pasquali 

S&M