Skip to main content

Herbs and Spices


My favourite always goto herbs are mainly basil, coriander and rosemary. I have them fresh on my window ledge and virtually use them daily. I do use others like parsley, mint and chives but I buy them in fresh packet form and they can last a good week in the fridge.



Herbs add a certain je ne sais quoi about food, they taste unique and can add an alternative flavour to all our food.  who would have thought adding rosemary to a leg of lamb? or Garlic to butter?

I really enjoy cooking with herbs and spices, basil pesto... with pasta, or adding mint to yoghurt that makes a fantastic dipping sauce for kebabs. The world is our oyster, our imaginations run wild and we begin getting excited over flavours and what we are able to achieve.
The different colours, smells and textures most certainly gets the taste buds going.

I am most certainly expanding my knowledge on herbs and spices and learning of the country origins and a lot of it goes back to the romans of all people.
Turkish caravans used to walk for miles with their camels stocked with goods consisting of spices and cloths to sell. Cleopatra used spices in her beauty regime too, so they not just used to infuse our food.

Some are claiming certain health attributes too, recently Turmeric has been highlighted to reduce inflammatory and act as a painkiller.

So adding some spices to foods will certainly spice up your life!









Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Electric Pressure Cooker

Not so long ago I brought my pressure cooker because I wanted to save time and with ill health I thought it would make life a little easier. But to my astonishment it works out to be one of the best time saving gadgets I have purchased, I would absolutely recommend anyone to buy one of these. There are several on the market now and range in prices I got mine at a really good price off the internet. I have made stews, boiled rice (to perfection), I even made BBQ wings in it. Its faster than a electric slow cooker even though it had the slow cook enablement button. you can even cook cakes so it says in the instruction manual.  This cost around £35-40 and I have seen larger 5ltr capacity on sale for around the £50 mark There is a timer delay on it so you can go about your day and it will be done for when you return. It keeps warm incase you not back in time for the beeps to say its cooked.  They are a good buy and well worth the money and time saving.
Post a Comment
Read more

Easy Meatballs in Italian style Sauce

YOU NEED: 1 Pack of Sausages 1 Cooking Onion (Finely chopped) 2 Tins Plum Tomatoes 1 Tsp Dried Oregano 1 Tsp Dried Basil 2 Cloves Garlic (grated) 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1 Red Onion (sliced) Salt Ground Black Pepper Firstly strip back the sausages removing all the outer skins. Place this meat into a small bowl, add your finely chopped onion and mix together adding salt and pepper. Make into balls however size you like and place on a baking tray. Oven cook for about 10mins, until browning. These will finish off in the sauce. SAUCE In a skillet, Empty tins of tomatoes chop the plums into chunks (not too small). Add Garlic, Balsamic vinegar, herbs and Red onion, gently simmering. This needs to reduce and slightly thicken, most of the juices will evaporate. Add salt and pepper.  Combine the meatballs to the sauce and cover for about 5 minutes. Serve with pasta of choice. If you want spicy meatballs add some hot paprika to the sausage mixture.
Post a Comment
Read more

Strawberry Sorbet

YOU NEED: 1 Punnet of Strawberries 2 tbsp. Honey 4 tbsp. Plain yoghurt Of course you can use frozen and this will be done almost instantly, without having to freeze. You can also use different fruits most will turn out just fine. Cut tops off your strawberries (if using fresh), place into your food processor. add the other ingredients and whizz on max until all strawberries have virtually disintegrated into the yoghurt and honey. Freeze until needed.
Post a Comment
Read more