Four Herbs to Reinvent Your Kitchen

Look, we love basil and thyme as much as anyone but use them too much and your recipes might become a bit predictable. Perhaps it’s time to venture outside the spice cabinet a bit? We recommend perking up your senses with a few outside-the-box herbs that you may not have tried or given much consideration before!

Tarragon:

This grassy herb has a sweet licorice flavor that even the most anti-anise tasters will love.

If you do a lot of home pickling and preserving we recommend adding tarragon to your spice blend.

For your next party, try marinating fresh farmers cheese or olives with olive oil, lemon zest and dried tarragon.

In addition, tarragon is a unique herb in that it loves nearly all proteins – be it chicken, trout or even venison a bit of tarragon rubbed into the flesh before cooking will make for an eye-opening flavor experience.

Lastly, if you make your own homemade mustard then you must add some dried tarragon. The spicy-grassy-sweet flavor is terribly addictive and wonderful on a ham sandwich.

Chervil:

You’ve possibly heard of chervil? Once? Maybe? Julia Child, used it, right?

Chervil is an herb that’s also known as French parsley. It tastes like anise but with whispers of parsley, black pepper, caraway and thyme its used a lot in French home cooking. However, chervil never quite took off with American cooks. Wherever you might use chives or parsley add a bit of chervil to create complexity of flavor and a hint of bittersweetness.

Dried chervil is an excellent addition to soup stocks and cream sauces. For something simpler that will allow the spice to shine add a sprinkle to pot pies, baked potatoes, or sprinkle it onto freshly roasted carrots!

Fenugreek Leaves:

Most people are familiar with fenugreek seeds, but the oblong and fragrant leaves are equally tasty! The flavor is an intriguing mix of celery and parsley with a light, underlying astringency.

Fenugreek leaves are particularly popular in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking and a must-have ingredient for curries and stews. Try adding dried chervil to your favorite salad dressing and marinades to give them a balancing bitter note. We also love crushing them with salt and sprinkling the mixture over roasted winter squash and root vegetables!

Kaffir Lime Leaves:

Arguably, the most addictive herb on this list. Kaffir lime leaves come from a type of citrus that’s prized for the leaves more than the fruit. They’re fragrant with a flowery, tropical lemon-lime scent that’s utterly intoxicating.

Keep these on-hand to instantly upgrade your curry game. Simply add a few dried leaves to your curry and let bubble away as usual.

If you’re a dessert lover we suggest infusing milk and cream with these leaves for truly memorable ice creams and puddings. Home bartenders should also take note as homemade infusions and bitters are on another level when kaffir lime leaves are utilized.