Adding fragrance, freshness and colour, herbs can transform a dish from dull to dazzling, so it’s no surprise we’re using more of them in our cooking – but what’s the ethical and environmental impact? We asked Clare Finney to investigate the best way to source those green flavour bombs – and how to make the most of them… Then turn the page for Emily Gussin’s herb-hero recipes
FEATURE WORDS CLARE FINNEY RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN PHOTOGRAPHS TOM SHINGLER
Our herby cooking habits have changed over the past 10-15 years. “We’re shifting from meat and two veg towards a more Ottolenghi-style tumble of flavours and textures, and herbs play a big part in that,” says delicious. book reviewer Mark Diacono (see p15), grower and author of Herbs: A Cook’s Companion. “We’ve become more adventurous. We see that in the supermarket selection, which now includes things like lemon thyme and greek basil.”
Where once we used jars of mixed herbs or, at a push, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, our foodie culture has led us into cuisines such as Georgian, Persian and Vietnamese that demand fistfuls of the green stuff. Sabrina Ghayour, queen of Persian cooking, is a major cheerleader for herbs. “Persian food is all about them. We don’t have spices – herbs and citrus are our flavour profiles,” she explains. “If a dish demands parsley, it should have parsley on it and in it. I want tonnes of it. I want flavour and freshness. We shouldn’t be treating herbs as garnishes.”
SO... ARE DRIED HERBS REDUNDANT?
Not at all – they’re just different. “I’m not a dried herb snob – in Iran they’re a big deal,” says Sabrina. “But they’re wildly different in taste and texture. I love the intensity of dried oregano and mint, but they’re not the same as fresh.” It depends on what you’re cooking, Mark agrees. “Dried mint isn’t going near my mojito, but for a raita, absolutely.” If you’re growing herbs at scale, drying them can be a good way to preserve them, says Jan Wilson, who grows herbs for Wilsons, his Bristol restaurant.
FRESH HERBS AREN’T CHEAP – HOW CAN I AVOID WASTE?
“You can use more of the herb than you think. Tie the woodier stalks together and throw them into stews,” says Joe Woodhouse, food photographer and author of Your Daily Veg. Try new combinations too. “You have to combine herbs creatively,” says Jekka McVicar, renowned organic herb grower and retailer. What grows together goes together, so work with the seasons – and with plant families, says McVicar: “Carrot and coriander are from the same family. That’s why they work well.”
Don’t be scared to
