You Can Count On Dried Herbs To Deliver Flavor In A Pinch

April 09, 1987|By Nancy Byal, Better Homes and Gardens.

To add extra flavor to almost anything you cook, add a pinch of dried herbs. For maximum flavor, store and use them right.

Seasonings lose their punch with age; so choose the smallest containers possible when buying dried herbs. Mark each container with the date of purchase, and at the end of a year discard the remaining herb.

Keep dried herbs in tightly covered, light-proof containers in a cool, dry place--not above the range. Heat, moisture and light rob herbs of flavor.

To use a dried leaf herb, measure it first, then finely crush it in the palm of the hand or with a mortar and pestle before adding it to the mixture. Go easy adding dried herbs at first. Begin by adding one herb at a time, about 1/4 teaspoon for each 4 servings. If you want a stronger flavor, add more herb gradually, tasting as you go, until you are satisfied.

Add whole herbs such as bay leaves at the beginning of long cooking periods to draw out more flavor.

Ground herbs tend to lose flavor when cooked for a long time. To prevent flavor fadeout, stir ground herbs into soups, stews and pasta sauces during the last few minutes of cooking.

If a recipe calls for fresh herbs, you can substitute dried herbs by using about 1/3 the amount of fresh.

When you add dried herbs to appetizers or other mixtures that won`t be cooked, allow 1 hour of standing time to develop flavor.