Using herbs and spices in and on dishes is one of the easiest ways to elevate a meal and make it more interesting.  As a Chef, when I create an entree or make myself a meal, I have four categories that I try to hit : flavor, color, texture, and variety.  Having a meal that has all these elements is more enjoyable because it looks more appealing and is more interesting than plain food.  One of the factors that takes a meal from “meh” to “I want to eat that again” is simply adding herbs and/or spices to the dish.  And it can be as easy as adding a roughly chopped fresh herb to a dinner or sprinkling on an interesting spice mix onto your salad.

Herbs and spices are the reason that certain cuisines taste the way they do.  Indian food has mastered the use of spices in its cuisine, and Mexican food has mastered the use of chilies as a spice, while Mediterranean food is accented heavily with fresh herbs like Basil and Thyme.  

Herbs

In my own cooking, herbs are essential.  When I talk about herbs, I am talking about the leaves of the fresh plant, not the dried ones (I talk about dried herbs later).  I think of herbs in terms of two main categories : delicate herbs and hearty herbs.  Generally speaking, delicate herbs have green, non-woody stems and thin leaves that can bruise easily.  The stems of delicate herbs can be chopped with the leaves and eaten with no problem.  Think cilantro, parsley, mint and basil.  Hearty herbs have woody stems and thicker leaves that do not bruise easily.  Examples are rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, and tarragon.  

Herbs are, in my opinion, the easiest seasoning to use.  All is takes is just a few chopped leaves sprinkled on top of your dish and Voila!  You have a much better dish.  

Since we eat with our eyes first, adding a nice pop of green color from fresh herbs is always appealing.  They add a nice freshness to food, and can enhance the flavors in the dish.  And adding herbs is so much healthier than adding extra salt or fat.

Now, I hear you asking “Chef Andrew, how do I know which herbs to use?”  Well, without giving you an entire class on herbs, I will give you some general guidelines on the most readily available herbs.

Parsley : both Italian (flat leaf) and curly.  Parsley goes with most everything.  It is a great garnish both chopped and as torn leaves and adds a fresh and clean taste.  Parsley often has undertones of pepperiness, and sometimes other spice notes like clove and nutmeg.  Parsley can enhance the flavors in a dish from the other ingredients and just adds a vibrancy.  Parsley is essential in the Mediterranean and France, and also finds its’ way into African and American foods.  

Basil : all types.  Basil is best suited to Italian and Mediterranean dishes, but can also find a welcome home in desserts.  Basil is slightly sweet tasting and can have a slight peppery note, or a slight spicy flavor to it.  It is best used as a roughly chopped leaf or as torn leaves.  Basil has a special affinity for tomatoes, chicken and fish.  Basil adds a fresh, sweet note to food and can bring out flavors of other foods, especially other herbs, olives, tomatoes, and citrus.  Italian food might not exist without Basil.  

Cilantro : also called Coriander, (not to be confused with the ground seeds of the same plant) Cilantro is best suited to South American, Spanish, and Mexican foods.  Cilantro finds its way into sauces, dips, on chicken and fish, in salsa’s, and in marinades.  Cilantro has a special relationship with citrus fruits, especially sour oranges, cumin, and onions.  Cilantro tastes pungent with hints of lemon, pepper, and sometimes mint.  Cilantro is best used chopped and sprinkled on food or mixed into a sauce or dip.  Cilantro stems can also be chopped, blended, or used in a marinade and eaten.  Certainly Mexican food would not be the same without Cilantro.

  Fresh herbs are very happy in a small pot on your windowsill.  They are very easy to keep so they are always available to you.  If you have no green thumb, you can always buy them and they will keep for about a week in the fridge.  You can also put the plants in water and leave them on the counter and they will last even longer.

Herbs also come in dried form and these are completely different from fresh herbs.  Dried herbs must be cooked, rehydrated, or turned into powder.  Dried herbs have a much more concentrated flavor so you need less of it when compared to fresh herbs.  You may use only 1 tsp dried basil in a recipe, where you would use 1/4 cup of fresh chopped Basil for example.  Dried herbs are best cooked into a sauce, added to a braise, or used in a marinade.  To use them directly on food, the dried herb is turned into a powder using a spice grinder and sprinkled onto food as a seasoning.  Two of my favorites here are Rosemary powder and Basil powder.  A light coating of this spice powder adds a nice green look to a food such as fish or chicken making it more appealing.  But it also adds a deep herb flavor that is irresistible.  Dried herbs used in this way can also add that freshness factor just like fresh herbs do.  Dried herbs used in sauces, soups, and stews add a depth of flavor, and a background flavor of the herb itself.  Think beef stew with dried oregano and carrots.  The oregano flavors the stew but also makes the beef taste more of itself; it really brings out those flavors.

Spices

Spices are a whole world unto themselves.  Spices can be seeds, berries, bark, roots, vegetables, leaves, flowers, and fruits.  And I know from experience that many are confused about spices and how to use them.

If you think about where spices grow in the world, those spices generally go together.  In the Mediterranean for example, Fennel, Paprika, Saffron, Sumac, and Turmeric grow well and have been incorporated into regional cuisines.  In Africa, Cumin, Chilies, Cinnamon, Peppercorns, and Garlic are abundant and they all go together nicely as a spice mix.  In Latin America, there are an abundance of chilies, dried citrus, pink pepper, cumin, and coriander.  These spices are commonly used together in traditional sauces, marinades, and as meat and vegetables seasonings.

So the question really is this : what type of food would you like and where does it come from?  If it is from India (my favorite) you have a myriad of spices to choose from to season your food like turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, chilies, and coriander.  America contributes Vanilla, a variety of chilies and peppers, Sage, Sumac and Allspice.  Just use that as a guide to see what spices you can choose from that are complimentary.  And feel free to experiment!  

Also the spices that grow in a region of the world generally pair well with the fresh herbs that grow there.  So, cook with the spices in the dish and garnish with the herbs.  Now you have created something special that you will want to eat again.  

Spices are dried and they have a concentrated flavor.  So it doesn’t take much to get the flavor, and with some spices like Nutmeg and Cumin, it is easy to overdo it.  So remember, less is more when it comes to spices, especially with longer cooking times.  More time = more flavor and you probably want to taste the other ingredients too.

Spices are very easy to use, especially since you can buy most of them already ground (although I like to grind my own for freshness).  Spices can be used as a garnish when simply sprinkled on top, or used in a dish when cooked with the other ingredients.  Here are some easy spice mixes that you can use : 

3 Pepper Rub

This is a surprisingly flavorful little mix and it couldn’t be easier to make.  I love using this on beef and chicken dishes primarily but it also adds a surprising note to vegetables.

2 TBS black peppercorns

1 TBS pink peppercorns

1 TBS red chile flake

Method

1. Place a small skillet over medium heat.  Add all the peppers and toast while shaking the pan frequently until the spices are lightly toasted and fragrant.  

2. Remove the spices to a small bowl or plate to cool.  When cool, grind in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

3. Keep in an airtight container for up to three weeks.  This mix will not go bad, but it will begin to lose much of its flavor after that time.

4. Use this on chicken, beef, fish, and vegetables.

Fennel Rosemary Pepper

I learned this one from a Chef friend of mine and I loved it so much that I began using it regularly.  It is very easy to make and you can use it in place of regular pepper whenever you want.

2 TBS black peppercorns

1 TBS fennel seed

1 TBS dried rosemary leaves

Method

1. Place a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the pepper and fennel and toast while shaking the pan frequently until they are lightly toasted and fragrant.

2. Remove the spices to a small bowl or plate to cool.  When cool, combine the toasted spices with the rosemary leaves and grind in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

3. Keep in an airtight container for up to three weeks.  This mix will not go bad, but it will begin to lose much of its flavor after that time.

4. This is especially good on chicken & fish.  But it also works well on salads, grilled vegetables, and sprinkled on fresh bread. 

One more note about using spices as a garnish : sometimes a little sprinkle of a bright red chile powder is just what a dish needs; that little pop of color and the sweet heat from the chile could be what makes you want more of that dish.  So keep it simple to start, but do experiment.  Find the flavors you like and then add to them.  

Food should be beautiful, delicious, and good for you.  And herbs and spices added to a dish can be the element that makes all the difference.