Italian Herb Garden
Just thinking about Italian herbs makes my mouth water. Can’t you just close your eyes and smell the rich aroma of oregano already? There’s such a variety of flavors, tastes and textures in Italian herbs that they can add extra excitement to your next lasagna, spaghetti or other pasta dish. You might even get inspired to try some new recipes once you start your own Italian herb garden. We’ll help you with your Italian herb garden.
What’s interesting to me is that many of what we call the Italian herbs aren’t originally from Italy. They just got adopted by the chefs and cooks throughout the many regions in Italy to improve the taste of their dishes. But who cares where they came from! You can grow them in your own herb garden and even grow the majority of them on your kitchen windowsill.
Before you set out to the nursery or home improvement store to stock up on herbs, consider which ones will work best for your needs. Check out the ingredient list from a few of your favorite recipes and make a list of the herbs that appear most often. You probably don’t need me to tell you this, but there isn’t a plant called “Italian herbs” or “Italian blend.” When a recipe has that listed (which is probably the most common ingredient), it just means you should add a mixture of oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme and crushed rosemary.
These are the top Italian herbs in my mind too, with the big two being oregano and basil.
• Oregano: As the major ingredient in most every important Italian dish (from pizza to pasta sauce) you’ll want a big patch or pot of oregano on hand for your Italian and Greek meals. It works great fresh or dried, which is nice for those winter dishes of baked spaghetti. Its pungent, spicy flavor and aroma is unmistakable, but don’t be fooled, because all oregano is not the same. If you’re buying a plant, smell it first. The stronger the smell, the stronger the flavor. I like mine strong.
• Basil: Sweet basil is variety that you’ll want for your next Italian meal because of its strong, sharp aroma and its unique flavor. I can’t imagine life without it! You can slice up the leaves and toss into your sauce or layer them on your pizza or bread. Run a heap of them through the food processor and you’ll soon have pesto. Here’s a word to the wise—a little basil can go a long way. You can over season your food for a delicious meal and you won’t to set up a competition between the herbs for taste.
• Rosemary: Rosemary isn’t just a pretty, aromatic herb; it’s also great for adding flavor to your lasagna, roasted chicken and vegetables, and breads. You can dry it or use it fresh. You can even add it to your bath for extra soft skin. When you rub it on you skin it’s a fantastic, organic, non-toxic way to keep mosquitoes away!
• Thyme: Using thyme in your Italian dishes is a snap because it goes well with just about anything. It adds a little pep to just about anything. I put it in all my Italian sauces, even when the only other herb is garlic. Its flavor can be subtle, which is what you’re looking for, so 2 teaspoons is about all you want to add to most dishes. You can sprinkle it on baking bread with rosemary for a whole new home-baked sensation.
• Marjoram: As the cousin of the oregano plant, marjoram has a similar, milder flavor. You can use marjoram just like you would oregano, in your soups, pasta dishes and meats. Chop up some leaves into your whipped butter and spread on your next loaf of homemade bread for a delicate taste that melts in your mouth.
So those are the most popular Italian herbs. Here’s another that I can’t seem to boil pasta water without using.
• Fennel: Fennel is an unlikely choice for Italian because of its nutty, licorice flavor, which diminishes slightly when you cook it. I like to add crushed fennel seeds to lasagna to just give it a slight hint that any other lasagna is lost without since I started using it. You can also chop up the fresh stems for salad and add the leaves too. Even the fennel bulb is delicious roasted with garlic, olive oil and a light marinara sauce.
If you haven’t already made a mental note to grow these ingredients for a big plate of baked ziti or eggplant parmesan by now, I don’t know what’s wrong with you. I’m heading for the kitchen now.
Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.
