Making the most of your herbs in the kitchen

At our recent Herb Awareness talk in Brisbane, Sandra shared some of her favourite ways to use herbs in the kitchen, with plenty of tastes to go around. Here are all the recipes from the day, so you can make them at home.

Most of these use fresh herbs. They grow happily in a pot by the kitchen door, ready to snip whenever you are cooking. You can browse our range of culinary herb plants, and find many of the same herbs in our dried herb range.

Herb Butter

One of the easiest ways to preserve and enjoy fresh herbs is by making herb butter. Whether spread on warm sourdough, melted over vegetables, added to pan-fried mushrooms, or as a tasty garnish to meat, herb butter brings flavour to everyday meals. If you want a softer butter straight from the fridge, try adding a third of a cup of olive oil to a cup of butter.

Herb and mustard butter

Try this butter with savoury muffins, corn, roast or steamed vegetables, mushrooms and steak.

• 250g butter
• 1 Tbsp oregano, chopped finely
• 1 Tbsp chives, chopped finely
• 1 Tbsp thyme, chopped finely
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped finely
• 1 Tbsp grainy mustard

Dill and lemon butter

Nice with fish, eggs, veges, potatoes and in white sauces.

• 250g butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp chopped dill
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp chopped capers

Rosemary, garlic and paprika butter

Nice with corn on the cob, or on roast vegetables. Or a dob on a steak or chicken fillet.

• 250g butter
• 2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika

Mexican tarragon, garlic and tangerine butter

Rub this butter onto chicken under the skin before roasting. Add to cooked beans and top with toasted almonds. Cous cous is delicious with a little of this butter stirred through it.

• 250g butter
• 2 Tbsp chopped Mexican tarragon
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 Tbsp tangerine juice
• 2 tsp tangerine zest

To shape your butter, roll and slice it, press it into moulds, or use shape cutters.

Pesto and Herb Blends

Pound your herbs with a mortar and pestle, or chop and blend them, then cover with some oil. Store in the fridge, or freeze in portions. Toss through vegetables or pasta, serve as a condiment on the table, or use as a base for dips.

Scarborough Fair Blend

• 1 Tbsp parsley
• 1 Tbsp sage
• 1 Tbsp rosemary
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp chilli
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4 Tbsp olive oil

Finely chop all the ingredients and mix with the olive oil. Rub it over chicken or tofu, stir through cooked pasta, or toss through potatoes or a mix of vegetables before baking. You can also use it as a flavour base for dips, for example add 1 to 2 Tbsp to a cup of mashed white beans such as cannellini beans, or soaked cashew nuts, or cream cheese. Sandra's favourite is blended with labne.

Coriander Blend

• 1 cup chopped coriander
• ¼ cup mint
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 or 2 red chillies (or to taste)
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp ground sea salt
• 1 tsp coconut sugar

Mix the ingredients together well. To turn it into a dip, soak 1 cup of cashew nuts in 1 cup of water for 2 hours, then strain. Process the nuts, add 1 cup of shredded coconut and 2 Tbsp of the coriander blend, with enough water to make a good dipping consistency.

Herb Salt

Combine ½ cup of fresh herb (rosemary, sage, oregano or lemon myrtle) with 1 cup of coarse salt. Use it as you would use salt.

Herb Honey

Half fill a jar with herb (lemon balm, thyme, rosemary, chamomile, lavender or cinnamon), then fill with honey and leave to infuse for 1 to 3 weeks. Lovely on pancakes and cakes, or over vegetables.

Herb Sugar

Layer ½ cup of dried herb with ½ cup of caster sugar. Use it in cakes and biscuits, sprinkled on top, or on cocktail glass rims.

Herb Flour

Mix 2 Tbsp of dried herb (peppermint, rose geranium, lavender, mint, lemon myrtle or lemon verbena) into 1 cup of flour in an airtight container and set aside for 24 to 48 hours. Sift before using in cakes, biscuits and muffins.

Rosemary Spiced Almonds

These are great on their own, served on an antipasto platter, or roughly chopped to top a green salad. Or stir them through a rice or quinoa dish at the end of cooking for a delicious crunch. They make a great gift at Christmas time.

• 250g raw almonds
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Set the oven to 180°C. Mix together all the ingredients except the almonds. Place the almonds on a baking tray and toast for about 10 minutes. Toss the hot toasted almonds through the mix and let cool.

Herb Vinegar

Fill clean bottles with the herbs of your choice, pour over vinegar, and make sure all the herbs are covered. Seal and set aside for 3 weeks before using.

• Use good quality vinegars, such as wine vinegar or cider vinegar.
• Fresh herbs should be clean and dry.
• Do not use bottles with metal caps, as the vinegar will corrode them.

Use your herb vinegar in salad dressings, mayonnaise, marinades, soups, casseroles and gravy. Herbs will lose their vibrant colour after time, so you can strain the flavoured vinegar off and add fresh herbs. This is a good idea when giving it as a gift.

Tangerine and Sage Biscuits

• 125g butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp tangerine juice
• 2 tsp grated tangerine rind
• 2 Tbsp chopped sage
• 1½ cups plain flour
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to a moderate 180°C. Grease or line a baking tray. Cream the butter and sugar with the sage. Add the egg and beat well. Add the tangerine rind and juice alternately with the flour. Fold in the sunflower seeds. Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the tray, then bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Grow your own

Most of these herbs grow happily in a pot by the kitchen door, ready to snip whenever you are cooking. If you would like to grow your own, browse our range of culinary herb plants, plus our plant labels to keep your garden in order.

Stay happy, healthy and herby.