Guide To Herbs Day 6: Herbes De Provence
Welcome back to the Food Republic Guide To Herbs. We kicked things off last week with a prelude, visited the not-only-a-garnish parsley, loved us some basil, looked at fragrant rosemary, discussed why dill is more than a pickle, and checked out cilantro.
Today we take a look at a herb mixture with its origins in the South of France.
Herbes de Provence is a simple blend that you can do yourself. Just mix a tablespoon of dry thyme, rosemary, chervil, and savory. Then add a teaspoon of lavender, marjoram, and tarragon. Sprinkle in some oregano or basil, maybe some chopped-up bay leaves and a touch of mint. Swirl it all together and put it in a container, and voilà, you've got an aromatic herb blend that can be used to add depth to just about anything you're making.
And yes, if you're lazy or just don't feel like mixing together herbs because it seems like a really lame way to spend 20 minutes, then you can probably find a pre-packaged herbes de provence blend in a fancy container down at that gourmet boutique down the block or online. But it'll probably cost a helluva lot more than doing it yourself.
Make your own herbes de Provence, then use it on a rub for roasted chicken, shake it out over a whole wheat pizza, or use it to finish off a hearty vegetarian ratatouille. You'll be glad you did.
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