Herbs are the most liberating and confidence-boosting
of ingredients: grow some and you feel like a proper
gardener, bring some into the kitchen and you feel like
a proper cook. They allow you to experiment and bring
individuality to your cooking while, at the same time,
anchoring you in sound culinary tradition because herbs
are often responsible for those key flavours that 'make'
a dish. Not only that but they are a step on the road to
a more self-sufficient, homegrown, organic way of
eating. In the first part of the book, Nikki explains
how to get the most from herbs. She outlines the basic
choosing, picking and using guidelines. The second part
is a catalogue of herbs, each with grow-your-own notes,
flavour descriptions and mini-recipes. Among the forty
herbs that Nikki describes are basil, bay, bergamot,
chives, coriander, dill, fennel, horseradish, hyssop,
marigold, marjoram, mint, parsley, perilla, rocket,
rosemary, sage, scented geranium, tarragon, thyme, wild
garlic and winter savory. Following this are over fifty
wonderful and adaptable recipes for everything from
herb-scented cakes and biscuits to soups, stuffings and
tarts, where more than one herb is, or can be, used.With
an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and
full-colour photographs, Herbs is a must-have book for
every kitchen. |
|