11 herbs that turn ordinary dishes into gourmet meals

BASIL

Perfect to add flavour to tomato and lemon-based dishes, great for pasta and mince meals. Essential for a good pesto. Try it in Roasted Tomato Bruschetta or Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce.

CHIVES

Chives have a mild onion taste and are best added in the final stages of cooking. For extra zip, use as a garnish or add to salads, mayonnaise and dressings.

CORIANDER

Pungent and aromatic, coriander is the essential ingredient in Thai-style curry paste and Asian dishes. Popular in salads, and in fresh spring rolls.

DILL

With feathery leaves and a strong flavour, dill is used for pickled gherkins and works well with seafood and potatoes it’s a tasty addition to Potato, Rocket & Dill Salad.

MINT

With lots of varieties, mint is great for drinks, salads and recipes containing tomato, carrot and potato. It’s freshness is great with couscous, grains and chicken. Try this Grilled Lemon Chicken with Minty Couscous.

OREGANO

Available all year round and used extensively in Mediterranean cuisine. Oregano goes well with eggplant, zucchini, tomato pasta sauce and stuffings.

PARSLEY

A great all-round herb, used in soups, casseroles, salads and fish dishes. Freeze fresh leaves and crumble directly into soups and egg dishes. Choose curly or Italian flat-leaf parsley. Perfect addition to egg dishes, try our Camembert & Chargrilled Vegetable Quiches. Fresh parsley is the main ingredient in Tabouli salad

ROSEMARY

Perfect with lamb, it has a warm savoury flavour and can be used in scones, breads and focaccia. Use dried when fresh is not available. Fresh can be frozen in snap-lock bags.

SAGE

A strong, pungent herb. Use in pies and stuffing’s and with roasted veal, beef and chicken. Commonly fried and served as a garnish.

THYME

With a strong pleasant aroma, thyme has a small greyish-green leaves. It goes well in soups, stews, and casseroles. Add to chicken dishes and to roast vegetables.

WATERCRESS

Peppery in flavour, watercress is lovely added to salads. Pick over the leaves and pick the smallest leaves, discarding any that are pale or discoloured. Refresh in iced water if wilted. Try it in Warm Salmon & Soba Noodle Salad.