Monday, December 8, 2008

The Many Uses of Thyme in the Kitchen

By KC Kudra

Most recipes call for herbs or seasonings to complement the flavor of the food and French cooking recipes are no exception. Thyme is an example of a very popular herb. It adds a tangy, earthy flavor to your dishes and if you have used it before you will know what a difference, it makes. Knowing a bit more about thyme can help you to decide which French recipes would benefit from this tasty herb.

You have the choice of either growing your own thyme, buying it fresh or buying it dried from the store. When you are using dried thyme for cooking, half a teaspoon of dried thyme is equal to one sprig of fresh thyme.

Remember to crush the leaves well before adding dried thyme to your French cooking recipes. This ensures the thyme flavor will be evenly distributed throughout the food. You need to store dried thyme in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Stored in this way, dried thyme will keep for up to 6 months. After that time it will go musty and lose its flavor.

It is easy to grow your own thyme and you can use a window box for this. If you want to dry the thyme for use in a French recipe, just hang it upside down for a couple of days and wait until the leaves go crispy. If you want to use it fresh in your French cooking recipes, do not use the stems because they are woody. Use the leaves only. You can either drag the plant through the tines of a fork to remove the leaves, or just pull them off.

There are many different ways that you can integrate the special taste of thyme into your cooking. Thyme goes especially well with the earthy flavor of mushrooms, and a good mushroom stroganoff can be made absolutely spectacular with the addition of some well-placed thyme.

You will also find out that thyme goes well with any dish that calls for mustard. Honey mustard chicken is a dish that can be almost childishly sweet until you add some thyme to help it grow up a little.

If you make your salad dressings, particularly if you enjoy vinaigrettes of any flavor, thyme can be used to add some spice and texture to it. If you are planning a light lunch or appetizers, consider the fact that thyme goes quite well with a variety of soft, pale cheeses. The sweetness of the cheese will really bring out the sharp taste of the thyme, and you can combine them to taste.

The sky is the limit when it comes to finding uses for thyme. It is used in many French cooking recipes, so why not try a basic French recipe first, followed by a French dessert recipe. The impact of a sprinkle of thyme in your meal will be sure to pleasantly tantalize your taste buds. - 15634

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