The good news is that it’s not too late to start growing your own herbs for summer. From making your own herb garden to planting herbs in pots or trays for handy use in the kitchen, there are many ways of enjoying the benefits of having fresh herbs to hand.
A good guide can be found at lifeisagarden.co.za.
A versatile herb I like to cook with is basil. Used in Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Mediterranean and Italian cuisine, it is also referred to as “l’herbe royale” by the French. You will find that basil complements a wide variety of dishes.
I was rather surprised to discover that Basil is a rich source of the minerals potassium and magnesium as well as containing the vitamins C and B1 and having a high fibre content. It’s no wonder basil pesto is so healthy. Although you can buy many varieties of prepared basil pesto I prefer to make my own at home with this easy basil pesto recipe. I also enjoy using basil for salad dressings and here’s a nice fresh basil salad dressing recipe you can try
Some of the other herbs that are easy to grow for summer are Oregano, Rosemary, Sage and Thyme. Apart from their uses in flavouring all these herbs are also very high in antioxidants.
Here is a quick overview of which of these herbs go well with which foods.
- Basil: The base of Pesto sauce, tomatoes,eggs, olive oil, pasta and bocconcini
- Oregano: Tomato, eggplant, zucchini, pasta and pizza, beef, chicken and fish
- Rosemary: Garlic, potato, pumpkin, breads and scones, chicken, duck, lamb and pork
- Sage: stuffing, pork roast, poultry sausage and hamburgers
- Thyme: soups, stuffing, beef, pork dishes, eggs, cheese and fish
As you can see these are some of the herbs that will go a long way to ensure a tasty, nutritious and healthy summer menu.
