Herbal remedies

The life and soul of many a dish can be attributed to the addition of a carefully chosen herb or two. Imagine, for instance, a tomato salad without basil or roast lamb without rosemary?

Traditionally, herbs were used to preserve food, as well as aid digestion. Now their prime culinary purpose is to arouse senses of both smell and taste. They transform what could be an ordinary meal into something delicious.

The important flavours of herbs come from essential oils stored in the leaves, flowers, stems, roots and seeds. They are released through heat or when the leaves are crushed. Some herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, benefit from slow-cooking, while fragile herbs such as basil need only be added to a dish at the last moment to ensure maximum pungency.

For optimum flavour, fresh is always preferable to dried. However, herbs with tough leaves, such as rosemary, thyme and sage, do retain much of their flavour when dried. Bay leaves are the exception and actually improve as a result of the drying process.

The culinary usage of herbs dates back to the first century and the writings of the Roman epicurean Apicius. Since that time, through genetic erosion, many hundreds of varieties have been lost. Today's most commonly used herbs are those that impart distinct flavours, and which have come to be the central components of classic dishes, such as tarragon baked chicken; gravadlax (dill); and potato salad (chives).

There is a forgotten group of herbs which are well worth seeking out to provide added variety and interest. While many chefs who use the likes of lovage, savory and sweet cicely, grow them themselves in the kitchen garden, a growing band of suppliers will raise them for you themselves or have direct contacts with specialist growers. They will also be able to supply the more unusual varieties of common herbs such as orange-scented thyme, tangerine sage and cinnamon basil.

Suppliers say these "forgotten" herbs are not widely used because chefs know little about their culinary properties. When they do use them, it may be for the wrong purpose and with disastrous results. Alternatively, the herbs are used as a mixed selection where the flavours are killed off by one another.

One chef who does understand the careful treatment needed for such herbs is Heston Blumenthal, chef-proprietor of the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire. Many add character to a dish, he says, so long as the herbs are selected to marry with the other ingredients.

He is particularly fond of the slight earthy flavour of lovage, which he uses to good effect in a jelly of mackerel with Gewürztraminer wine. The mackerel is cured in a salt and sugar solution, flavoured with lemon and lime zest, coriander and chillies, and then lightly fried on one side. A stock is made from the mackerel bones and trimmings, to which the Gewürztraminer and lovage is added at the last moment. The mackerel is set in a jelly, made from the stock, and served with a salad. This will include lovage leaves topped with a dressing made from olive oil, sour cream, lovage, coriander and lime juice.

Blumenthal likes to use savory in soups - such as broad bean and savory or pea and savory with horseradish. He will also purée borage flowers to provide a vivid purple vinaigrette to accompany a terrine of cuttlefish, potatoes and confit of tomatoes.

Although Blumenthal does not have his own herb garden, he has the next best thing - a supplier in nearby Windsor (Tim Cumming of Orchard Herbs), who picks and delivers herbs the same day. "Herbs used this fresh make all the difference to the quality and flavour of a finished dish," he says.

As head chef at Congham Hall, Grimston, Norfolk, Jonathan Nicholson has the opportunity of using herbs within minutes of them being picked - he has access to one of the most extensive herb gardens of any hotel in the country. With a choice of about 400 varieties, he knows only too well the pitfall of using the wrong ones in incorrect quantities.

"Lovage, for example, is strong," he says. "So we use it lightly in a hollandaise, which is served with a panache of vegetables." It is also used to flavour a ravioli of local Brancaster oysters.

Other successful uses of forgotten herbs at Congham Hall include scallop chowder with lemon sorrel (the small buckler leaf variety), savory (summer) baguettes, and borage and camomile tea sorbet.

Also inspired by the unusual herbs that grow outside the kitchen door is Robert Clayton, head chef at Hunstrete House, near Bath, Avon. Sorrel is a favourite . He adds it at the last moment to a fish velouté - made from fish stock, Noilly Prat, white wine and cream - served with scallops. He also likes the fresh cucumber flavour that salad burnet imparts to a salad of mixed leaves, scallops and asparagus, tossed in a hazelnut vinaigrette.

Lemon balm is a useful, lesser-used herb which is ideal for desserts. At Hunstrete, a lemon balm syrup provides a fresh accompaniment to a chocolate tart. It is also used to flavour parfaits, sorbets and ice-creams.

Forgotten herbs

BORAGE

The lightly cucumber-flavoured leaves of borage are traditionally used in Pimms and other summer punches. Small leaves work well finely chopped in salads, soft cheese or mayonnaise. Don't use the larger leaves as the fine hairs on them can irritate the throat. The brilliant blue flowers are good sprinkled on summer salads, crystallised for cake decorations and frozen in ice-cubes for winter drinks.

LEMON BALM

This herb imparts an intense lemon flavour and fragrance to fish, poultry, vegetables and stuffings. Also excellent for infusing in stock syrups and cream for fruit salads, custards, ice-creams and salads; or in boiled water for a soothing tea. Use soon after chopping, otherwise it will discolour.

LOVAGE

Its seeds, leaves and stalks add an intense celery flavour to a variety of dishes. Crush the seeds for use in savoury biscuits, bread and pastries, or for sprinkling over salads, rice and mashed potato. The leaves are good for adding flavour to a potato soup or for making a soup in its own right. Add stalks to chicken and pork stews and any dish of root vegetables.

MYRTLE

A spicy, sweet herb with a concentrated flavour in its leaves. Branches of myrtle laid under joints of pork and lamb will impart a wonderful aroma during roasting. Try adding its leaves and blackberries to stuffings and marinades.

SALAD BURNET

The nutty and slightly sharp cucumber flavour of the leaves works well in salads, herb butters, cream cheeses and sauces. Good in creamy soups and casseroles. Use to flavour vinegar and salad dressings, and to provide a cooling addition to summer drinks.

SORREL

This soft, leafy green herb comes in two varieties - the small buckler leaf sorrel and the larger leaved French sorrel. Both have a sharp, acidic flavour, but the buckler leaf variety boasts a milder lemony taste. Use young leaves raw in salads, but remember to reduce the ratio of lemon or vinegar in the dressing. Sorrel can also be used to make a rich classic French sauce to serve with poached salmon. The fresh, astringent flavour of sorrel makes it a good partner for many potato and egg dishes.

SAVORY

This is a pungent herb, slightly reminiscent of thyme and rosemary in flavour. Winter savory is slighter stronger than the summer variety. Used commercially in salami. Excellent accompaniment to all types of beans, typically broad beans, dried haricot and flageolet beans and fresh green beans. Also good in rich meat stews and pasta soups. Use sparingly to avoid a too dominant flavour.

SWEET CICELY

The sweet, lacy leaves are most suitable for cooking with fruit, imparting a delicate anise-type flavour. Particularly good for counteracting the acidity of tart fruits, such as rhubarb and gooseberries, and so reducing the amount of sugar required. Also good for adding to cream to provide sweetness. Toss unripe seeds in fruit salads and ice-cream, and sprinkle ripe seeds in fruit pies. Roots can be served raw with a salad dressing or cooked as a root vegetable.