With the Saharan smog now well and truly lifted we can all get back in our gardens and breathe a little easier. One thing I’m going to be doing is replanting my herb garden which is looking a bit bedraggled after the wet Winter. My kitchen cupboards are bursting with jar after jar of dried herbs but I do love a bit of the fresh stuff to really add a zing to my dishes.

Here’s a quick guide to some of our best known herbs and how you can use them to whip up a culinary delight.
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Basil

Taste: Strong and pungent with a sweet smell.
Use: Pick fresh basil leaves from their stalks. Scatter whole or roughly torn over dishes. If cooking, add at the last minute to avoid impairing the flavour.
Probably best known for being the main ingredient in pesto and is also great for seasoning italian dishes.
Good to know: Basil and oregano contain large amounts of (E)-beta-caryophyllene (BCP), which might have a use in treating inflammatory bowel diseases and arthritis.

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Mint

Taste: I think we all know what mint tastes like but for the purpose of the post it’s refreshing, cool and menthol.
Cook: Layer up the leaves in your mojito, whip up a mint sauce or add to your potatoes when they’re boiling for a fresh take on the new potato.
Good to know: Aids digestion and can help beat a hangover. On another note, it spreads like wildfire so always best to plant in a pot rather than in open ground.

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Sage

Taste: Downy leaves with a very faint aroma of mint. Ever so slightly peppery and so can be bitter.
Use: Good in rich, creamy sauces and also fabulous in a butternut squash risotto. Sage also goes well with fatty meats too.
Good to know: Sage can apparently be used as a remedy for many ailments from abdominal cramps to bloating.
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Thyme

Taste: Highly aromatic with a sweet earthy flavour.
Use: Robust so can withstand lengthy cooking times making it ideal for using in stuffing various meats.
Good to know: Thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine to help with chest and respiratory problems such as coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.

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Rosemary

Taste: Highly aromatic, could be described as ‘woody’.
Use: Take the needle-like leaves and rustle up a bouquet garni to use in soups or casseroles; use whole sprigs to spike meat or remove from the stalk and chop finely for use in stuffings and sauces.
Good to know: Shakespeare claimed that the herb was good for improving your memory.

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Dill

Taste: The wispy, feathery leaves have a strong taste that has been described as a combination of anise, fennel and lemon.
Use: As well as being a classic flavouring for pickles, dill is also commonly added to soups and fish. Discard the stems and combine with yogurt or sour cream to create a delicious Greek-style dip.
Good to know: Traditionally used to treat insomnia.

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Parsley

Taste: Fresh and lightly scented.
Use: Extremely versatile and can be used in a multitude of dishes. Curly parsley is more likely to be used as a garnish whilst the flat leaf variety works best chopped.
Cook: Chop up both the stalks and the leaves and use in virtually all your savoury recipes.
Good to know: Excessive consumption of parsley should be avoided by pregnant women.

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Coriander

Taste: Strong citrus flavour.
Use: Both the stalks and leaves are edible so chop up and add flavour to salads and meats. Works extremely well in Indian dishes and is worth trying in sweet dishes too.
Good to know: If you buy coriander (rather than growng your own) try to buy with the roots on as the herb will stay fresher for longer.

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Oregano

Taste: The Mediterranean variety tastes sweet and peppery, while the Mexican variety has more of a citrus kick.
Cook: Use liberally over your pizzas or sprinkle into your pasta dishes. Oregano also goes very well with lamb.
Good to know: A great antioxidant.

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Anyway enough of me harping on about herbs and their uses. Please drop us a comment to tell us your favourite herb and what you use it for. Any green-fingered chefs amongst us or do you buy fresh stalks or dried varieties from the supermarket? Also has anyone used herbs in sweet dishes rather than savoury? Apparently coriander makes a smashing addition to a cup of hot chocolate….