Desire to cook, but know little about it

[Fabiabi]

Just experiment with herbs and spices. There are standard combinations but they're not all to everyones taste.

[Zhizara]

Welcome to DC, Wheaton. I like tarragon especially in sandwich salads: Egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad.

[CWS4322]

Wheaton--Tarragon has a licorice taste (similar to anise/fennel). I have a friend who hates all of the herbs that have a licorice taste. I like it. I grow French Tarragon. I like it in zucchini slaw:

Recipe Details

I like it on eggs, seafood, mixed with creamed cheese served on crackers, tarragon chicken, in place of dill for marinated cucumbers. I use it fresh, but you can use it dried.

[PolishedTopaz]

Welcome to Discuss Cooking!!!

Bear in mind that most of the "fresh clipped" ideas can be done in a window container inside the house {on the cheap} for year round usage, the exception would be rosemary as it is very hardy and grows large and well in most temperal climates. As far as combinations with foods, some are standard {tomato/basil - tarragon/eggs, fish - sage/chicken and so on}

However I am of the mindset, "if it tastes good..do it" When reviewing a new recipe to try, if all the flavors appeal to you, the chances are you will like the end product. When experimenting with a new inventive off the cuff dish, add small amounts of your desired herb or spice, keeping in mind.....you can always add more, but it is not so easy to take it out.

Remember..........Play with your food!

[Wheaten]

I appreciate all of the advice everyone here has provided to me on herbs and spices in cooking. I will love trying all the spices and herbs and I will just experiment according to "taste"!! Thanks everyone!

[Skittle68]

You specifically mentioned that you love fresh basil: this recipe uses a lot of it, and could be frozen before you add the cream and the diced tomatoes (add those after you thaw it to use it).

Creamy tomato basil soup

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 lb tomatoes peeled, cored, and quartered,
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, or equivalent fresh diced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh, chopped basil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 quart chicken stock
16 oz heavy cream
Basil sprigs for garnish (optional)

Sauté onion with olive oil until tender, add quartered tomatoes, chicken stock, basil, salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to blender, or use immersion blender until smooth. Add diced tomatoes, and heavy cream, return to boil, garnish with sprig of basil

You can also get "fresh" basil, garlic, or ginger in a tube in the produce section of the grocery store. Maybe not as good as actual fresh, but much better than dried, and it lasts longer.