Heavenly Herbs Island Gourmet Aruba

Heavenly Herbs

by Susan Campbell Successful chefs the world over will agree that the difference between creating great food and truly celestial cuisine is discovering what fare to marry in what measure to Mother Nature’s natural flavor-enhancers – herbs!

Herbal history

Mankind has held a special relationship with herbs for over 5,000 years, not only for fla­voring food and teas, but as integral ingredients in heal­ ing, cultural traditions, and even embalming.

Fortunately, early civilizations did the ground­ work of determining which plant parts are edible and which ones are toxic! But even today, one should be mindful of some herbs and their side effects, such as epazote, an ancient Mexican herb used in bean dishes that can be harmful during pregnancy! Do your homework before experimenting. Most herbs are chock full of healthful benefits as the ancients noted, and many modern scientists believe compounds in many of these plants might even prevent cancer and heart disease.

are harvested from the leafy part of the plant – though there are exceptions like lavender, which is a flower – while spices are typically produced from the seed, bark, root, or stem of the plant.

International inclinations

Cultures display specific preferences for herbal use in their cooking. Herbs that commonly show up across the board in continental cuisine are mint, bay leaf, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, dill, and garlic (though many consider garlic to be in a class of its own). Fresh parsley tops just about anything, and egg dishes, salads, and all vegetables benefit from most herbs except perhaps mint, sage, and bay leaves. E

Herbs vs spices

What constitutes an herb and what is a spice can be a confusing conundrum, especially when occasionally the two come from the same plant like coriander (a spice) and cilantro (an herb).

But the rule of thumb seems to be that herbs

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including herbs. In fact, United Farmers Aruba is a new community foundation designed to support each other in doing just that. Now you’ll find so many more locally sourced herbs like cilantro, lemongrass, mint, and basil ap­ pearing in the dishes of fine dining spots, and some restaurants and resorts have built their own herb gardens as well. K

In Europe, it’s the French who have the big­gest love affair with herbs. They have also crea­ted many combinations, like a bou­quet garni: a potpourri of herbs which might include bay leaves, thyme, parsley, chervil, rosemary, and basil all tied together to season soups and stews (and re­moved before serving). Herbes de provence can be a combina­tion of marjoram, thyme, sa­ vory, basil, rosemary, sage, fennel, chervil, and sometimes lavender. And a dish served aux fines herbes will contain a mixture of tarragon, cher­vil, and parsley as a base. Mediterranean cuisine relies heavily on basil, oregano, and garlic, but also fennel, especially for fish. Chinese cuisine prefers spices but does use cilantro occasionally, while the Japanese favor parsley-like mitsuba and minty shiso, and the Vietnamese flavor dishes with the rice paddy herb. Many South­ east Asian and Caribbean recipes incorporate lemongrass combined with coconut milk for a sweet distinctive taste.

Herbs even have their own awards. The In­ ternational Herb Association began choosing an “Herb of the Year” in 1995, and in 2019 AniseHyssop received the honors. It’s also known as “licorice mint” and often used as a flavoring for teas, ice cream, baked goods, and lamb dishes.

Mix and Match

Local flavor

On Aruba, traditionally it has been yerb’i hole blanco (white basil), a sharp, pungent herb that has provided the authentic local flavor in many dishes. But recently, a demand for more farm-to-fork products – despite the island’s arid climate making it difficult to grow things – has spawned many small growers to find new ways to provide more high-quality local produce, E

Here’s a basic guide to get you started match­ing the right herbs to the right foods.

Once you know your flavors, you can get more creative.

When experimenting with herbs remember that dried herbs are far stronger than fresh.

The spice rack is actually the worst place to keep herbs; store them in the fridge or even the freezer to retain potency. Add fresh herbs at the last minute for the most flavor.

Basil:........................... Italian cuisine, vegetables, sauces,

..............................meats, rice, fish

Bay leaves:............. Stews, sauces, soups The “Herb of the Year”, Anise-Hyssop

Chervil:..................... Eggs, fish, chicken, vegetables Chives:...................... Soups, Mexican cuisine, potatoes Cilantro:................... Mexican cuisine, Asian cuisine Dill:.............................. Pickling, fish, salads, cold soups Fennel:...................... Fish, seafood, soups Marjoram:............... Stews, soups, beef Mint:.......................... Lamb, cold soups Oregano:................. Italian cuisine, vegetables,

..............................sauces, meats, fish, poultry

Rosemary:............... Beef, lamb, veal, roast potatoes,

..............................rice, seafood

Sage:.......................... Stuffing, poultry, pork Tarragon:................. Fish, poultry, rice, sauces, soups Thyme:...................... Soups, stews, rice, meat 76

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