Finish with fresh herbs
Aroma compounds in tender herbs and citrus zest evaporate with heat and time. Basil, cilantro, parsley and chives lose much of their smell after a few minutes of cooking. Stir them in after you turn off the heat, right before serving.
Add freshness in the last minute
A squeeze of lemon, a handful of chopped herbs or a drizzle of olive oil in the last minute adds bright contrast to a dish that cooked for an hour. Add lemon a little at a time and taste after each squeeze.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
You're finishing a tomato sauce with basil. When do you add it?
Off the heat, right before serving. Basil keeps its aroma when it only meets the leftover heat of the sauce.
True or false: Delicate parsley holds up to hours of simmering better than woody thyme.
False. Woody herbs like thyme, rosemary and bay survive long cooking, while tender ones like parsley belong at the end.
What went wrong? You toss a handful of cilantro into a curry two hours before serving. The curry tastes dull, and the leaves are dark.
Two hours of heat destroyed its fresh flavor and color. Tender herbs should go in during the last minute so they stay green and fragrant.
Fill the blank: Citrus zest holds fragrant ___ that fade with long cooking.
Citrus zest holds fragrant oils that fade with long cooking. The aromatic oils sit in the colored part of the peel.
A beef stew tastes heavy after 3 hours. What adds the most freshness?
Chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon. The herbs add fresh aroma, and the acid cuts through the richness.
