 |
| |
 |
| It's About Thyme!! |
It’s About Thyme!!
Yes, featuring this herb is long overdue, and yes, this article is about the herb thyme.
Thyme is one of the best known and most widely-used culinary herbs. It is well-liked in
French, Spanish, Libyan, Indian, Portuguese, Italian, Albanian, Persian, Greek, Turkish,
Nigerian, Caribbean, and Assyrian cuisines. A member of the mint family, thyme is a
perennial evergreen shrub, whose sometimes woody stems are covered with small, gray-
green to green leaves. Its small, two-lipped flowers range in color from pale pink to purple
and bear quadruplet nutlet fruits. The entire plant is aromatic. Though it leaves are small,
its flavor is quite large, due to its significant content of thymol. Add thyme at the beginning
of the cooking process in order to extract the greatest amount of essential oils. Fresh,
dried, and powdered thyme is readily available year-round in most markets.
Fresh thyme is commonly sold in bunches of sprigs. A sprig is a single stem snipped from
the plant. It is composed of a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters ("leaves")
spaced ½ to 1" apart. A recipe may measure thyme by the bunch (or fraction thereof), or
by the sprig, or by the tablespoon or teaspoon. If the recipe does not specify fresh or
dried, assume that it means fresh. Leaves are easily removed from the stem by “stripping”
the leaves off by pulling them down the stem the opposite direction of the leaf growth. After
being removed, the leaves are typically chopped or minced to release those tasty essential
oils. When cooking with fresh thyme, one fresh sprig equals the flavoring power of one-half
teaspoon of dried thyme.
Honey made from bees that feed on thyme flower nectar is an expensive gourmet delight.
Oddly thought, insects are repelled by thyme. Make a cup of thyme tea, put it in a plant
mister, then spray it around doorways and windows in summer to repel insects.
Flavor Affinities
Thyme + goat cheese + olive oil
Thyme + savory
Thyme + savory + apricot preserves + goat cheese
Thyme goes well with soups and stews, chicken, fish, meat loaf, potatoes, mushrooms,
onions, rosemary, and tomatoes. The next time you cook poultry (especially chicken or
Cornish game hens) try this awesome glaze.
Apricot-Thyme Glaze
Ingredients:
Procedure:
This sauce is also delicious cooled. Pour it over goat cheese, and serve with crackers, or
use it as a spread on your bagels.
As always, be good to each other.
Blessings,
Chef David
Yes, featuring this herb is long overdue, and yes, this article is about the herb thyme.
Thyme is one of the best known and most widely-used culinary herbs. It is well-liked in
French, Spanish, Libyan, Indian, Portuguese, Italian, Albanian, Persian, Greek, Turkish,
Nigerian, Caribbean, and Assyrian cuisines. A member of the mint family, thyme is a
perennial evergreen shrub, whose sometimes woody stems are covered with small, gray-
green to green leaves. Its small, two-lipped flowers range in color from pale pink to purple
and bear quadruplet nutlet fruits. The entire plant is aromatic. Though it leaves are small,
its flavor is quite large, due to its significant content of thymol. Add thyme at the beginning
of the cooking process in order to extract the greatest amount of essential oils. Fresh,
dried, and powdered thyme is readily available year-round in most markets.
Fresh thyme is commonly sold in bunches of sprigs. A sprig is a single stem snipped from
the plant. It is composed of a woody stem with paired leaf or flower clusters ("leaves")
spaced ½ to 1" apart. A recipe may measure thyme by the bunch (or fraction thereof), or
by the sprig, or by the tablespoon or teaspoon. If the recipe does not specify fresh or
dried, assume that it means fresh. Leaves are easily removed from the stem by “stripping”
the leaves off by pulling them down the stem the opposite direction of the leaf growth. After
being removed, the leaves are typically chopped or minced to release those tasty essential
oils. When cooking with fresh thyme, one fresh sprig equals the flavoring power of one-half
teaspoon of dried thyme.
Honey made from bees that feed on thyme flower nectar is an expensive gourmet delight.
Oddly thought, insects are repelled by thyme. Make a cup of thyme tea, put it in a plant
mister, then spray it around doorways and windows in summer to repel insects.
Flavor Affinities
Thyme + goat cheese + olive oil
Thyme + savory
Thyme + savory + apricot preserves + goat cheese
Thyme goes well with soups and stews, chicken, fish, meat loaf, potatoes, mushrooms,
onions, rosemary, and tomatoes. The next time you cook poultry (especially chicken or
Cornish game hens) try this awesome glaze.
Apricot-Thyme Glaze
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Procedure:
- Sautee the shallots until golden brown.
Add the wine and reduce by half.
Add the jam and thyme and simmer for 2 minutes.
Spoon over the chicken.
This sauce is also delicious cooled. Pour it over goat cheese, and serve with crackers, or
use it as a spread on your bagels.
As always, be good to each other.
Blessings,
Chef David
Copyright 2011, Thyme for a Chef, LLC. All rights reserved.
|
| |
|