Herb Up Your Salad

In The Kitchen

Feb 3

Herbs have a place in your salad. There, I said it. We all know how basil is the herbaceous punch that a caprese needs, right? Well, think bigger! Soft herbs— when tossed into a salad— add another layer of flavor that will make your salad sing. For years I’ve been using herbs as a part of my salad-making and believe me, once you do you’ll never think salad is boring again.

Which herbs? Soft herbs. Soft herbs are the herbs that are tender and green thru to the stem and can be eaten raw. Think…

basil…

chives

…flat leaf parsley

cilantro…mint

dill…

tarragon.

Rosemary— bless her soul— along with thyme and oregano are not invited to the party. Their woody stems and assertive flavor most often only work in cooked applications (but listen, if your thyme stems are very pale green and young then go for it).

So, for the how? It’s the easiest! Add a handful to your salad. You can add one kind, or a mix of a few— or even all! I usually like to add them at the end after I dress the salad so they serve as not only as a flavor component but also as a garnish (and some herbs will go a bit dark if they sit in dressing for too long). So whether your herbs are from the supermarket, your kitchen window box or your garden, make these green gems a part of your salad.

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