Guide to Cooking with Thyme

Thyme is one of the most favored herbs in any dish. The flavor and smell of thyme enhances most of the dishes it is used in and gives the dish a delicacy not easy to achieve with any other herb. However, it is essential that the herb be used in the proper way and to the best of its advantage. Thyme has a slightly sour flavor much like a very mild lemon and goes great with vegetables and seafood. Many cooks use it on poultry and meats and even for stuffing's but at times this causes it to lose its flavor.

Here are some tips for using thyme in your dishes and retaining its aroma and flavor.

1. Vegetables and seafood have a mild taste and are usually not over cooked. The thyme when added to these food dishes enhances the flavor without overpowering the taste of the food itself. If the vegetables and seafood dish is a sauté, fresh thyme leaves with the dishes work wonders in bringing out the subtle flavors.

2. Dried thyme added right at the end in soups like lentil and pea soup bring an aroma to the dish that is hard to miss. Just add the thyme and take the soup of the heat. Keep the dish cover on and when you are ready to serve the soup will smell heavenly.

3. Stews are cooked for a long time and adding an herb to this dish may seem worthless. However, once the stew is cooked add finely chopped leaves of thyme into the pot and serve. The leaves will add a nice texture to the stew and when they come into the mouth they will give out a tangy taste that makes the stew taste great.

4. Poultry dishes have a mild taste which is cooked properly are helped by the addition of thyme. If you are baking chicken or roasting it adding dried thyme leaves will bring a flavor and smell to it that everyone will love. Mix some lemon juice with the leaves and baste the chicken for best results.

5. Meat has a very strong flavor and because it needs to be cooked well, cooks do not usually prefer using thyme when making meat dishes. However, fresh thyme leaves can be used in the marinade for the meat and help give it a savory taste once cooked.

6. Thyme leaves without the stem work great in salads just a couple of stems will give your fresh salad a kick that no dressing will achieve.

7. When baking bread add a couple of pinches of dried thyme to the flour to make herb bread that tastes great with butter. For garlic bread add fresh crushed thyme leaves to the butter and coat on the bread before putting it into the oven.

8. Pasta and herbs are a great combination. When you have made your favorite pasta sauce add a pinch of dried thyme leaves and enhance your dish giving it a twist in taste.

9. Most herbs wither when overcooked and thyme is no exception. When making sauces add thyme as the last item and take off the heat. This will help thyme retain its flavor and aroma.

10. While a slightly different recipe fresh thyme leaves can be used to decorate desserts like soufflés and custards. The slightly lemony taste helps make the sweetness of the dessert less tangible.