Handy Herb Guide: Basil, Rosemary, Oregano and Sage

Searching for the perfect herb for a dish? How about the uses for an herb just picked from the garden or purchased from the market? This handy guide illustrates the best uses for common and not so common herbs.

Basil

This herb is a favorite for many culinarians, and not just for it aromatic properties. Its leaves are large and can be sliced or chopped to be used in salads or sandwiches. The herb can be placed inside soups and stews just before serving to give it a fresh look and taste. The best uses for basil are in tomato dish, such as pasta sauces or those that use tomato paste or chopped tomatoes in it. It also goes nicely with any vegetable, either fresh or frozen, and can enliven canned spring peas or green beans easily.

Rosemary

Rosemary is an herb that is grown for its edible leaves but also for its pretty foliage as a decorative plant. Rosemary's trademark spiky leaves on a stem can be pulled off and the leaves can be chopped, minced or left whole when adding to recipes. Rosemary can be dried easily for later use, or used fresh from the plant. The best uses for rosemary are meaty dishes as the strong flavor goes well with beef, lamb and pork. This is an herb that can actually be used at the beginning of cooking as the leaves will not break down like those of basil, for example.

Oregano

This herb has very small leaves and is actually a member of the mint family. This herb can be found both in dried form and in fresh form. It is commonly used dried in Italian seasoning mixtures. The best uses for oregano are in tomato based dish, and pizza is a dish that commonly uses oregano for seasoning both its sauce, and sprinkled in fresh form on the toppings for extra flavor. Oregano is also popular in spicy Latin American cuisine, and is popular in such dishes as menudo and other traditional Mexican stew and soup dishes.

Sage

The sage leaves can be found in different forms, like plain green to a silvery cast. The flavor can be described as almost minty to almost camphor-like. The herb is well used fresh when layered in dishes, and when it is dried, makes a powder-like dried herb that is sprinkled into recipes. Sage is commonly used in stuffings and dressings for poultry dishes. Sage is a key ingredient to flavor sausages, meatloaf and many other ground meat mixtures. Sage can be added to stews and soups, but also used fresh to flavor fresh green salads and sandwiches.