Herbs de Provence Recipe
Recipe Redux – November, 2013: Merriment from Mixes
It’s that gift-giving time of year. At a loss for what to wrap up for your friends and family this time around? How about treating them to something assembled right in your own kitchen. Nothing sends a more thoughtful and caring message than a present that is handmade.
Making your own spice blend is super easy to accomplish, and is a gift that can keep on giving to your lucky recipients well past the holiday season.
One of my personal favorite herb blends is Herbs de Provence. So savory and earthy, it is wonderful for flavoring roasts and braises. I use it often to season roasted vegetables, especially root vegetables like potato. It is also delicious with beans, like in cassoulet. Liberal use of this flavorful blend in dishes also makes it easier to cut back on salt, which is great news for anyone’s heart health. Often difficult to find in stores, a gift of Herbs de Provence can really make a useful, thoughtful addition to any loved one’s kitchen.
When making this recipe, before processing all the herbs together you will want to “crack” the fennel seeds (because of their hard consistency, they will take much longer to process than the herbs). Break the fennel seeds down using either a coffee grinder (easy) or a mortar and pestle (hard work) before adding them to the food processor with the herbs.
Variations of this recipe may also include oregano, sage and/or dried orange peel, as well as may omit the fennel and/or lavender. Feel free to go ahead and personalize your gift mix to really make it your own special signature blend to delight everyone with
this holiday.
INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons Thyme leaves, dried
4 tablespoons Marjoram, dried
3 tablespoons Basil leaves, dried
3 tablespoons Rosemary leaves, dried
3 tablespoons Tarragon leaves, dried
3 tablespoons Savory, dried
2 tablespoons Lavender, dried
1 tablespoon Fennel seeds, cracked
PREPARATION
Place all the herbs in a food processor. Process herbs about 5-7 seconds, enough to chop the herbs, but not long enough to pulverize them.
Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.
Makes about one cup.