Classic French Herb Blends
Bouquet Garni, Fines Herbes and Herbes de Provence
Three recipes for making classic seasoning blends and flavorings using fresh or dried herbal ingredients.
It is not always possible to find fresh herbs throughout the year. Although these blends taste best using fresh herbs, a variation for each recipe, which uses dried herbs, has also been included.
Bouquet Garni
Bouquet garni, which means bundle of herbs, is traditionally made using a mixture of bay, parsley, tarragon and thyme. Bouquet garni is a classic flavoring to add to soups, stews and sauces.
Fresh herbs are usually utilized when making a bouquet garni but dried will work fine if that is all that is available. A spring or two of each herb is used and gathered into a small bundle with is tied together with string or twine. The seasoning bundles are placed into the cooking liquid of recipes where they release their aromatic and fragrant qualities to the meal. The herb bundle is removed and discarded prior to serving the dish.
Bouquet Garni Recipe Using Fresh Herbs
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 stems parsley
- 1 stem tarragon
- 3 stems thyme
Bouquet Garni Recipe Using Dried Herbs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 teaspoons tarragon
- 1 tablespoon thyme
Fine Herbes
Fine herbes is a mixture of minced fresh herbs which are used to flavor eggs, cheese, salads, soups, stews and sauces. Fine herbes are most commonly sprinkled on top of food after it has been cooked. If dried herbs must be substituted, they should be added to the dish while it is being cooked. The cooking liquid will help to reconstitute and release the aroma of the dried herbs into the dish.
Fine Herbes Recipe Using Fresh Herbs
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
Fines Herbes Recipe Using Dried Herbs
- 1 teaspoon chives
- 1 teaspoon chervil
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
Herbes de Provence
Fresh vegetables, fish, game meats, soups and stews are just a few of the dishes that can be flavored with this seasoning blend. Herbes de Provence is a seasoning blend that can be used with fresh or dried herbs. If using fresh herbs use 1 stem of each herb and tie them together into a bundle. If using dried herbs place 1 teaspoon of each herb into the center of a double layer of cheese cloth and tie the ends together with a piece of string. Place the bundle of herbs into the cooking liquid of the dish that is being prepared, remove and discard the bundle prior to serving.
Herbes de Provence Recipe Using Fresh Herbs
- basil
- lavender flowers
- fennel
- rosemary
- savory
- thyme
Herbes de Provence Recipe Using Dried Herbs
- crumbled bay leaf
- celery seeds
- lavender flowers
- marjoram
- parsley
- tarragon
- thyme
Additional Herb & Spice Blend Recipes
Ethnic Spice Blends; Harissa, Garam Masala, Curry, Chinese Five Spice and More
Traditional Spice Blends; Cinnamon Sugar, Lemon Pepper, Poultry Seasoning and More
