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How to Use Thyme in Cooking
Flavour combinations with thyme…
This post comes on the back of me digging out a thyme plant from my herb garden. It had, sad to say seen better days so I’ve kept some for fresh and dried the rest. Thyme is one of my all time favourite herbs, it’s so useful in cooking and features heavily in our stocks, soups, sauces and even desserts.
Some home cooks and chefs for that matter tend to struggle with figuring out what herb goes best with a certain dish but my advice would always be to go with what tastes right to you but keep it in moderation. It’s hard to ‘kill’ a dish with fresh herbs, there are exceptions such as Thai Basil, Oregano and Rosemary which are quite intimidating if not used properly but herbs such as thyme will more often compliment than take away.
So what can you pair thyme with? Here’s a few I’ve used it with: chocolate, beef, lamb, white fish, potatoes, root vegetables, squashes, tomatoes, aubergines, game, goats cheese, pork, chicken, olives, roast garlic and onions.
What I tend to do is leave the tiny leaves on the stem so that I can lift the whole thing off once I’ve cooked whatever it is I’m doing, if you are going to use the leaves in the finished dish make sure they are tender unless used in a slow cooked dish. Lemon thyme is a real favourite of mine and well worth making the effort to find, grow some in a pot or in a corner of your garden and you won’t regret it…
Thyme
Miles,
Thyme, Rosemary and Basil are an absolute MUST in my garden. I have to have a few plants as I use such a lot of them in my cooking.
Finally chopped Rosemary and Thyme are superb when put into hot oil before adding potatoes for roasting. I love the smell of this when cooking.
I have not thought of adding thyme in desserts which sounds quite intriquing.
Anne
September 8, 2010 @ 1:25 pm
Za’atar to you too Miles!
Good post on thyme and other herbs . . . Ancient spices from the dawn of Western cuisine.
I share Anne’s love of thyme roasted potatoes.
I use thyme in a very non-gourmet way that I learned in grad school as well - as a flavoring for popcorn. Add it to popcorn with a little light soy sauce and black pepper and it is delicious - saves on the consumption of butter and salt too!
L
September 8, 2010 @ 1:40 pm
Miles,
Every year I wonder whether to dig up my weedy little excuse of a thyme plant but every year with a bit of extra watering and care, it springs back to life. Just goes to show that although they look hardy, they’re not especially drought friendly. Love the smell of it and have used it in shortbread recipes sometimes.
A friend of mine used to have a very small but exquisite garden full of pots of all kinds of thyme which she kept beautifully manicured and allowed them to drape softly over the sides. Simple but very effective. It’s hugely antiseptic I think…. people make mouth wash with it so I believe.
Cid
September 8, 2010 @ 9:02 pm
I grow citrus thyme and it’s unbelievable on chicken!! Couldn’t do without thyme, basil, parsley, mind and coriander. I have them all fresh in pots at my back door and my son eats great big handfuls of them freshly plucked from the soil!!
I totally agree with your comment about using what tastes right
Lol Lynn ♥
September 8, 2010 @ 9:19 pm
Anne,
They’re brilliant with potatoes aren’t they? Yep, thyme and chocolate works a treat.
Miles
September 9, 2010 @ 3:48 pm
Laura,
That sounds intriguing, I would never have thought of that. Great idea!
Miles
September 9, 2010 @ 3:49 pm
Cid,
A thyme plant is a hardy fellow, mine have been covered in the depths of snow but always came back year after year. Thisn particular one was a ground creeping variety so it had to go-shame because it smelt incredible.
Miles
September 9, 2010 @ 3:51 pm
Lynn,
Sounds great those pots of yours…lemon thyme is just brilliant with chicken-or basically anything!
Miles
September 9, 2010 @ 3:52 pm