Strawberries and cream, peanut butter and jam, bacon and eggs, chocolate and mint - excellent tasting combo's, am I right? Well, there is a science behind why these flavours pair so well together and it can be broken right down to a molecular level. Essentially, these foods that we love to taste together have molecular compounds in common.
Increasingly we notice chefs implementing the notion of molecular gastronomy in their cooking to achieve delicious results. Heston Blumenthal is a pioneer of this movement, and has gone on to discover amazing tasting, yet rather interesting combinations - caviar and white chocolate, anyone?
Today we're not taking it quite as far as Heston, but wanted to provide you with a handy guideline that you can put to use in your kitchen on a daily basis; to assist you in putting together a well balanced meal with epic flavour proportions. This table will prove especially handy for those of you with backyard herb gardens, I do hope we inspire some amazing creations with our ultimate guide to pairing flavours with herbs.
If you make use of our table this week or in the future, take a pic and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #THIflavourpairings, so we can check it out.
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Herbs |
Complementary flavours |
Complementary proteins |
Recipe ideas |
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Basil |
Raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, garlic, onion, artichokes, eggplant, mushrooms, olives, capers |
Chicken, turkey, pork |
Roast chicken, basil pesto, bruschetta, or pretty much any Italian or Greek dish. |
|
Bay leaf |
Pears, tomatoes, artichokes, nuts, lentils, |
Beef, chicken, tuna |
Slow cooked stocks, soups, bolognaise or creamy sauces, add to the liquid you poach seafood in. |
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Chives |
Asparagus, olives, mushrooms, horseradish, |
Nut & dairy cheese, eggs |
Creamy sauces, soups, butters, dips. |
|
Coriander |
Avocados, apples, apricot, berries, tomatoes, cherries, coconut, nectarine, peach, plum, |
Beef, chicken, fish, pork |
Nori or rice paper rolls, noodle soups, Asian dishes. |
|
Dill |
Cucumber, yoghurt, carrots, cinnamon, ginger, |
Salmon, chicken |
Pickles, stews, tzatziki. |
|
Fennel |
Artichokes, basil, beans, cabbage, cheese, |
White fish, chicken |
Salads, coleslaws, soups, gratin. |
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Kaffir leaf |
Banana, citrus, coconut, lemongrass, |
Chicken, fish, tofu |
Ice cream, granita, creamy tarts, refreshing drinks, cocktails, Asian style broths. |
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Lemongrass |
Cherry, berries, citrus, coconut, ginger,
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Chicken, white fish |
Thai flavours, broths, soups |
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Mint |
Chocolate, potatoes, peas, strawberries,
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Pork |
Herbal tea, chocolate cake, smoothies, juices |
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Oregano |
Tomato, chilli, fennel, basil, cinnamon,
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Turkey, pork, beef |
Pizza, roast beef, tomato sauces |
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Parsley |
Butter, potatoes, basil, bay leaf, chives, dill,
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Fish, chicken, eggs |
Hearty soups, baked potatoes |
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Rosemary |
Mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, garlic
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Beef, turkey |
Roast meats |
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Sage |
Apple, lemon, apples, bay leaf, capers,
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Beef, veal, pork, turkey |
Roast beef, garlic butter, potato dishes |
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Thyme |
Sumac,bananas, basil, bay leaf, beans, carrots, citrus, dill, garlic, mint, mushrooms, onion, oregano, parsley, sage
|
Turkey, pork, beef, fish, eggs |
Roast beef, grilled fish |
This table could well be limitless! With so many foods that could potentially be paired. So share with us in the comments below, what are your favourite ways to pair flavours with herbs?
