Seasoning with Rosemary

Our guest blogger and Katrina Lander @fitnessfodmap_ guest edits this blog post for Cole & Mason UK.

I’m a massive fan of cooking with fresh and dried herbs, each one adds depth and flavour, you can grow fresh herbs yourself (regardless of whether you have access to a garden) and they’re a great way to add flavour without adding additional salt.

Rosemary is a particular favourite herb of mine, and has become a staple in my cooking for several reasons -

1. It pairs well with meat, fish, bread, lentils, potatoes etc., the list really does go on.
2. Any herb that I can add to homemade bread and tastes great is a winner for me, and this is one of them.
3. Is there really anything better than baked camembert with garlic and rosemary in the colder months?

Dried and fresh rosemary ought to be used differently, see my pointers below on how and when works best -

Dried Rosemary

• When cooking with any dried herb, unlike using fresh they should be added at the start, or during cooking, this gives the herb time to release its flavour. If you were to add dried herbs nearer the end of the cooking process, you’ll risk not getting the full intensity. Do note that rosemary has a distinct and strong taste, and it’s therefore best to be cautious with how much you add – you don’t want it to overpower your dish.
• When cooking with mince my preference is to use dried rosemary. It’s conveniently already prechopped and subsequently means making dishes such as meatballs much quicker.
• One teaspoon of dried rosemary is the equivalent to three teaspoons of fresh rosemary leaves.
• You can purchase dried rosemary in supermarkets, online and in some health stores, however if you have fresh rosemary spare you can dry rosemary naturally.

Fresh Rosemary

• Fresh herbs don’t need to be cooked, and therefore work well when added at the end of the dish, or as a garnish (which also adds to the presentation and makes the food look even more appetising!)
• Unlike other herbs, rosemary has needle-like leaves and is relatively tough. Due to this I prefer using sprigs of rosemary in my cooking, which can then be easily removed before serving. If you are removing the leaves from the stem for a recipe, I would recommend chopping finely, to avoid toughness throughout the dish.
• Along with working well in numerous dishes, fresh clean rosemary can be used to make rosemary infused olive oil.