Published 2021
Fresh, fragrant herbs, roughly torn and scattered over a dish, can make even an average meal into something fabulous. I don’t have a garden in my small Warsaw apartment, so instead I grow a few herbs in pots. Rosemary, basil, mint, and marjoram are usually on my windowsill. Dill and parsley, which are essential for my Polish cooking, are sold by bunches in every market on every corner, and I buy them frequently.
I have one culinary weakness: dried herbs and spices. I like having everything in my pantry, to use at any moment. When you open a spice jar, the smell of the spices should be strong. If the scent seems pale, your food will probably also taste pale. The best way to prevent this is by buying herbs and spices in small quantities, more frequently. My essentials are bay leaves, allspice, fennel seeds, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, caraway seeds, and sweet and smoked paprika, which is the most amazing spice. It gives dishes a super-smoky flavor, replacing a meat-based umami, like in my Fasolka po bretońsku (Breton Beans with Dried Tomatoes).
Unlimited, ad-free access to hundreds of the world’s best cookbooks
Over 160,000 recipes with thousands more added every month
Recommended by leading chefs and food writers
Powerful search filters to match your tastes
Create collections and add reviews or private notes to any recipe
Swipe to browse each cookbook from cover-to-cover
Manage your subscription via the My Membership page
Advertisement
Advertisement