Do you love to cook? Do you like to try new flavors and recipes? Or maybe you are in a cooking rut and don’t know how to start expanding your cooking repertoire. Let us help you get spicy in the kitchen. Your kit includes a pre-measured packet of herbes de Provence spice blend and a few recipes.
What is herbes de Provence? The term herbes de Provence (or herbs de Provence) describes a multipurpose mixture of herbs grown in the Provençal region of France. While fresh herbs can be used, the dried herbes de Provence blends are more common. This blend became known outside of France in the 1960s when Julia Child included a recipe for Poulet Sauté aux Herbes de Provence in her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The dominant flavors are usually thyme and rosemary. Variations of the blend can include (or omit) fennel, marjoram, tarragon, basil, parsley, bay leaves, savory, chervil, sage, oregano, and mint. Lavender is typically included in herbes de Provence blends sold in the United States.
Easy ways to add herbes de Provence to your diet. Herbes de Provence has a fragrant, slightly sweet and savory flavor profile. Use it to enhance the flavor of your meat or fish by coating the protein in olive oil and seasoning it with kosher salt and herbes de Provence. Then grill, sear, or roast according to your preference. Incorporate the blend in robust stews, sauces, and salad dressing to add extra Provençal flavor. Add a pinch or two of herbes de Provence to the coals of your grill when they’re hot to infuse the smoke with flavor.
Recipes featuring herbes de Provence.
- Steak Sandwiches on Garlic Baguettes
- Roasted Chicken Provencal
- Sheet-Pan Shrimp Gratin
- Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup
- Provencal Tomatoes
Need more inspiration?
You can watch a six-part Great Courses class called The Everyday Gourmet: Essential Secrets of Spices in Cooking for free with your library card by using a Hoopla Great Courses BingePass or streaming on Kanopy.
