To mix herbes de Provence, combine one tablespoon each of dried thyme, rosemary, savory, oregano, and marjoram, crumbling the rosemary first, and add at most a quarter teaspoon of culinary lavender. Rub it on chicken with olive oil, or into anything headed for the grill.
What is herbes de provence?
Herbes de Provence is the scrubland of southern France dried and jarred: the low, resinous herbs that grow wild between the rocks, thyme, rosemary, savory, and their softer cousins, blended to survive long cooking. It is a roasting and grilling blend by design, these are sturdy leaves whose oils bloom in fat and heat rather than fading like delicate herbs do.
The lavender question divides kitchens. In Provence itself, lavender in the blend is largely a tourist-era addition, and French cooks use it sparingly if at all. A pinch adds an unmistakable perfume, a spoonful makes dinner taste like a gift shop, which is why mixing your own, with the lavender under your control, beats most purchased jars.
What goes in herbes de provence?
- ·1 tbsp dried thyme
- ·1 tbsp dried rosemary, crumbled
- ·1 tbsp dried savory (or extra thyme if unavailable)
- ·1 tbsp dried oregano
- ·1 tbsp dried marjoram (or half oregano, half basil)
- ·1/4 tsp dried culinary lavender, optional and maximum
Equal parts of the five leaf herbs is the whole architecture, with lavender capped at a quarter teaspoon per five tablespoons. Savory is the sleeper, its peppery edge is the most Provencal note in the jar, hunt it down if you can.
How do you make herbes de provence?
- Crumble the rosemary between your fingers or chop it briefly, whole needles distribute badly.
- Combine all the herbs in a bowl and toss until even.
- Add the lavender last, by the pinch, tasting the aroma as you go.
- Jar it sealed and dark. Peak for three months.
- Use a tablespoon per chicken, rubbed with olive oil, or a teaspoon over vegetables before roasting.
What should you know before making herbes de provence?
- This is a cooking blend, not a finishing one. It wants fat and heat, olive oil, chicken skin, and a hot oven, to open up.
- Tuck a teaspoon into slow tomato sauces and stews, it is the fastest route to a daube-like depth.
- No savory in the store? More thyme plus a pinch of extra oregano is the accepted stand-in.
Where did herbes de provence come from?
Provencal cooks always seasoned from the hillside, but the named blend is young: jars labeled herbes de Provence appear in the 1970s as tourism packaged the region's flavors. The mix is a memory of the garrigue, the wild herb scrub of the south.
What can you make from herbes de provence?
Common questions.
What can I substitute for herbes de Provence?
Italian seasoning is the closest jar, add a pinch of extra thyme and rosemary and you are effectively there. The reverse also works, this blend covers any recipe calling for mixed dried herbs.
Does real herbes de Provence contain lavender?
Traditionally barely or not at all, the lavender emphasis is a modern, export-driven habit. A small pinch is pleasant and optional. If a store blend smells like soap, lavender is why.
What do I cook with herbes de Provence?
Roast chicken above all, then potatoes, roasted vegetables, pork, lamb, fish en papillote, tomato sauces, and stews. Rub it on with olive oil before heat rather than sprinkling it after.