Fresh herbs add magic to your cooking. In fact, now that I think about it, they are absolutely essential to the flavour of my favourite salmon recipes and food in general. If you don’t have access to fresh herbs in your garden or local shop, it’s time to think about a little gardening. You don’t need a garden – a window box on the windowsill or a wooden tub on a balcony is all you need. Get started with parsley, either flat-leaf or curly or both, add chives, then perennial mint. French tarragon, lemon balm, annual marjoram, dill, fennel, the list is endless. Herbs have been used both as food and medicine since man first walked on this earth. More recently the interest in herbs has gathered momentum not only among cooks and chefs but also among those who are interested in pursuing a healthier lifestyle and exploring herbal remedies and alternative medicines.
Spices too are essential. Having a few jars of fresh spices to hand is like having a Pandora’s box to dip into when the fancy takes you. As a general rule, buy spices whole – with the possible exception of turmeric, and ginger when making gingerbread. Whole spices have infinitely more flavour than ground. As soon as spices are ground the flavour starts to tick away so use them as quickly as possible.