Using Thyme in French Cooking Recipes
Monday, December 1st, 2008Most recipes call for herbs or seasonings to complement the flavor of the food and French cooking recipes are no exception. Thyme is an example of a very popular herb. It adds a tangy, earthy flavor to your dishes and if you have used it before you will know what a difference, it makes. Knowing a bit more about thyme can help you to decide which French recipes would benefit from this tasty herb.
While some people simply buy thyme dried from the store, you can also purchase and grow it fresh. Remember that when cooking with fresh thyme that on a fresh sprig is about equal in potency to one-half a teaspoon of dried thyme.
Remember to crush the leaves well before adding dried thyme to your French cooking recipes. This ensures the thyme flavor will be evenly distributed throughout the food. You need to store dried thyme in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Stored in this way, dried thyme will keep for up to 6 months. After that time it will go musty and lose its flavor.
It is straightforward to grow your own thyme. If you do not have much space, you can grow it in a window box. Thyme goes so well with many French cooking recipes that it is very useful to have fresh thyme to hand. When the thyme is ready, you can dry it by hanging it upside down for several days until the leaves are crispy. You might also decide to use it fresh in your French cooking; in which case just use the leaves because the stems are woody. You can either pinch the leaves off or drag the plant through the tines of a fork.
There are many different recipes featuring thyme. A lot of French cooking recipes use thyme but it is also very good when added to a mushroom stroganoff. This is because mushrooms are earthy and so is thyme. Have a look through some French dessert recipes to find one, which will be delicious after your mushroom stroganoff. There are plenty of French dessert recipes to choose from but something soft and fruity like Pears Belle Helene or homemade vanilla ice cream will go well.
Thyme complements any dish, which requires mustard. Honey mustard chicken, for example, can be too sweet, but adding some thyme makes the flavor more rounded and satisfying.
You can add thyme to salad dressings or vinaigrettes to increase the texture and spice. Thyme goes very well with soft, pale cheeses because the cheese’s softness brings out the sharp thyme flavor.
There are many different ways to use thyme in French cooking recipes. Thyme will not suit all French recipes so you might want to experiment with this herb. Do not forget to find some French dessert recipes to finish off your meal to perfection!


