What are herbes de provence?
Thyme, oregano, lavender, tarragon, and parsley; these are the some of the lovely flavors in herbes de provence. Lavender? Not as crazy as it sounds! Actually the lavender helps to add a touch of interest to this flavorful herbal blend. French cuisine is built on the use of herbs, not spices. There is a reason for this. It has to do with culinary practices that have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. Yes, eventually I will write about this.
When do people use it?
Thyme, along with parsley and bay leaves makes a combination called "bouquet garni" a must in soups and stews. Apart from its culinary uses, thyme has also been used in natural medicine for centuries. Oregano, growing abundantly in the Mediterranean regions, is a natural choice for French cooking.
The name oregano comes from the Greek, and means "mountain of joy." Tarragon, one of my favorite herbs. Its bright anise seed flavor imparts an interesting taste on stews, vegetables and poultry. Tarragon can also be used to flavor oils and vinegar. Try it it's delicious! By the way, you might want to check out my chicken tarragon recipe. And finally, lavender, in my opinion, with its subtle floral flavor is the ingredient that ties everything together.
Like with anything related to cooking, feel free to improvise when creating your herbes de provence recipe. I like to use oregano, thyme, tarragon, dried parsley, and lavender. Keep things simple, you know. Can you substitute herbs de provence? Not really. Some people use a mix of sage and basil. I actually prefer to use fresh and not dried, just personal preference. I hope you try this out, you might never want to buy the store mixture again.
By the way, did I mention that I make my own curry, garam masala and chili powder? Also, need I say that spice blends make wonderful gifts. If you like what you read, share with your friends.
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📖 Recipe
Herbes de Provence Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 2 tablespoon thyme dried
- 2 tablespoon tarragon dried
- ½ tablespoon curly parsley dried
- 1 teaspoon lavender dried
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a jar and shake until all the herbs are blended.
- Store in a cool dry place like your kitchen cabinet.
Nutrition
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com says
This is so funny. I was just literally thinking yesterday, as I spooned some supermarket herbes de provence into my bolognese sauce, "I'm sure I could make this better myself" and low and behold here is a recipe for herbes de provence. I absolutely love your idea of adding lavender too. I really love the taste of lavender. It is so great in scones and biscuits but I have never thought of putting it in savoury food. I'll have to try that! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Analida says
Hi Eb!! You sure can make your own spice blends. I make a couple of them already: chili powder and zatar come to mind. Check them out. Yes, the lavender is such a subtle floral touch. You have given me a great idea: lavender in scones, or biscuits!! You are welcome, and thank you for the tip as well! 🙂
nova lang says
Using thyme for natural medicines is understandable and proves to be effective. The scent of thyme also brings relieve to an individual.
Jan says
Where do you purchase container?
Analida says
I bought it at a gift shop many many years ago.