A handful of basil or parsley leaves complete a fresh bowl of pasta, the same goes for coriander in a curry! Most of our Heck recipes include herbs as they really add to the overall flavour.
A really satisfying addition to your home or scratch cooking is growing some of your own ingredients! You don’t have to be an expert gardener to do so, nor do you need a garden.
It is so much rewarding than buying herbs ready-grown at the supermarket or pouring them into your dishes dry from a jar. Often the herbs you buy in the shops are grown using intensive methods and so won’t last very long when they come home with you.
A kitchen windowsill could be a fantastic new home for some little greens and you don’t need loads of space. You’ll need to buy some seeds, compost and find a little pot, box or growbags to plant them in. We have found it useful to use your left-over plastic sausage or burger tray! Just give it a good rinse and prick a few holes in the bottom before sitting it on top of a plate and then add the compost. Nurture with a little water each day, plenty of warmth & daylight, you’ll soon reap the benefit!
The best time to plant up your pots is in March/April when the weather is getting warmer and days are getting longer. Ensure the pots have plenty of drainage so they don’t drown. Water herbs in the evening in warmer months of the year, rather than during the midday heat.
You can use clingfilm like a greenhouse so that the seed is in the right environment to begin its growth. When you see the first leaves, you can remove the cling film and spread the seeds into more pots. Giving them more space will allow the herbs to breathe & grow out. You will need to keep trimming your herbs to stop their flowers producing. You’ll be surprised how much the little seeds can grow, and you’ll hopefully end up with bunches of fresh herbs!
Watching herbs grow means you can use the herbs when they’re at their absolute best, and this will enhance your cooking! Delicious, flavoursome, homecooked meals.
Good luck and enjoy!