Guest post from Lavender World

Hello My friends,

Today I have special guest Samantha from very beautiful website called " Lavender World"
I had a chance to look around this site and I have to say that prices are affordable and everything is in my favorite color "Lavender"..you can find on this site tips (Blog), fragrances, beauty products, bedding, oils, dry herbs est. Please visit and see if you can find perfect gift or something for yourself on www.lavenderworld.co.uk

I will leave you today with purpose of this post which is cooking with herbs and how to enhance your meals!

Using the Garden to Enhance your Meals

Of all the minerals our bodies require on a day to day basis, salt is the one mineral that very few of us lack. Used in cooking to season and enhance flavour, we’re now realising that to lead a healthy lifestyle we must limit our salt intake.

One way to reduce the amount of salt we consume is by adding other flavours to our meal. Once practiced very little salt will be needed as the flavour of the herbs shine through.

What Every Herb Garden Should Have

Every herb garden should house the basics for use in cookery, such as sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, oregano and parsley. Others include the curry plant, savoury and lavender, all of which have their own benefits for enhancing flavour in food.

Lift the Flavour of Lamb

There are classic combinations for coupling meat with herbs, and these are rarely deviated from, however if you’re a lover of salt, there are some other ways you can season without the white crystals.

Lamb is a perfect partner for rosemary, and by now most knows to slice tiny holes in the lamb and fill with rosemary and garlic before roasting. However, to lift flavour to a whole new level, add anchovies with the rosemary to give a healthier seasoning all the way through the joint.

Lemon thyme also complements these flavours, and will lift the whole flavour of the dish. Use with the meat or with roast potatoes to make the perfect accompaniment to the Sunday Roast.

Build up the Beef

Beef is such a versatile meat as any herb can be used with it. Be it sage and chives, or parsley and garlic, each one adds its own unique taste. For seasoning, pick every herb you have in the garden, even the lavender. Chop very finely until almost mushy then mix with soy sauce.

Cover the beef with the mixture then tightly wrap Clingfilm around. Leave in the fridge for at least an hour, where the soy sauce will not only lightly salt the meat it will also carry the flavour of the herbs deep into the joint.

Be sure to seal well before roasting and be surprised when you realise you have perfectly seasoned meat without the need of the salt cellar at all.

Perfect the Pork

Pork is renowned for being quite bland however this works in the kitchen gardener’s favour. As its white meat easily absorbs flavours, it truly is a versatile meat. Many will over season pork in a bid to give the meat more depth, however unless cracking is involved, the salt cellar never needs to be opened.

Pork adores sweet flavours as well as citrus and garlic. Teaming lemon thyme with honey and garlic will ensure you have all the flavour you need. Add a touch of redcurrant jelly to the gravy when serving to extend the sweet flavour, and let the Yorkshire puddings or roast potatoes act as the savoury counterpart.

This was a guest post by Martina Mercer. Martina works for Lavenderworld.co.uk who provide a range of 

herb plants and perennials.

Thank you Sam for the post!