12:00a.m. 25th September 2008

River House owner and chef David Rayner in his herb garden, one of the sources of his success. Photo: Geoff Potter

Whether it is their flavour, intense aroma or ease of use in warm weather, many chefs and home cooks cannot get through the spring and summer without herbs.

Once upon a time, the only herb you’d come across was a sad and shrivelled garnish of parsley, eventually discarded, or a quick shake of the ubiquitous mixed herbs that added about as much flavour as shredded cardboard.

But these days, and especially now the weather is warming up, there’s no excuse for not popping a bunch or two in your basket from the greengrocer or even growing your own.

Chef and owner of Noosa’s River House Restaurant David Rayner has access to fresh herbs 365 days a year, courtesy of a herb garden down the side of his house and a bountiful garden surrounding his restaurant which features lavender, rosemary and lime leaf and bay trees.

“We use a lot of herbs in our cooking. They bring dishes to life,” he said.

“At home I grow small unusual herbs, like Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, lemon thyme, marjoram and some obscure cresses like wasabi cress and a Japanese cress which is great with raw fish.

“Because of the climate on the Coast, dishes with herbs typify the lifestyle we have here, the fresh and clean flavours.

“We make little salads filled with lots of fresh, crispy herbs and that really typifies what people want to eat up here.”

And when pressed, Mr Rayner picked basil as his favourite herb, mainly because of its versatility.

Herbs can be added to virtually any recipe and they don’t have to be confined to the main evening meal.

They work well in breads, soups, marinades, butters, sauces, dressings, stocks, vinegars, desserts and drinks.

Dried herbs are more strongly-flavoured than fresh and they should be added at the beginning of a recipe, while fresh herbs go in at the end. As a general rule, one teaspoon of dried herbs equals four teaspoons of fresh.

Adding chopped fresh herbs during the last five minutes of cooking allows their fragrant oils to be released, adding their natural flavour to whatever you are cooking.

Certain herbs, such as dill, basil, mint and parsley, have long been associated with the warmer months.

On the other hand, herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage definitely scream winter and go perfectly in foods like stews, soups and casseroles.

Mostly, only the leaves of herbs are used in cooking, but the stalks can sometimes be thrown in for an intense flavour hit. Try using the woody stalks of rosemary, stripped of their leaves, as makeshift kebab skewers for lamb.

Or go stalks-and-all when chopping up herbs like parsley, oregano, coriander and mint to intensify the aroma in dishes like soups, curries and casseroles.

Another great way to use dried or fresh herbs is to bunch an assortment together, tie them at the stalk end with a piece of string and then dip in oil to baste roast meats. If using fresh herbs, you may need to lightly crush the leaves with your hands to release the fragrant oils before basting.

The use of herbs has been documented as far back as 2500BC, but it was unlikely to be for culinary purposes.

Instead, people began using herbs for medicinal reasons, to heal the sick and injured.

Cooking with herbs

* When preparing fresh herbs, use scissors, a sharp knife and a chopping board.

* When preparing dried herbs, use a grinding mill or a pestle and mortar.

* Use wooden utensils when mixing prepared herbs.

* If you regularly use herbs, prepare your own bouquet garni sachets for easy use later. Parcel your chopped and mixed herbs in little muslin bags for later use.

* Unlike other herbs, parsley retains its flavour during the cooking process and can be added at the start.

* Fresh herbs have a more pungent flavour, as oils and nutrients are lost in the drying process.

* The flavour of herbs diminishes with time. Discard dried herbs after 12 months.

* Dried whole herbs, where the leaves are still attached to their stalk, tend to have a stronger flavour than loose leaves sold in packets or bottles.