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HERBS

It’s fair to say that herbs don’t often make a complete meal themselves, but they are a great option to grow to save money since they can radically transform the most basic budget ingredients into homegrown haute cuisine.

Basil

Barbara Smith has done the math: one punnet of basil from the garden centre costs less than a pot of hydroponically-grown supermarket basil which isn’t even enough for a batch of pesto. And if you buy, say, ‘Sweet Genovese’, you’ll get six seedlings which could give you enough broad, tasty leaves for a year’s worth of pesto. The way to maximise production is to pick frequently, she says. Nip off the tips of each stem just above a node. Two more stems will grow from the node – more stems equals more leaves. “Basil freezes very well,” she adds. “Whizz in a food processor with olive oil and freeze in ice cube trays. Thawed basil doesn’t have the eye appeal required for garnishes but does add flavour to pasta, soups and dips.”

Coriander

Jack Hobbs says coriander is one of his most valued winter crops. Coriander prefers the cooler months and dislikes transplanting, so Jack sows seed directly into the garden from February until early April to ensure successive crops. “I find the ideal time is early March, with germination taking about eight days and plants ready for harvest from mid-April. It is important to keep the seeds moist while germinating, so I cover the rows with shade cloth for about a week until I see the first signs of seedlings appearing,” he says. “I always allow a few plants to flower as this attracts lots of beneficial insects, and so I always have a plentiful supply of fresh seed on hand both for cooking and resowing.”

Ginger

OK it’s not exactly a herb but Barbara Smith says one piece of root ginger bought five years ago has supplied all the fresh and crystallised ginger she has used ever since. “Once established, you can snip off small pieces of the root to use fresh at any time of year. Each winter when it’s dormant, dig up the whole clump. Replant a couple of pieces and crystallise or freeze the rest.”

Any perennial herb

Carl Freeman agrees that herbs can’t be beat for adding wow factor to meals and are a great way to jazz up budget-friendly recipes. Plus he points out some are perennial; like rosemary, mint, sage, chives, oregano and thyme. You plant once and can harvest for years, with very little looking after required (and they are all easy to grow in pots if you are short of space).

“Let’s be honest, the herbs you buy in the supermarket in those little packets are a massive ripoff and anything that comes in a squeeze container doesn’t compare to the real thing,” Carl says.

In my Auckland garden, I also highly rate lemongrass and makrut lime, which are essential if you like cooking Southeast Asian-style recipes. In warmer regions, both are ridiculously easy to grow and mine have produced year round and for years. They add a huge punch of flavour to curries, stocks and soups and can elevate cheap cuts of meat and homegrown veges into healthier and lower cost takeaway-style meals!

EDIBLES

en-nz

2022-08-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://stuffmagazines.pressreader.com/article/281900186956085

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