Basil and tarragon

biig said:

Are these in the same family? They seem similar to smell with the
basil seemingly stronger and more licoricey, and the tarragon seemingly
a bit sweeter? My imagination? I've really gotten fond of tarragon and
try it in most of my new recipes. I did scalloped carrots in the slow
cooker yesterday and could have added more. It wasn't very pronounced.
Sharon

What is really good on carrots is a thin sauce more like a glaze made of
honey & butter. Pour the sauce over the carrots and stir to coat well.
Sprinkle on rosemary. Very good! I've never made scalloped carrots.
I quite often add a carrot or two to potatoes when cooking. Then I use
a little chicken broth and whip the potato/carrot mixture. It comes out
light and fluffy with a lot less calories than my favourite mashed
potatoes. They have sour cream, cream cheese, milk, and butter in them.

"biig" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Are these in the same family?

No. Basil is of the mint family and tarragon from the sunflower family.

Quoted message said:

They seem similar to smell with the
basil seemingly stronger and more licoricey, and the tarragon seemingly
a bit sweeter?

Well, sensory qualities are subjective but to me they are both quite pungent
and very attractive but not that similar.
However they do have some essential oils in common in their makeup, so your
nose is not telling you lies.

David

~patches~ said:

biig said:

Are these in the same family? They seem similar to smell with the
basil seemingly stronger and more licoricey, and the tarragon seemingly
a bit sweeter? My imagination? I've really gotten fond of tarragon and
try it in most of my new recipes. I did scalloped carrots in the slow
cooker yesterday and could have added more. It wasn't very pronounced.
Sharon

What is really good on carrots is a thin sauce more like a glaze made of
honey & butter. Pour the sauce over the carrots and stir to coat well.
Sprinkle on rosemary. Very good! I've never made scalloped carrots.
I quite often add a carrot or two to potatoes when cooking. Then I use
a little chicken broth and whip the potato/carrot mixture. It comes out
light and fluffy with a lot less calories than my favourite mashed
potatoes. They have sour cream, cream cheese, milk, and butter in them.

Do you chop or grind the rosemary. I've never used it and have heard
that it is "chewy"??? Thanks....Sharon

biig said:

~patches~ said:

biig said:

Are these in the same family? They seem similar to smell with the
basil seemingly stronger and more licoricey, and the tarragon seemingly
a bit sweeter? My imagination? I've really gotten fond of tarragon and
try it in most of my new recipes. I did scalloped carrots in the slow
cooker yesterday and could have added more. It wasn't very pronounced.
Sharon

What is really good on carrots is a thin sauce more like a glaze made of
honey & butter. Pour the sauce over the carrots and stir to coat well.
Sprinkle on rosemary. Very good! I've never made scalloped carrots.
I quite often add a carrot or two to potatoes when cooking. Then I use
a little chicken broth and whip the potato/carrot mixture. It comes out
light and fluffy with a lot less calories than my favourite mashed
potatoes. They have sour cream, cream cheese, milk, and butter in them.

Do you chop or grind the rosemary. I've never used it and have heard
that it is "chewy"??? Thanks....Sharon

I used dried rosemary the first time I made them. I found it a little
woody so used chopped fresh rosemary and really like it that way. You
could do the same thing and use either finely chopped chives or parsley.

"biig" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

~patches~ said:

biig said:

Are these in the same family? They seem similar to smell with the
basil seemingly stronger and more licoricey, and the tarragon seemingly
a bit sweeter? My imagination? I've really gotten fond of tarragon
and
try it in most of my new recipes. I did scalloped carrots in the slow
cooker yesterday and could have added more. It wasn't very pronounced.
Sharon

What is really good on carrots is a thin sauce more like a glaze made of
honey & butter. Pour the sauce over the carrots and stir to coat well.
Sprinkle on rosemary. Very good! I've never made scalloped carrots.
I quite often add a carrot or two to potatoes when cooking. Then I use
a little chicken broth and whip the potato/carrot mixture. It comes out
light and fluffy with a lot less calories than my favourite mashed
potatoes. They have sour cream, cream cheese, milk, and butter in them.

Do you chop or grind the rosemary. I've never used it and have heard
that it is "chewy"??? Thanks....Sharon

If you can plan a day ahead, melt the butter you're going to use for the
sauce, add the dried rosemary, and let it sit overnight. It'll soften the
herb and flavor the butter. Works better if you can leave it OUT of the
refrigerator, which is generally safe unless you're house is really hot.

biig said:

Do you chop or grind the rosemary. I've never used it and have heard
that it is "chewy"??? Thanks....Sharon

Rosemary is the texture of pine or spruce needles.
It really needs to be attacked with a mortar and pestle
or chopped finely with a knife. If you have fresh
rosemary you can put a whole spring in and take it all
out before serving.

gloria p

Puester said:

biig said:

Do you chop or grind the rosemary. I've never used it and have heard
that it is "chewy"??? Thanks....Sharon

Rosemary is the texture of pine or spruce needles.
It really needs to be attacked with a mortar and pestle
or chopped finely with a knife. If you have fresh
rosemary you can put a whole spring in and take it all
out before serving.

gloria p

Yes fresh rosemary is close to this texture. I cook it a bit in the
glaze before pouring onto the carrots. IMO dried rosemary is rather
woody but when cooked for awhile as in spaghetti sauce isn't too bad.
The green with the glistening carrots is quite isually appealling.