Winter is the season for slow-cooked dinners like lamb shanks and hearty soups. But what star ingredient is vital to these simmered beauties? Fresh herbs.
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It’s becoming more and more popular to grow your own edibles at home and reap the rewards of having fresh produce at your fingertips. If you’re not a seasoned gardener or you just want to jump on the fresh-food bandwagon, there’s no better place to start than with a herb garden. Herbs are quick and easy to grow, and are a great way to get kids involved in gardening. Before you know it, you’ll have an abundance of flavour-packed ingredients to add to your home cooking.
5 popular herbs to grow in winter
Mint
Perennial; prefers shade and damp; grows rampantly, so plant away from other plants or in pots; cut leaves from top to harvest.
Oregano
Perennial; prefers a warm position; cut stems back to encourage new growth; remove spent blooms after flowering; harvest in the morning for best flavour.
Rosemary
Perennial; rosemary can be planted any time of year; likes a warm, sunny position and free-draining soil; good companion of sage.
Thyme
Perennial; slow to grow from seed; a very hardy plant; prefers a sunny position in well-drained soil.
Sage
Perennial; sow in the garden; prefers a light, well-drained soil and a sunny position; stake or protect from wind; good rosemary companion.
We spoke to Taylor Cullen, Head Chef at Chiswick restaurant to get some expert advice on all things winter herbs.
Is there anything you can do to avoid frost killing your vegie garden during winter?
Be strategic about where you plant and bring any potted herbs inside overnight. You can also use a cloche over herbs. It helps to water them in the afternoon, and add a thick layer of mulch around the base. All of these will help to protect your garden during winter.
Any expert tips you can share for someone starting their own herb garden this winter?
Plant for the rising moon – all plants will grow better and quicker! It also helps to grow seeds to seedlings inside during winter, then plant outside when they are not so fragile.
What are some of your favourite winter herbs to cook with?
Thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, lavender, lemon balm, fennel, sorrel.
Is there a quick winter salsa recipe you can share?
Chiswick’s herb salsa recipe
Ingredients:
- 10g sorrel
- 10g parsley
- 10g mint
- 10g nasturtium
- 10g dill
- 20g trout roe – optional
- 20g chopped capers
- 50ml apple cider vinegar
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1g cracked pepper
Method:
- Fine chop all herbs together with a knife.
- Using a cloth or muslin squeeze all the water out of the herbs.
- Add remainder of ingredients to a little bowl.
- All of the ingredients are optional – and all the herbs can be swapped out for others – we just use what’s available.
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