Herbs In the Kitchen -- IV

Tarragon

Stir into brown mustard for a delicious new flavor. stuff sprigs under chicken or turkey skin before roasting. Add to scrambled eggs. Add to cream sauces for poultry and fish. Put two or three sprigs in a bottle of white-wine vinegar (wait a few days for flavors to blend); use in potato, salmon or green salad, or sprinkle over cooked fish or into cold soup. Add to tartar sauce for fried fish. Add to buttered green beans and carrots. Add to a simple salad of chopped tomato, onion, oil and vinegar.

Thyme

Sprinkle leaves on pork, fish or poultry before broiling or baking. Throw a few sprigs directly on coals shortly before meat is finished grilling. Cook button mushrooms briefly in oil-and-vinegar dressing and thyme leaves; chill well and serve cold. Heat sprigs in apple jelly; strain (if using stems) and use as a sauce with pork or a glaze for ham. Simmer thyme leaves, a few peeled garlic cloves and potatoes in water; mash with some of the cooking liquid and just a bit of butter or olive oil.

Keeping Herbs Green

If you aren't able to snip herbs fresh from a garden, buy them from a source with a fast turnover. To store: Hardier leaves such as thyme, sage and oregano may keep as long as two weeks when refrigerated in small, zip-closure bags. Refrigerate delicate cilantro, basil and dill with stems or roots in water, leaves loosely covered with a plastic bag. Moist herbs rot quickly, so don't wash till you're ready to use them. If they're wet, wrap in a paper towel or keep at room temperature until the leaves dry.