Soup is one of those dishes you
can almost make from instinct with whatever is at hand plus can always be “made
more.” It can also be cold in summer or
warm in winter and contain ingredients abundant during each season such as
asparagus in spring, a garden vegetable or fruit mix in summer, creamy pumpkin
or squash in fall and a hearty bean, pea or lentil in winter. Whatever the season, herbs add to the mix a
unique lift which can completely change the favor of similar ingredients. Fresh or dried herbs can be added during
cooking or added as a fresh garnish including their flowers, so try growing
some of these “soup herbs” in your vegetable garden or in their own special
garden.
Herbs commonly used in soups
include basil, bay leaf, chervil, chives, cilantro, cumin, dill, marjoram,
mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon and thyme. If you have a special favorite soup to make,
here are some herbs that go well with:
Potato –
rosemary, parsley, thyme, chives
Tomato – basil, dill, oregano
Minestrone – oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, bay
Bean – savory, oregano, cumin, thyme, bay
Chicken – tarragon, chervil
Carrots – parsley, bay, thyme
Pea – mint, dill, chives
Tomato – basil, dill, oregano
Minestrone – oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, bay
Bean – savory, oregano, cumin, thyme, bay
Chicken – tarragon, chervil
Carrots – parsley, bay, thyme
Pea – mint, dill, chives
Plus lovage is a great low sodium substitute for celery,
borage enhances fresh cucumber and sorrel makes its own special lemony soup.