Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Herb Range

Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Herb Range

Most Australian home cooks love using fresh herbs and spices, but let's be honest, for mid-week meals they're not always practical. The cost and hassle of wasted fresh herbs that wilt after only a few days often means busy cooks compromise on fresh colours, flavours, aromas and textures for their everyday cooking.  The latest innovation to hit the world of herbs comes from Australian-owned, Gourmet Garden, makers of -stir-in' herb and spice pastes in squeezable tubes. Gourmet Garden has revolutionised the journey of the humble herb, from soil to plate, with the launch of its new Lightly Dried Herb range – a solution to the short shelf life of fresh herbs for everyday cooking.

Gourmet Garden's new Lightly Dried Herb range is made with Australian organically grown herbs that are washed, roughly chopped and lightly dried (just enough) so that they stay fresh for four weeks once opened. The herbs also refresh full of flavour, colour and aroma in cooking, making them the closest thing to chopped fresh herbs. The unique process gives the herbs a longer shelf life which not only limits any wastage but also means herbs are on hand whenever you need them. You can have a herb garden at your fingertips everyday! 

Committed to organic farming principles, Gourmet Garden works with a dedicated agronomy team to ensure the fresh herbs and spices are harvested precisely when the antioxidants and essential oils (for flavour and aroma) are at their peak.

The new range from Gourmet Garden includes a variety of lightly dried and roughly chopped herbs and spices including Parsley, Chilli, Basil, Coriander and Ginger. Ideal to sprinkle, garnish or stir into dishes such as pastas, curries, bolognaise, casseroles, stir fries and pizza, the new Lightly Dried range truly is the closest thing to using chopped fresh herbs in terms of look, taste and aroma.

The range is presented in an organised series of clearly-labelled, resealable pinch pouches, designed for storing in a fridge door friendly caddy – available as part of a value pack. The caddy's multi-fit design also allows you to mix and match lightly dried pinch pouches with Gourmet Garden's popular stir-in pastes in tubes, keeping your herb collection neat and organised.

To celebrate the new launch, Gourmet Garden's range of stir-in herb and spice pastes are now sporting the new-look packaging with a fresh, earthy, inspiring design. It's now colour coded, making it easier to find which herb or spice you are looking for.

How do I use them in cooking?
Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried herbs are so easy to use. Being washed and roughly chopped, they are ready to sprinkle, garnish or rub. Simply use in your cooking just like you would fresh chopped herbs or spices. A great thing about Gourmet Garden's Lightly Dried herbs is that they refresh in cooking.

How much lightly dried herbs do I use? Can I substitute for fresh?
You can substitute fresh chopped herbs for Lightly Dried Herbs in most recipes that have a little moisture or steam to refresh. In cooking, use about 1 tablespoon of lightly dried herbs to replace 2 tablespoons fresh herbs for a similar taste. As it's lightly dried, it has shrunk a bit so you can use a little less or ideally, season to taste!

Can I substitute lightly dried herbs for dried herbs and spices?
Yes, use about 1 tablespoon of lightly dried to replace 1 teaspoon of dried. As it's only lightly dried you need a little more than fully dried as it's not as dehydrated and therefore has more bulk, flavour, texture and colour. Or once again, season to taste!

What does each herb and spice love?

Basil - Italian dishes: pasta, pizza, creamy sauces, dressing, soups & tomatoes
Coriander - Thai, Mexican, Moroccan & Indian: curries, salsa, noodles & lemongrass
Parsley - Mediterranean dishes: pasta, dressings, soups, fish & chicken
Chilli - every cuisine: marinades, pasta, stir fries, dressings & noodles
Ginger - Asian & Moroccan:  marinades, stir fries, dressings, juices & tea

What other herbs and ingredients does each herb or spice marry with?

Basil - Parsley, Chilli, Garlic, Chives, Dill, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Pepper & Sea Salt
Coriander - Chilli, Garlic, Ginger, Mint, Lemongrass, fish sauce & soy sauce
Parsley - Basil, Chilli, Garlic, Chives, Dill, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Pepper & Sea Salt.
Chilli - Basil, Coriander, Parsley, Garlic, Ginger, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Lemongrass & Thyme
Ginger - Coriander, Chilli, Garlic, Mint, Lemongrass, honey & sugar

Gourmet Garden's new Lightly Dried Herbs range will be available now in Woolworths and selected IGAs with a RRP of $2.98 each and $6.98 for a value pack (contains 3 lightly dried pouches and bonus fridge door friendly storage caddy).

For more information on the Gourmet Garden range and an array of delicious recipes please visit www.gourmetgarden.com