TIL dried herbs vs fresh isn't even close for sauces

I spent 5 years using dried basil in my marinara because it sat in the cabinet and I was lazy. Last Tuesday I grabbed a bunch of fresh basil from the farmers market for 2 bucks and threw it in at the end. The difference was like night and day, my wife actually asked what I did different. Has anyone else had a moment where switching to fresh totally changed your mind on a recipe?

2 comments

2 Comments

mary46213d ago

Oh man, that reminds me of my buddy Sal. He was making his grandmother's Sunday gravy for years with dried oregano and basil from a jar, thought it was perfect. Then his neighbor gave him a big bag of fresh herbs from their garden, so he just tossed them in on a whim. He said the whole kitchen smelled so good his wife came running in thinking something was burning. He brought me a container the next day and I swear it was like a completely different recipe, way brighter and richer at the same time. Have you tried it in a cold dish like caprese salad yet?

robin77713d ago

Fresh basil in marinara is a total game changer, I finally get why my nonna always grew her own plants on the windowsill. @mary462, your buddy Sal's kitchen story reminds me of that time I swapped dried thyme for fresh in a beef stew and my kids actually ate seconds without complaining. Caprese with garden basil and nice mozzarella is one of those simple things that just hits different, no going back to the jar stuff after that.