This popular herb mix is my absolute favorite, and though the name would suggest it goes well with French dishes, I have to tell you, I add it to almost everything I make, be it Indian, Italian, French, Mexican or multi-nationality culinary creations. Basically, anything savory (not-sweet). It's a definite staple in my cooking.
Using dry herbs in your cooking doesn't only improve the flavor of your dishes. Many dry herbs (and spices) are also loaded with antioxidants and it's been shown that literally adding just a pinch of certain dry herbs (for example dried oregano or marjoram) can significantly boost the antioxidant content of your meal.
If you don't know this mix, I highly recommend you try it. If you love it as much as I do and use it a lot, you might find that it's actually cheaper if you make it yourself. Also, this way you are in total control over which herbs and how much of them you use.
Keep in mind that not every store-bought Provence Herbs Mix is the same. I've noticed that they often differ quite a lot. Some include certain herbs that other don't. The ratios of the ingredients also vary. I've learned what I like, but I recommend you try a few different mixes and find out what you like best.
The Herbs de Provence mix usually includes the following dry herbs that are typical to the Provence region of southeast France: savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano. However, some varieties also include: basil, fennel, parsley, lavender, tarragon, sage, bay leaves and mint.
By tasting different kinds of store-bought mixes of Herbs de Provence I've learned that I, personally, definitely prefer when there is no mint added. I must admit I've never had a chance to try a mix with lavender, so can't say much about that, but here are the herbs I know I love in my mix: thyme, basil, savory, marjoram, rosemary, oregano and a little bit of bay leaf.
Provence Herb Mix
yields: about 130ml jar (depending on how much you use, it should last you for about 1-3 months of everyday cooking)
prep time: 5-20 minutes (depending on whether you're grinding by yourself or using an electric grinder)
Ingredients
3 tbsp of dried, ground Thyme
3 tbsp of dried Basil
3 tbsp of dried Savory
3 tbsp of dried Marjoram
2.5 tbsp of dried, ground Rosemary
1.5 tbsp of dried Oregano
1.5 tsp of dried, ground Bay Leaf
Method
1) Grind the dried herbs that are too hard/big to be added to the mix as they are. For me those are thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Grind them separately. You can do it manually using a mortar and pestle or you can use use an electric coffee grinder.
2) Add all of the herbs to a jar and mix them well. You can do it with a spoon or simply screw the top on and shake the jar.
3) Use in anything non-sweet, (from grilled or fried veggies, savory pancakes, and pasta dishes to salad dressings, spreads, sauces and pestos, I even use it in curries and dahl), and notice how a otherwise blunt meal can come to live with just a few pinches of these herbs!
This is the blend I use, but if you know that you love some of the other herbs commonly used in the Provence Herb Mixes, I encourage you to experiment and add it to the mix to create your own blend of Herbs de Provence.
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