Keep the green-fingers spirit alive even in the colder months, with a few aromatic plants.
Fresh herbs are easy in summer, when with a bit of planning you can tear handfuls of aromatic leaves into all your cooking just by reaching over to the windowsill or the pot outside your back door. But there’s no need to give up on herbs just because the days are getting shorter. Lots of them will grow happily right through the winter.
Herbs in winter
First, remember that quick-growing annuals like basil, coriander and rocket can be sown all year round indoors if you can maximise their light and make sure they don’t catch a chill. Put them in decorative pots where they’re sure to catch the sun – don’t assume the kitchen is the right place, if it’s your living room that’s got the big bay window!
They won’t be as lustily rampant as they are in summer, which means you need to be careful not to over-water them, but they’ll cheer you up just by being there, and their summery flavours will remind you that winter won’t last forever. Perk up out-of-season tomato sauces made with the tinned toms with some fresh windowsill basil and you’ll have pasta that’s light and gorgeous rather than heavy, wintry stodge.
Cooking with all-season herbs
When you want to warm your cockles with hearty winter soups and stews, you need robust flavours that pack a big punch, and it’s no accident that it’s the hardy perennials which can winter outside which go best with this kind of cooking.
Rosemary and thyme won’t be putting on new growth at this time of year, but if you’ve got a strong, healthy plant you can still harvest a supply of sprigs for the kitchen, especially if you cut them back at the beginning of September (or were harvesting them regularly anyway) which will have encouraged a new flush of young, supple growth before the seasons change. These woody perennials are great left whole and thrown on to roasting roots to add a sweet depth to their flavour.
Sage, bay leaves and oregano will work in just the same way, and are great for stuffings too, but remember that these are all native to the Mediterranean area, so will need protecting from frost. If they’re in pots you can move them to a porch or conservatory when the cold really bites, or use a cloche or bell jar over small specimens growing in a herb bed.
Reliable favourites
Other herbs to try are winter savory, which has a strong, gutsy flavour perfect for mixing with sage, thyme and oregano or for adding at the last minute to sautées (don’t stew it for long periods though as its flavour will disappear); and chervil, a delicate, aniseed-flavoured annual which can sit happily indoors next to your basil pots. And don’t forget good old parsley, which complements anything made with onions and garlic in the mix - the flat-leaved varieties work best in winter, and add a luxurious dash of freshness to winter salads or wilted greens too.