ITALIAN HERB BLEND RECIPE

This herb blend can be added fresh or dried to almost any Italian dish, from appetizers and vegetables to sauces and main courses, garlic bread, even salad dressing. Basil and Italian oregano are essentials to this blend. If you don’t have the sweet Italian oregano (Origanum ×majoricum), then you will need to add a generous amount of sweet marjoram to balance out the pungency of a hotter oregano. Thyme adds a savory quality and sweetness, while rosemary adds a bit of piney resin to the blend. Some Italians might add a small amount of fennel seed.

This is the mix to use in tomato sauce and minestrone; it is perfecto for pasta, especially puttanesca; delicious in or on polenta and risotto; or used in a marinade or as a garnish for grilled vegetables, poultry or fish. Try combining this Italian Herb Blend Recipe with bread crumbs and olive oil and heaping it on halved tomatoes or onions, baked in a 350-degree oven until golden brown. Add some to olive oil, along with a clove of minced garlic and use it to dip artichokes or warm bread.

ITALIAN HERB BLEND RECIPE MAKES 1/2 CUP
• About 2 1/2 tablespoons oregano leaves
• About 2 1/2 tablespoons basil leaves
• About 1 generous tablespoon marjoram leaves