If you want to leave thyme in the dish to eat, then you will need to remove the leaves from the stem.Īs thyme has a woody stem, this actually makes it easier to strip off the leaves.
As in the recipe below, whole sprigs can be used during cooking and then removed before serving or eating. Probably the easiest way to describe a sprig is a length of stem that contains a number of side branches. Many recipes using thyme will ask for it in sprigs – the whole form. Dried thyme should also be given time to rehydrate in the pan or mix, or if not, then you can rehydrate it in a little warm water before using. There is little difference in flavor between fresh and dried thyme, but when using dried thyme, be prepared to add around an extra third of the amount of dried thyme as you would use of fresh thyme. If you remove the leaves from the stem, then leaves placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator should keep for around three days. It will usually keep for around two weeks or until the leaves start to brown. When selecting fresh thyme, look for plenty of bright green leaves on long stems with multiple sprigs.įresh thyme can be wrapped in a damp piece of paper towel and stored in a Ziplock bag or similar in the refrigerator. Often available fresh as well as dried in grocery stores, you may also be able to grow thyme in your garden. If you use citrus/lemon thyme in cooking, this will also provide stronger citrus notes.įresh thyme should always be added to dishes early on in the cooking to allow the oils and flavor of the thyme to be properly released. Thyme is in herb blends such as herbes de Provence and bouquet garni, and similar to herbs such as rosemary, it has a concentrated herby flavor with notes of wood, grass and floral. Thyme is also used in other European cuisines, including French and British, as well as Central and Latin American, and African dishes. When taken orally, alone or with other herbs, thyme may help relieve symptoms of the common cold, upper respiratory tract infections and bronchitis. Thymol has also shown to be able to kill Candida albicans, the fungus responsible for yeast infections or ‘thrush’ and as an essential oil, thyme is helpful against certain foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia and Enterococcus bacteria. Some researchers have suggested that thymol may be useful in reducing bacterial resistance to drugs such as penicillin and thymol, along with two other natural biocides is able to kill tiger mosquito larvae – tiger mosquitos carry diseases such as dengue fever, yellow fever and West Nile virus.
In fact, thymol is often an ingredient in pesticides for animal pests. Thymol is a natural biocide that can kill bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. The reason why thyme has antibacterial actions is because it contains thymol. These abilities to protect from infection is possibly why thyme was used in food preservation techniques over the centuries.
#Fresh thyme fish skin
During the Middle Ages, thyme was thought to help protect from infection by the Black Death and it was used to treat the skin lesions that developed when people were infected. Thyme was considered to represent strength and bravery and Roman soldiers would exchange thyme with each other and even pin it to their clothing before going in to battle. The Ancient Egyptians also used thyme during embalming. Thyme was used in foods, beers, as incense and as a medicinal herb by ancient cultures in and around the Mediterranean area. Common thyme ( Thymus vulgaris), wild thyme ( Thymus serpillum), citrus or lemon thyme ( Thymus citriodorus) and caraway thyme ( Thymus herba-barona) are the main varieties used in cooking in the US. There are around 300 different varieties of thyme, although many of these are better suited to growing as ground-covering plants rather than eating. Although thyme can be used in many dishes, in this step by step tutorial, I have decided to share an easy recipe for a Mediterranean-inspired baked fish which uses ingredients that most of us have available at home.
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