My husband got a job as a short-order breakfast cook when he was in high school. It was in that restaurant that he learned how to make ghee. I didn’t know this about him until one day, as I was making some herbal ghee, he said, “Oh yeah, ghee makes everything taste better!” He then proceeded to tell me the story of why he was such a master at throwing together a great breakfast. He dished out thousands of meals in that restaurant job, and all the egg dishes were cooked in ghee.
Watch herbalist and author Kami McBride demonstrate how to make a quick and flavorful Italian herb and garlic ghee!
So—let’s make everything taste better! One of the things about having an herbal kitchen is that you don’t have to be a great gourmet cook. It’s really all about having a pantry that’s stocked with herb-filled condiments.
If you already use ghee, why not add herbs? The nice thing about making up some infused ghee ahead of time is that when you go to prepare dinner, the herbal flavors are already layered into your cooking oil and ready to add deliciousness to even the most simple of meals.
My book The Herbal Kitchen includes an entire chapter full of variations on this buttery goodness, and Italian Ghee is one of its most versatile recipes. It’s perfect for sautéing fresh spring vegetables (or, if you’d rather not fry your produce, you can also bake or steam your veggies, then add a dollop of ghee just before eating!).
Ghee is an excellent delivery medium for the beneficial properties of the herbs you add to it. In Ayurvedic medicine, ghee is said to be nourishing to all tissues in the body. It helps us absorb the therapeutic qualities of many botanicals while adding a delightful layer of flavor to your meal.
Use herbal ghee in soups, or put a tablespoon in the water that you use to cook rice or other grains. It also adds a delicious finish drizzled over snacks like popcorn (or corn on the cob!).
Makes about 1 cup.
Ingredients
Directions
Ghee blended with dried herbs is quite shelf stable. You can store it in the fridge or keep it on the counter next to where you cook.
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