Make Your Own Herbs de Provence
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| Ingredients for herbs de Provence |
Changes in Herbs de Provence Over Time
The ingredient ratios have altered over the years, and ingredients like tarragon, chervil and fennel have been added to some versions, but the basic recipe uses rosemary, savory, marjoram, and thyme (with the noted addition of lavender flowers). The individual herbs were staples to the French grandmothers of the region, although the blend that we now know as Herbes de Provence wasn't sold until the 1970's.
The following recipe is as close to the original as I could find. Note that oregano can be substituted for the marjoram (they are cousins), but cut the requirement in half as oregano is stronger in flavor.
Basic Herbs de Provence
- 5 tablespoons dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons dried savory
- 2 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 5 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried lavender flowers
This mixture can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container in a dark place.
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Photo courtesy of French Tart-FT), Photo may be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/frenchtart/ ) are credited French Tart-FT. Photo taken at the photographer's home--the Auberge de la Fontaine bed and breakfast--which is located in the village of Montpellier-de-Médillan, in the département of Charente-Maritime, near Cognac and Saintes in the Poitou-Charentes region of southwestern France. Photo taken with a Nikon Coolpix L1 digital camera, on March 23, 2007. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herbesdeprovence.jpg
EXACTLY what I was looking for!!
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
You are entirely welcome. Next time, check out some other herb blends. There are quite a few tucked away here.
ReplyDeleteSara
THANK YOU so much for posting this recipe as I have been looking for this for the last 6-8 months. Couldn't find it in the grocery stores and now I can make my own. Again THANK YOU!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the blend. It was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteSara
thanks for posting the recipe..
ReplyDeleteBut I have a question, what if I can't find savory in my local grocery store.. can I replace it with another herb?
Hi Joi,
ReplyDeleteYou might want to try substituting one more tablespoon of thyme, one tablespoon of mint and about a teaspoon of sage for the savory requirement in the recipe.
Good luck,
Sara
Does anyone have a recipe for Lavender Pepper? I know it has lavender, garlic, black pepper, and sel de gris (french gray sea salt)....just not sure of the specific measurments to make the spice mix! Please Help!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI checked a number of books, and the best match I found for lavender pepper uses the herbs and proportions below. Let me know if it works:
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
It's supposed to be a delicious blend with fish.
Good luck,
Sara
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers (culinary grade)
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
Thanks so much Sara! I will try these out and let you know how it goes. I plan on giving them out for family Christmas...so I'll be testing things out this weekend! Terra Verde Farms makes an excellent Lavender Pepper, but I can't seem to find the recipe online...boo :(
ReplyDeleteTo be continued....
Erin :)
Where do you get lavender flowers?
ReplyDeleteYou can buy them online from retailers like Amazon. They may also be available through specialty gourmet markets in your area. Just be sure to buy food grade lavender (grown without pesticides).
ReplyDeletehow much chevril would you add. I like the Morton and Bassett mix and it contains chevril
ReplyDeleteI would add 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons of chervil to the recipe above. I'd probably add the smaller amount first and adjust it to taste.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how these things develop.
ReplyDeleteLavender surrounds the houses of any any Provence native, but we were never tempted to put it in Herbes de Provence.
It's just never a part of the mixture. My Grandmother thinks this began as a tourists error, and now of course you find it in "Original recipes" It's a shame, because lavender wrong for so many dishes, and can really ruin some. Make your own mixture, without the lavender, (and no oregano either.)
I have lavender growing in my backyard. Can I use it? It is guaranteed pesticide free, although it may contain hummingbird saliva! :)
ReplyDeleteThat'll work!
ReplyDeleteLove this pg...are you on Facebook at all??? I looked and can't seem to find you.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather,
DeleteI never really got into Facebook, but I am on Twitter and Pinterest.
So, you probably hear this all the time, but I really love this blog. I am just planning on getting into my first garden with my fiance this Spring and will be using your site for tips! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm using this to make bread today. Didn't know what the ratio of the lavender should be, so thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a wonderful site - thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteIs my own garden grown, pesticide-free lavender considered "culinary grade" for various uses?
Anita,
DeleteAs far as safety goes, yes. Culinary lavenders are typically those that have the best fragrance. They include classic English lavender and the Hidcote variety.
Perfume Lavenders is STRONGER but lack any of the complex aroma of culinary lavender varieties. Basil is one of my other favorite aromas. It has probably the most gentle anise aromas of any herb.
DeleteFunny. To the person who finds the addition of lavender to be a mistake, the lavender makes it for me. It adds a mysterious little flash of unexpected flavour that enhances a huge range of other flavours. Very fragrant, sneaky and poetic.
ReplyDeleteGood to know herbs are great frozen just washed ,dried then frozen. The exception is basil unless using in cooking.
ReplyDeleteI have been using a Herbs de Provence that contained Statuette, Thym, Origin, and Domain made by La Gardette in Montreux 84170, 100g in a small burlap sack. Most probably brought back from France when my Parents visited in the 70s.
ReplyDelete