Fines Herbes

The classic French fresh herb blend — equal parts parsley (Petroselinum crispum), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) and chives (Allium schoenoprasum), bundled together and ready to use. Fines herbes is one of three standard herb blends in French cooking, alongside herbes de Provence and bouquet garni, and it is by some distance the most delicate of the three. Where herbes de Provence brings warmth and bouquet garni builds depth in long-cooked dishes, fines herbes contributes elegance and subtlety — a light, aromatic lift that works best with brief cooking or no cooking at all.

This is the blend that belongs in a French omelette, stirred through scrambled eggs, scattered over poached poultry, folded into a vinaigrette or finished over a simple green salad. The tarragon provides anise warmth, the chervil a soft, faintly anise note of its own, the parsley freshness and structure, and the chives a clean onion edge. Together they are more than the sum of their parts. Fines herbes must be made with fresh herbs — dried versions lose the entire point. Chop all four herbs finely together with a sharp knife, cutting through once only to avoid bruising the leaves. Store any unused portion in a covered bowl in the fridge and use within a day or two.

Origin: France

Ingredients: Fresh flat-leaf parsley (Petroselinum crispum) 25g, fresh tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) 25g, fresh chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) 25g, fresh chives (Allium schoenoprasum) 25g

Storage: Refrigerate immediately. Store loosely wrapped in damp kitchen paper inside a sealed container. Use within three to four days.