Thyme is a fragrant, small-leafed, woody-stemmed culinary herb. It grows 4 to 8 inches tall, and has a woody, hard stem with leaves 1/8-inch long and 1/16-inch wide. It pairs well with lamb, poultry and tomatoes, and is often used in soups, stews, stocks and sauces. Thyme can be used as a seasoning in numerous dishes that showcase its fragrance and pungent taste. Other herbs with which thyme can be successfully combined include rosemary, marjoram, parsley, oregano and bay leaf. While there many varieties of thyme, the two types that are mainly used in cooking are common thyme and lemon thyme. Both have sweet, mildly pungent flavors and are highly aromatic. Lemon thyme has slightly more of a citrus flavor.
Whole sprigs of fresh thyme may be used when roasting meats and poultry or vegetables, but because of their tough, woody stems, the sprigs should be removed before serving. The tiny leaves are easily removed from the stems by pulling the stems through your fingers from top to bottom, against the direction of the stems. Six average sprigs will yield about a tablespoon of leaves. If just the leaves are used, they can be given a quick chop or simply added to the recipe whole. The leaves may also be lightly crushed before adding them, which releases the volatile, flavorful oils.
When you cook with fresh thyme you want to cut the herbs early in the day and put them in water to keep them fresh before adding them to meat or vegetable dishes. As with most delicate herbs, add them to the food at the end of the cooking. This is so they keep their delicate flavors in tact. Thyme should not be used by pregnant women and it will increase blood pressure, so use with caution. Experiment with thyme in savory and sweet recipes. It is commonly used in meat stews, but modern chefs are using thyme is drinks and desserts.
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