The taste and aroma of thyme are reminiscent of oregano and rosemary , but its scent is slightly spicier and sweeter. Thyme in cooking enhances the flavors of rich meat dishes, hearty broths, various sauces, fried potatoes, and mushrooms. It adds a wonderful aroma to creamy cheese dishes. However, in fresh vegetable salads, I personally prefer to use oregano. Given the remarkable beneficial properties of thyme , it is worth using thyme in your kitchen. Moreover, thyme is easy to grow on a windowsill in a pot ; it is completely unpretentious and winters well indoors.
Let’s start with sauces and marinades using thyme.
Chinese-Style Chicken Marinade
- Soy sauce,
- garlic, thyme, parsley,
- lemon zest (teaspoon),
- black pepper, red pepper.
Use ingredients according to taste and the amount of meat. Crush the herbs and garlic in a mortar, pour over the soy sauce, and marinate the chicken drumsticks, wings, or fillets in the mixture. I recommend adding a little honey.
Chicken in this marinade can be grilled, baked, or fried—it’s an excellent marinade.
Cream and Thyme Sauce
For 200 ml of cream:
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 3 sprigs of thyme,
- 2 sprigs of rosemary,
- allspice and paprika to taste,
- salt.
You can simply blend all the ingredients in a blender. Use the mixture to cover meat, rabbit, or poultry and bake. You can combine it with lemon zest and starchy vegetables, and this sauce will also be ideal for tender zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower with cheese.
Beer Marinade with Thyme
This marinade is great for pork knuckle, fatty pork, and lamb.
For 1 liter of beer (both light and dark work): thyme, oregano, cumin, marjoram, rosemary—all herbs can be used together or interchangeably, a few cloves of garlic, an onion, dry or prepared mustard—1 tablespoon, salt. Chop the herbs, slice the garlic, cut the onion into half rings, and pour over the beer. You can add soy sauce and honey. This marinade is perfect for boiling meat (in the case of the knuckle) or baking. It’s also great as a grilling marinade.
Garlic Sauce with Thyme
The preparation method is similar to homemade mayonnaise.
For 150 grams of vegetable oil:
- 1 egg yolk,
- a teaspoon of mustard,
- a little sugar and salt,
- fresh thyme, peppers, a clove of garlic,
- a teaspoon of vinegar (or more, to taste).
Crush the garlic with salt, place it in a blender or mixer, then add the yolk, sugar, mustard, and vinegar. Start blending at high speed and gradually add the oil. You’ll notice when the mixture turns white and thickens. Finely chop the thyme and mix it with the mayonnaise. This sauce complements almost everything on the table—it’s a very successful sauce.
Meat with Thyme
Thyme pairs well with any meat and poultry. Add it boldly to marinades and when stewing.
Chicken with Thyme and Juniper
For one chicken: 4 cloves of garlic, 2-3 juniper berries, sprigs of thyme, vegetable oil, salt, and peppers.
Place a thin layer of salt, thyme, and juniper on the pan where the chicken will bake. Cut the chicken in half along the backbone and breastbone and place it on the pan. You can even tenderize the halves a little with a mallet. Crush the garlic with the oil, add a little water (so the salt can dissolve), and salt. Coat the chicken with the garlic mixture. Place it in the oven and periodically baste it with the marinade. Adjust the cooking time to your preference, but chicken cooks a bit faster on salt.
Baking with Thyme
Any pizzas, snack rolls, and flatbreads love thyme, whether yeast dough or shortcrust. Especially any baking with cheese. Experiment!
Snack Loaf with Thyme
1 loaf, a few mushrooms, 200 grams of hard cheese, 100 grams of butter, fresh thyme, green onions, salt.
Fry the mushrooms—let them dry out so they don’t soak the bread later.
Slice the cheese into 2-3 mm slices, melt the butter if desired, and chop the onions. Cut the bread lengthwise and crosswise, leaving the bottom crust intact. Carefully stuff the slits with the filling. Everything can stick out like a hedgehog—that’s exactly how it should be. If you melted the butter, drizzle it over the bread. Bake first in foil for 15 minutes, then let it brown for another 10 minutes.
Provencal Flatbread with Thyme
For half a kilo of yeast dough: salt, bacon, 1 onion, hard cheese, thyme, peppers to taste.
Prepare the dough any way you prefer. Fry the onion, cut the bacon into medium pieces, and fry with the onion. Dice the cheese into small cubes, chop the thyme. Mix the peppers and thyme with a little salt. Combine the filling. Divide the dough into small balls, stuff each ball with the filling, and let them rise again. Then flatten them slightly with a rolling pin, make small cuts on the surface, and brush with oil. Sprinkle with spices. Bake the flatbreads for about 15 minutes at 200°C.
Tart with Onions and Thyme
- Butter - 100 grams
- Hard cheese - 100 grams
- Egg yolk - 1
- Flour - 150 grams
- Onion - 3
- Thyme, salt, peppers to taste
Thinly slice and fry the onions, stirring constantly, until caramelized. Grate frozen butter and mix with the flour until crumbly, add the yolk, finely grated cheese, and mix well. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough to about 7 mm thick on a baking sheet, prick it with a fork, and bake for 10-15 minutes at medium temperature (180-200°C). Add the filling to the dough and bake for another 10 minutes.
Irish Potato Pies with Thyme
For 4 large potatoes:
- 4 tablespoons of flour,
- 3 tablespoons of cream,
- baking powder,
- 30 grams of butter,
- thyme and salt.
Mash the potatoes without water, mix in the butter, flour, and cream. Add baking powder (you can skip this). Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper, spoon the dough onto the sheet, and sprinkle with thyme. The pies will puff up during baking. Baking time is 20-25 minutes at 200°C. You can sprinkle them with cheese.
In the next article, I’ll share vegetable and soup recipes with thyme.
