AI-generated illustration.
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What is it?
Dill is a herb with fine, feathery leaves. Both leaves and seeds can be used in food, but as different ingredients.
«Fresh, green and distinctly herbal.»
Background
A bunch of dill, dried dill and dill seeds have different uses. Here we mainly mean the leaves and their green flavour.
Flavour profile
Fresh, green and distinctly herbal. This guide focuses on the leaves.
Pairs well with
Fish, potatoes, cucumber, eggs, shellfish and yoghurt dressings.
Save some fresh dill for the end if possible. Chop finely just before stirring into a cold sauce.
Did you know?
The same dill plant provides both leaves and seeds for cooking. Check which part the recipe calls for.
Common mistakes
Cooking all the fresh dill for a long time when the aim is a fresh finish, or using coarse stems without chopping.
Know the difference
Dill seeds have a different role from the fresh leaves. The recipe must tell you which part you need.
Good to know
Fine stems can be chopped with the leaves; coarse stems can instead infuse a liquid that will be strained.
Other flavours to try
Lemon, chives, pepper and mustard.
Try it with
Stir chopped dill and a few drops of lemon into yoghurt for fish or potatoes.
When to go easy
Dill often suits fish, but is not necessary in every fish dish. Keep a sample without the herb if useful.
Storage
Keep fresh leaves and stems chilled, and use them while they are in good condition. Keep dried herbs tightly closed somewhere dark and dry, away from cooker steam. Follow the advice on the packet too.
Try it yourself
Divide a hot potato in two and compare dill added early with dill sprinkled on at serving. A tasting idea for your kitchen, not a Sapidus test result.
1 claims linked to sources.
Source research was AI-assisted. Explore the background and follow the links to the sources.