My fiancé has the nose of a bloodhound, and he’s exceptional at sniffing out exactly what seasonings to use to bring depth, flavor, and aroma to a dish. He created a spice mix that we use as a base for seasoning in many of the Western dishes we make. The mix utilizes herbs and spices that are common to most pantries. I highly recommend making a batch of it and using it as we do—a dash here, a pinch there, for any occasion.

Recipes using herbes fondamentales:

Gras Double (Tripe Lyonnaise)

Cottage Pies

Nettle Soup with Beef Tongue, Chives, and Croutons

Kidney, Pork Belly, and Mushroom Pie

Low-Carb Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pies (forthcoming)

Curried Goat and Lentil Soup (forthcoming)

Ingredients:

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

1 TBSP ground thyme

1 TBSP dried thyme

½ TBSP garlic powder

½ TBSP parsley

½ TBSP sage

½ TBSP savory

½ TBSP tarragon

½ TBSP marjoram