When I think of shiso, I think of sushi. I always thought of shiso as more of a garnishing herb until I bought a bundle last weekend at Alemany’s Farmer’s Market. As you probably know, I am a huge farmer’s market fan. I don’t splurge on clothes, but I will splurge on food, especially on fresh new ingredients. Thankfully my husband is pretty open to tasting new dishes, which allows me to concoct crazy combinations and have someone to give me honest feedback.

This sprig of shiso is my challenge of the week. I searched up and down for shiso related recipes but I found that there are not that many recipes online compared to recipes made with more popular herbs like basil, parsley and oregano.  But that’s totally ok. Sometimes you just make up your own recipes! This might sound strange to you, but for me to get really comfortable with cooking a new ingredient, my approach is to learn what other flavors / ingredients match well with my new one. By understanding what match well with what can really help you become a more creative cook.

Here is a quick example of what I mean by matchmaking: we all know chocolate is great on its own, but isn’t it amazing when matched with hazelnuts, mint, coffee, or raspberries? Matching an ingredient with the right one(s) can elevate its flavors to the next level.

After doing some experiments and research, here is my foolproof illustration of ingredients to match with shiso. If you know anything else that goes fantastic with shiso, let me know!

 

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