Five Simple Garnishes That Instantly Elevate Your Dishes
Hey there, Food Lovers!
You don’t need a professional kitchen or hours of prep to make your food look as good as it tastes. Sometimes, all it takes is a thoughtful garnish to bring the whole dish to life!
Today I’m sharing five go-to garnishes. Each one is easy, versatile, and guaranteed to impress - whether you're serving up a soup, a main, a dessert, a platter, or a even just a snack.
- Salad Greens or Microgreens
Microgreens are a fantastic garnish and add a modern touch to any plate, but they can be pricey and not readily available. Instead, try using a few fresh curly lettuce or mesclun leaves. Arrange them into a small bundle or posy for a simple, elegant garnish. Snow pea shoots are another great option - the look fresh and add a pop of colour with very little effort.
- Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds in black or white often add that little pop of colour and subtle crunch a dish is lacking. Use black sesame seeds on lighter coloured dishes and plates, or lightly toast the white seeds and use them on darker coloured plates and dishes. These work exceptionally well on both sweet and savoury dishes.
Using herbs, greenery, edible flowers, sesame seeds and balsamic reduction to garnish a dish.
- Edible Flowers
Using fresh flowers to garnish a plate or platter is an effortless way to add a touch of class. Violas, nasturtiums, pansies and flowering herbs are all great options to include on your dishes and they instantly make any plate feel special. You can also use dried petals scattered lightly over a plate or platter for a soft, natural look - these look especially lovely on desserts and grazing platters.
- Balsamic Reduction
Balsamic reduction not only tastes amazing, it also effortlessly adds colour and style to a dish. Restaurants often use it as a go to garnish on a plate - probably because it is so easy, but so effective. It's easy to make balsamic reduction by reducing balsamic vinegar down to a syrupy consistency. Once it's cool, put it into a squeeze bottle and use as needed. It is also readily available to buy which is super convenient if you're pushed for time.
- Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are an excellent garnish. They're packed with flavour, add some vital colour to your plate and they're infinitely better than their dried siblings. There are so many different edible herbs, so you can choose one that will not only look great as a garnish, but will also complement the flavours in your dish.
Garnishes are more than just a decoration - they create contrast, add texture, and give your dish a more refined look. Try one (or a few!) on your dishes this week and feel free to share a photo with me - I’d love to see what you come up with.
A big thank you to everyone that has bought my latest eBook! I hope you are enjoying it and have made some of your own delicious cocktail sandwiches. In case you missed it here's the link, Cocktail Sandwiches: The Ultimate Guide
Happy plating,
Taryn