Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Preserving Herbs

Here is what I do with my herbs.

Basil: In a blender, I combine 2 cups of basil (packed) to one cup of olive oil.  I then pour it into ice cube trays or baby food jars.  When I need it I just pull out a cube and add it to soup right before serving.  Pow! Lots of basil flavor!

Cilantro:  I don't preserve this because it is so delicate of a flavor.  If you really want to I would use the "basil" method.

Dill:  Freeze this in baggies.  Wrap the dill in paper towel, then plastic, then aluminum foil and label. Note: if you have a vacuum sealer, then by all means use that.

Lavender:  Tie stems with twine and hang in dark dry place. Once dried remove leaves from stem.  Discard stem and place leaves in air tight glass jar.

Mint:  Tie stems with twine and hang in dark dry place. Once dried remove leaves from stem.  Discard stem and place leaves in air tight glass jar. Note: The best time to pick mint is in the spring, early summer. As the summer goes by mint becomes tougher.


Oregano:  Tie stems with twine and hang in dark dry place. Discard stem and place leaves in air tight glass jar.

Rosemary:  Freeze a few stems in baggies. Wrap the rosemary in paper towel, then plastic, then aluminum foil and label. Note: if you have a vacuum sealer, then by all means use that.

Thyme:  Tie stems with twine and hang in dark dry place. Discard stem and place leaves in air tight glass jar.

3 comments:

suzybel56 said...

Lori, do you kind of just pulse the basil in the blender or emulsify it?

Lori said...

Hi Suzy (is it okay if I just call you Suzy?)- I usually just pulse it. If its pesto- emulsify. I love to drop a cube into my minestrone right at the end of cooking it.

Colette (Coco) said...

I always buy too much when I'm looking at herbs. Then most of them rot in the fridge.
This is a great idea. Mom would approve!