Fresh culinary herbs are becoming more available during the winter months. They come from faraway places along with everything else in the produce section. Fresh parsley and cilantro have always been mainstays, but, in recent years, dill, rosemary and basil have become more plentiful although they are not always in the best condition. Bruising and mould are the two greatest enemies
of fresh herbs in route to the store.
If you grow your own herbs you can snip small amounts for cooking all season long. You can easily dry or freeze some for a year-round supply of good quality herbs. Your own preparations will probably be of higher quality than anything found in the supermarkets and of course, much cheaper.
For retaining highest flavour and quality, air drying or room drying is the easiest, most inexpensive method for preserving herbs. Moisture evaporates slowly and naturally during air drying, leaving the precious herb oils behind. Dehydrators are useful if you are drying large quantities of herbs or high moisture herbs such as basil. Use a microwave oven as a last resort for drying
as microwaves literally cook the herbs producing very poor quality.
Sturdy herbs are best suited for air-drying. They are less tender, low-moisture varieties such as sage, thyme, summer savoury, dill, bay leaves, oregano, rosemary and marjoram. Basil, tarragon, lemon balm and the mints have a high moisture content and will mould if not dried quickly. Enclosing herbs in a paper bag, with holes for air circulation, protects them from dust and other
pollutants. Chives are best frozen.
The best time to cut herbs for drying is just before they flower. This is when the leaves have the most oil, which is what gives herbs aroma and flavour. Different varieties of herbs flower at different times of the season, so look for buds or newly opened flowers as your clue for harvesting. But, if your herbs have already flowered, they can still be harvested and dried. Cut herbs
in mid-morning when the leaves are dry but before the hot midday sun.
To air dry herbs, follow the following simple steps:
- Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut large stems or branches from mature plants. Gently shake each branch to remove insects. Examine each branch and remove old, damaged or diseased leaves.
- Rinse each branch in cold water and dry with towels or paper towels to remove all visible water. Wet herbs tend to mould which destroys the whole bunch.
- Turn branches upside down and remove leaves along the upper stem. Lower leaves are not as pungent as the top leaves nearest buds. Tie five or six stems together in a small bunch. For high moisture herbs, use smaller bunches.
- Place the bunch upside down in a large brown paper bag. Gather the bag around the stems and tie. Tear or cut several holes in the bag for ventilation. Make sure there is plenty of room inside the bag so leaves do not touch the sides of the bag. Write the name and date on each bag.
- Hang the bag in a warm, airy room or attic. Leave undisturbed for about two weeks or longer.
When the leaves are dry, check for any signs of mould growth. Toss the entire bunch if mouldy and try again. Strip dried leaves from stems and discard stems. Crush the leaves if desired, but keep in mind that whole herbs retain their flavour longer than crushed, ground or rubbed herbs.
Store dried herbs in small airtight containers away from the light. Zip closure plastic bags, coloured bailing wire jars and ceramic crocks can be used for storage. Label and date each container.
Store herbs in a cool, dry, dark place (away from sunlight). Dried herbs keep for years but for best results use within a year. Most herbs will diminish in flavour with age and a larger amount will be needed to achieve the desired flavour in cooking.
Sage is the only herb that will grow stronger in flavour during storage. For making rubbed sage, place dried leaves in a wire strainer or sieve over a plate and rub against the side. Sage is a strong herb and rubbing creates smaller pieces for more even distribution in recipes.
To release the full flavour, crush whole herb leaves or use a mortar and pestle to grind, just before adding to the recipe. When using dried herbs, add to soups and stews during the last half-hour of cooking or follow recipe directions. Be creative and add dried herbs to flavour your favourite foods.
Home
