Making The Most of Herbs

Most of the herbs that I use on a regular basis are fast-growing and seasonal.  It simply isn’t possible to use it all, and in the winter I can’t just pop out and pick what I need, so while the plants are at full production I am starting to store them away for the winter months.   

This year I am using two main methods; drying and freezing.   Tonight I started drying my first lots for 2010, bay and basil.  I am using a dehydrator overnight and then storing in airtight jars.  I prefer a dehydrator for two reasons, first, you don’t need to pay as much attention as if you were drying them in the oven where they need to be turned now and then, and secondly many of the herbs that I use are too moist to dry by hanging, and in the humid air of the north they would just go mouldy.   

Bay Leaves in the Dehydrator

 

 If you don’t have a dehydrator and prefer to dry your herbs in the oven, simply set the oven to 100° Celcius.  If you have a fan oven this will dramatically speed up the process but you must put stems in as the fan will blow single leaves all over the place.   Turn the leaves periodically.   

For those who have a microwave, layer between two paper towels and microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Check how dry they are and if not quite dry enough another minute should do it.   

Store the dried leaves and airtight jar, I leave them whole and crush into the dish when I’m cooking.   

For my parsley and chives I will chop them finely and add one tablespoon to each ice-cube compartment.  Once frozen I put them in a named freezer bag.    

You can store any herbs by freezing or drying, I’m sure they taste better than the horrible old dry leaves that you buy at the supermarket.