How to Preserve Your Culinary Herbs

It is very important to use fresh ingredients in cooking different dishes. Greens are abundant during the spring and summer. But due to the changing season, it is inevitable to use the preserved ones during winter. Because of this, one should know how to store these valuable cuisine additives for future use. Here are some of the techniques you can use to maintain the flavour of different herbs for longer period of time.

Before doing the procedure, you should first select the healthiest parts of the plant to be used. Wash them thoroughly with cold water and remove excess moisture by using paper towels. Separate them in bundles using a rubber band. This will tightly hold them while they shrink. After which, hang them in a cool dry area with proper ventilation. It will usually take several days or week to dry depending on the type of herb that is used. You can also use a food dehydrator to do this. This equipment is commonly used to preserve the roots and stems of angelica, chicory, sage, thyme and winter savoury. On a related note, the leaves of bay, bee balm, spearmints, peppermints, oregano and rosemary are perfect when dehydrated.

Another way of preserving these food flavourings is by storing them under an extremely low temperature. This technique is recommended for basil, chives, dill, fennel, parsley and tarragon. Proper selection and cleaning are involved at the start of the procedure. Create a layer of these herbs in a sheet of plastic or paper and place it in the freezer. Once the plants are frozen, place them in an airtight container before keeping storing them in the pantry or the fridge.

When cooking, it is very important to know the exact quantity of preserved herbs to be used because their flavour varies in terms of concentration from the fresh ones. Use a cook book, like Barkham Blue Recipes, to be guided.