Throughout the summer months you will be taking fresh snippets of herbs as you need them. But to make the most of your herbs or herb garden, I recommend taking some of the leaves, flowers and seeds to preserve for winter.
The best time to cut herbs for preserving is just as the plant begins to flower; the essence in the leaves is strongest at this point. I also recommend cutting them mid morning, as soon as the dew has dried but before the heat of the day. This is when the natural essence of the plant will be at the tips of the plant. You can prune annuals of up to one-half of their growth, perennials up to one-third, take a little less from, herbs such as bay and rosemary. Cut with a sharp knife and layer in a wicker basket. Take only the amount you intend to process, never leave them in a pile.
To clean the herb, simply swish the branches gently in cool water and spin or pat dry layering between clean towels. Pick off any yellow or discolored foliage and examine for signs of infestation.
TIP* I cut early in June and have been able to grow my herbs back in time for a second harvest in California sometimes even a third crop, if we have a warm fall.
Seeds, such as caraway, coriander, cumin, dill and fennel should be harvested as soon as the seed heads turn brown and the stalk start to wither. Dill heads tend to shed most as soon as they ripen.
Roots can be harvested at any time, but are best in fall, when the goodness of the top part of the plant has died back and put all the nutrients back into the roots. Dig them up and separate as many as you need, keep them in a dry cool place without light until you need to plant. I like to keep mine in a box of ash that has been taken from my fireplace the year before. Then I place the box in a dark garbage bag and keep them in a closet in my garage.
Drying Foliage, Flowers, Seeds
Drying is the time-honored way of preserving herbs for the winter. It works particularly well for rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, lovage, bay, balm, savory and mint. Sage also dries well, bit it sometimes gets musty. Dill, chives, parsley, chervil, fennel, and basil lose much of their flavor, it is better to freeze them.
One way of drying herbs is to tie the herbs ends together and hang them upside down in a warm, dry place where air flow is abundant. An attic or shed is ideal, or you can put them in the shade outside and bring them in at night. Avoid drying in the sunlight it destroys the flavor and color. I like to perforate paper bags to put my herbs in to keep them dust free. When sufficiently dry, herbs will crumble if squeezed, it will take up to two weeks to reach this stage, depending on the herbs, the humidity and temperature of the air, if you are drying as mentioned above. I prefer this method due to the fragrance and beauty it brings to my kitchen. You can also dry herbs in the oven and microwave. The microwave is the fastest drying method. Just follow the manufacture’s directions. The oven method is also good, you can place them on a rack with the heat is set at 70*F or 100*F.
The next step is to strip the dried leaves from the stems and shake out the seeds from the heads. You should store them in a airtight glass container. Label each glass container and place in a cool dark place. I know that it is tempting to place them on our kitchen counter but they will soon lose their color and flavor if you do. When stored correctly herbs will keep their color and flavor for a year or longer.
Freezing Herbs
Most herbs retain their color and flavor when frozen. They can be used in sauces, soups, casseroles, stews, and salad dressings. To blanch wash herbs and cut off any yellow parts. With tongs, twirl a few branches in boiling water for a few seconds then take out and dry them between towels. Place them in plastic ziplock freezer bags and label. Frozen herbs will keep up to six months.
Preserving Herbs in Oil
Basil, tarragon, rosemary, and sorrel can be stored in oil and will keep well up to nine months. I recommend olive oil, but you can use vegetable or canola oil or a combination of both will do well.
Put a layer of washed and dried leaves into a glass jar, follow by a layer of oil. Continue alternating layers, finishing with a layer of oil, store in the refrigerator.
Infusion a Cooks DelightIf you are like me, we look for a subtle base to intricate a taste of flavor, something to excite the taste buds. I like to infuse my olive oil in small amounts in different shaped glass bottles and add different ingredients that work well with the herbs and oil. Let’s face it if you do not have a great base you could end up with a ho-hum tasting meal.
Fresh additives, things I like to use with my herbal infusion oils, are garlic, shallots, peppercorns and red chilies just to add a kick. Oh yea, mix and have fun, you can experiment and do your own thing! You can use these oils as a base for sautés, marinades, salad dressings, and BBQ sauce.
Now if you are willing to take this herbal excitement a step further, then hold on to your spade and gloves!
Herb-Flavored Condiments
I like to bring the flavor of summer to our winter table with the preserves of fresh herbs. You can preserve these herbal gems in vinegar, jelly, butter and sugar. I like to share and the spread the love with these herbal condiments. Just put them in pretty crocks, jars, bottles and affix a nice ribbon or lovely label that say homemade by you. |
