Those herbs you planted this spring have exceeded your expectations, and now you are looking for some ideas so they are not wasted. Herbs are such versatile plants that you could surround yourself with herbal products all year long, once you have learned how to preserve them.
Make potpourris from scented herbs to perfume your drawers and add fragrant herbal oils to your bath. Give gifts of your own herbal soaps and candles. Use dried herb arrangements to decorate your house. Use herbs in the kitchen for your cooking and baking, and make herbal jellies and vinegars. The uses are as limitless as your own imagination.
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One of the first rules of harvesting your herbs for use is to clip them in early morning, just after dew has dried, but before the sun has warmed them. There are two valid reasons for this: the fragrant and flavorful essential oils lose their quality with the heat of the sun; and although there is nothing wrong with dew, wet leaves require a longer drying time. No need to be as careful if you are planning to use the herbs fresh. Just pick them whenever you need them.
Harvest your herbs with sharp scissors or a sharp knife, and cut a whole stem, not just the leaves. With small-leaved perennials like thyme, rosemary and oregano, save only the dried leaves and discard the stems. Use the outer stems and leaves first with herbs that spread from a central point like parsley. With bushy plants like basil, clip sprigs from the top of the plant, and new growth will come from below. Leave your herbs unwashed until just before you use them, or if they are clean, you may not need to wash them at all.
If you plan to dry herbs, bundle them, and hang them to dry in a cool dark well-ventilated area. Many herbs will keep their characteristic aroma and flavor when dried properly. Select only the best quality foliage and blossoms, and remove any wilted or dead leaves. Make your herb bundle about an inch in diameter, loop it with a rubber band or tie it with string, and hang it upside down. When the bundle of herbs is crispy dry, remove the leaves from the stem, and store them in a light-proof container.
You can also dry your herbs in the oven. Set your oven at 80 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Any hotter, and the essential oils will start to disperse. Spread a single layer of herbs on paper towels on a baking sheet. Stir the leaves occasionally. It should take from 3 to 6 hours to dry them, although fleshy leaves may take longer. If you have a dehydrator, just follow the same directions.
Another method of preserving your harvested herbs for winter use is to freeze them. If you are planning to use them in soups and stews, chop them up before you pack them in freezer bags. This will save a lot of freezer space. Make sure you label them, since they will all look similar when they are chopped. When you want to use them, just break off a section and put the remainder back in the freezer.
If your experience in using fresh herbs is limited, start by using them in simple recipes you already make. Add fresh parsley and chives to scrambled eggs or omelets. Fresh basil, chopped finely and added at the end of the cooking time will give your tomato sauce a whole new flavor. Make a herb butter by beating chopped herbs into softened butter, and then chilling it. Some herbs to add to butter are mint, dill, garlic, chives, marjoram, or even combinations of these.
Use your freshly grown thyme, parsley, chervil and bayleaf to make a bouquet garni to flavor soups, stews and sauces. Just bundle them with a string, but remove them before serving. Or mince up fresh basil, marjoram, tarragon, thyme and chives to make a 'fines herbs' blend to add in the final minutes of cooking. Use freshly minced herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage along with wine, oil and vinegar as an overnight marinade for meat or poultry.
However you decide to use the herbs you grow, you will have the immense satisfaction of knowing they are ones you have grown and harvested.
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Nov 10, 2011 04:40:47
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