Herbs

While I use herbs all year long, this time of year with canning salsa and tomato sauces I feel like I’m up to my eyeballs in herbs.  There’s nothing like the taste of fresh herbs, but in a pinch (especially throughout the winter) dried will do as well.

The freshest herbs are picked in the morning and used as soon as possible, whether for cooking or dehydrating.  Whether you grow your own or purchase locally-grown, here are some steps to freshness:

Snip off stems 1/4" from end and place in a container of water that keeps the leaves out of the water.  Cover leaves loosely with a plastic bag.

Change water regularly before it begins to look murky.  Snips ends again when changing water; snip higher up if there are signs of decay.

Refrigerate, except in the case of basil.  Basil keeps best sitting out on the counter.

Dried herbs also need to be kept “fresh.”  Heat and light are the biggest enemies of your dried herbs.  Store them in darkly-colored glass containers with tight-fitting screw-on lids in a cupboard or closet.  If stored in a dark place, even clear containers work. 

Make sure you choose a cupboard or closet away from the oven, stove, refrigerator or other heat emitting appliances.  It may be convenient to have them there, but it causes your dried herbs to lose freshness.

No matter how well you store them, they will get old.  Someone once said “If you have had them so long that you don’t remember where you lived when you bought them…it’s time to pitch them.”  Simply take a pinch of the herb and rub it in your palm.  If you can’t smell what it is, or it has no smell…it’s time to pitch it in the compost.

Knowing all this, if you don’t buy them fresh or grow them yourself, then consider buying only small quantities from some of the many bulk herb sections that are popping up in grocery and health-food stores.  You’ll save money and most likely get a fresher product.

As for me, my flowerpot of parsley will again have its place in my kitchen window this winter where I can snip fresh at will.  There are some things that just need fresh parsley!

HOW DO I SUBSTITUTE DRIED FOR FRESH?

The best flavor comes from fresh herbs.  However, sometimes you just don’t have the right form of an herb when you need it. The rule of thumb for most herbs is:

1 teaspoon of the dried herb = 1 tablespoon of the fresh herb

If using a dried herb, make sure you are adding it in time to absorb some of the liquid in the dish to which it is being added.

1 teaspoon of the dried herb = 1 tablespoon of the fresh herb

If using a dried herb, make sure you are adding it in time to absorb some of the liquid in the dish to which it is being added.