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June 19 #551 What to do with fresh herbs
You see them all around this time of the year: little pots of herbs just begging to be taken home. For those with a talent for growing things, an herb garden is a true delight. But what do you do with all those herbs? May we offer a brief “user’s guide” to your herb garden.
1. Harvesting: Let an herb plant get established and experieince a little growth before you start harvesting cuttings. If it’s big enough, try cutting in the morning when the plant is cool and the flavors are at their freshest. Young, tender green parts are best, since they have the freshest most intense flavor. In general, do not take off more than ¼ of the plant at any one time. 2. Preparation: It’s always a good idean to wash your herbs off with a little cold water. But be sure to dry them on paper towels before using. To reduce your big leaves to tiny useful morsels, a sharp knife and cutting board work well, as does a pair of kitchen sheers and a bowl. Try folding the leaves up and cutting in multiple directions for quick fine mincing. Food processors, by the way, are not so hot. They tend to liquefy the leaves too quickly. Another great technique is the chiffonade: rollup several leaves together, then slice. The result is short narrow ribbons of herb. Some herbs have tender green stems which can be used. Others have tougher, woody stems which should be discarded after you strip the leaves. 3. Using herbs in cooking: As a rule of thumb, use three times the amount of fresh herbs to dried. When cooking with herbs, add the most tender (such as parsley or mint) very late in the cooking process, and the tougher (rosemary or thyme) earlier, say 20 minutes before the end of cooking.when to add them. Another great idea is the4 “bouquet garni”, an assortment of herbs bundled up in a small sack improvised from cheese cloth. Drop into a simmering liquid, such as a soup or stew, and allow the mélange of flavors to permeate. 4. Storage: For very short term (later that day) cut the stems of freshly cut herbs on a diagonal and place in a glass of cold water. For longer term (several days) place cut herbs in a perforated plastic bag, like grapes come in, and refrigerate. You can dry herbs in a very low oven (200) overnight, bag up and freeze the next day.
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