Herbs...
Everywhere...
I LOVE growing fresh herbs in the summer. Period. They are easy, hearty, inexpensive, and make for AWESOME fresh and healthy summer cooking . This year, I grew basil, oregano, mint, lemon verbena, parsley, chives, dill, and cilantro. There is nothing better than heading out to my yard to get the fresh oregano / basil for my sauces, mint for my mojitos, and dill for my salmon.The only negative aspect of growing fresh herbs, however, is as Fall weather approaches... it means it is soon time to bid farewell. =( Realistically, even after gifting fresh herbs to neighbors all summer... I couldn't even BEGIN to use all of the fresh herbs that we currently have prior to the first frost. Unfortunately, I also don't have a decent interior growing space, hence comes the challenge of preserving them so I don't have to use the flavorless grocery store herbs all winter.
Obviously, drying herbs is a reasonable solution, though herbs high in moisture (such as basil and chives) become problematic as they often mold in the drying process. I have taken on the task over the next few weeks to research and experiment with each herb I have grown, to find the best solution for winter preservation.
Preserving Fresh Herbs- Part 1: Fresh Basil
Wash the healthy green, freshly picked leaves (no stems), dab dry with a paper towel, and let sit on the counter no longer than an hour until thoroughly dry. Place in a food processor with a dash of extra virgin olive oil, and process until you have a paste consistency. Place in ice cube trays (we filled each cube approximately 1/2 full measuring a teaspoon quantity, consistent with most recipes), cover with saran wrap, and freeze for 3 hours.
The final result...
Place in a freezer-safe bag, label, and voila...
Most articles I read said that basil frozen in an olive oil mixture retains the flavor and aroma better than alone or dried. Look forward to test cooking with one of the cubes this week!
