There are several methods of preserving your herb harvest for use in your dinner on a future cold and dark winter night. Drying, freezing, as whole leaf or in a pesto or sauce, and infusing them in oil are all great ways to save those special flavors of summer.
Drying Herbs
You can air dry hardy herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme, summer savory and parsley. More tender leaved herbs like basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm and mints have too much moisture content and can mold if not dried quickly.
Try hanging these herbs inside a paper bag to dry. First, tear or punch holes on the sides of a bag, bundle the herbs and place inside the bag with stems sticking out. Close the bag with string or rubber band. Place where air currents will circulate through the bag. When the leaves are crisp and crumble easily, they are ready to be stored in an airtight container.
Freezing Herbs
You can freeze your favorite herb pesto, just leave out the cheese, and freeze in a log for later use. You can also freeze pesto and blended herbs(oil and herb blends without additional ingredients) in ice cube trays and once frozen, pop them into freezer bags for protection. This method allows you to pull only a few cubes out at a time, as needed. Great herb choices for pesto include basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon and mint.
Herbs in Oil
Infuse herbs in oil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Any herb can be used in this manner. Moreover, you can put chopped herbs into ice cubes with olive oil and use it whenever you want…
……be creative and combine flavors!!