Fresh vs. Dried Herbs Fresh Herbs Availability •Fresh herbs are available year round with peak season commencing in late spring, summer and ending in early fall. •Fresh herbs can be grown indoors all year round. Purchasing •Choose fresh, bright green herbs. Avoid brown edges and wilted leaves. Storage •Similar to a bunch of flowers, place, cilantro, parsley and mint stem-down in a glass of water. Cover with a plastic bag and refrigerate up to a week. •Wrap other herbs in damp paper towel in a loose fitting plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2 days. •Wash herbs just before using and pat dry with a paper towel. •Freeze chopped or puréed leaves with a little water in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop out and store in freezer bags. When you need to add fresh herb flavour, simply reach for a cube. Drying Fresh Herbs For Long Term Storage: •Natural Drying: Tie plants in bunches and hang upside down in a warm, well-ventilated area. After herbs dry, strip leaves and throw away steams. •Oven Drying: Place leaves on a shallow pan or baking sheet in an open oven at low heat (about 180° F) for 2 to 4 hours. Remove, let cool and store in glass jar. •Microwave Drying: Place clean leaves on a paper plate or paper towel in microwave and cook 1 to 3 minutes, mixing every 30 seconds. Preparation / Cooking •Snip herbs into small pieces with scissors and sprinkle over dish. •To easily slice fresh basil, parsley or mint, stack several leaves on top of one another. Roll the stack lengthwise into a cylinder. Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinder crosswise at close intervals to form fine shreds. •When adding fresh herbs to a warm dish, add near the end of cooking time. •When adding fresh herbs to a cold dish, cover and refrigerate for several hours to blend flavours. Fresh and Dried herbs are interchangeable in most recipes. Use 1 tsp. dried herbs for 1 tbsp. of fresh. Dried Herbs Storage •Store for 1 to 2 years as they lose their flavour and potency overtime. •Store in well sealed glass container or plastic food storage bag in cool, dry place. Heat and light will both decrease the potency of flavour.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 11:59:09 +0000
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