Preserving herbs

The classic method of drying herbs is to pick bunches of them and tie them together, then hang them in a cool dry place until they are crumbly in texture. Make sure they are thoroughly washed and dried before you hang them to prevent spoilage, and check them often to prevent a pile of herbs on the floor as they shrink. (The stems of many herbs shrink as they dry.) Remove any leaves that are going mouldy to stop them spoiling the rest.

Once they are dry you can crumble the leaves into jars and save them. High water content herbs, such as basil, can take a long time to dry this way and will shrink during the process. Lower water content herbs such as thyme dry more quickly.

Some herbs are more potent when they are dried, but most are less potent as they lose their essential oils as they dry out. Rosemary in particular has to be used in far greater quantities when dried than when fresh.

Some people cannot follow this method. Their kitchen is unsuitable because of size and they have no-where else to hang the herbs. In the tropics the humidity means spoilage is almost inevitable if you use this method.

There are other ways to preserve herbs if you don't have a suitable space or climate for air drying. Some herbs will dry very effectively if placed on a baking tray in a low oven. For high value small crop herbs this method is very useful, but it does not appeal on an economic front. The oven door has to be left open to allow good air circulation and this can be dangerous for children and pets. It is easy to cook the herbs instead of drying them if the temperature is too high. It can take a long time.

I have come across recommendations to dry herbs in the microwave, but this completely destroys the oils in the herbs, defeating the purpose of using them in the first place.

If you live in a sunny climate you can air dry herbs by leaving them in your car during the day. Spread the herbs out in an even layer on a piece of newspaper or kitchen towel and leave then on the dashboard or back window. This method is particlarly successful for peeprcorns and tomato seeds.

If drying herbs is not an option try freezing them. Harvest your fresh herbs and then chop them to a suitable size. Place them in an ice cube tray and fill with water and freeze. The cubes can be emptied into pots or bags into your freezer after freezing, and the cubes are very easily used in cooking.This preserves the freshness and flavour of the herbs but they may not be suitable for "public appearances".


Some herbs can be "pickled" by placing sprigs in vinegar or oil. This gives you a flavoured oil or vinegar to use in your cooking. I like to use Tarragon in this way as the flavour can be overpowering when it is used "neat".

Eggs in Tarragon Jelly recipe

Taken from Stephanie Alexander's cookbook and changed a little,

This recipe can be adapted to any herb you like the flavour of, but works best with "soft herbs".

Ingredients:
4 boiled eggs (bantam eggs are ideal)
4 moulds that the eggs fit comforably in.
8 leaves gelatin or suitable quantity of powdered gelatin.
2 cups chicken stock
4 good sprigs of tarragon and some extra sprigs.

Method.

1. Infuse the chicken stock with tarragon by soaking the "poor sprigs" in it for at least an hour.
2. Remove the sprigs and dissolve the gelatin in the stock. Add some finely chopped herbs to the stock if you wish, this is good for milder herbs.
3. Put about a good sprig of tarragon in the bottom of each mould and cover with a cm of stock. Leave to set in fridge.
4. When set place a peeled boiled egg in each mould and carefully fill with the stock.
5. A slice of ham can be placed on the surface of the stock at this point.
6. Leave to set.
7. To turn out dip the moulds in hot water to just melt the outer layer of stock and tip over. Hopefully the jellies will just tip out!

You can use anything for the moulds, egg cups, tea-cups, ramikins, just adjust the volume of stock to fill the moulds.

Tarragon plants

To the unfamiliar looking at a picture of a Tarragon plant it can look very like Rosemary but when you actually see the plants they are very different. The leaves on the tarragon are larger and softer, as well as being a lighter coloured green. The difference is obvious if you crush a leaf, Tarragon has a very distinct flavour.

There are two varieties, Russian Tarragon and French Tarragon. Both will grow well but Russian Tarragon is much hardier, surviving mild frosts. Russian Tarragon will even self seed, but both varieties tend to be sterile. Cultivation of Russian tarragon from seed is easy but French tarragon tends to do better from division or cuttings. French tarragon needs protection from frost and even though it is perennial in colder climates it may need to be treated carefully to survive.

For culinary purposes the French tarragon has a better flavour, making it more popular.

Tarragon is a versatile herb, if you like the flavour. Tarragon tends to be a "love it or hate it" herb because of its strong flavour. Use it sparingly in chicken, fish and egg dishes.( Just rubbing the leaves over a chicken before roasting is enough to impart its flavour.) It makes good herb butter spreading its flavour very easily. Adding a few leaves to mayonnaise, salad dressing, hollandaise or white sauces makes a quick change to old dishes.

Medicinally tarragpon is a digestive tonic, but finds greater use as quick first aid in the garden due to its antibacterial properties. It can be used to numb the mouth in toothaches, but cloves are usually better. One little publicised use is that chewing a leaf of tarragon before taking medicine will numb the taste buds, disguising bad tasting medicine. Of course this depends on you not minding the strong taste of the tarragon.

Tarragon loses a lot of its flavour if dried, which is unusual in herbs, and it is best preserved by freezing or in vinegar.

How to grow Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs, I love the smell and make use of it often in my cooking and aromatherapy projects. Many budding herb growers agree that they love the plant, but can't grow it and find it difficult. Rosemary is a difficult plant to grow from seed, the germination rate is fairly low and it needs warmth. I would recommend buying seedlings or taking a cutting or layering for best results, and quicker harvesting.


Because it is a perennial plant one plant can give you supplies for many years, and it makes a beautiful herb hedge. Rosemary needs to be kept warm and dry and thrives on neglect. I live in a tropical area and find that the full sun here is too much for it so I have to keep it shaded. In cold areas it needs to be in a container so it can be brought in to the warmth over winter, but in Mediterranean type areas it can get very large if not viciously pruned.

Cut your rosemary back often as it grows to keep young shoots coming, although slightly older sprigs make lovely barbecue skewers if soaked.

Harvest rosemary before it flowers, (the flowers may be blue or pink). You can use the sprigs fresh in cooking or dry them before removing the leaves and storing them.

To use Rosemary take a few sprigs and stick them into a lamb leg whilst it roasts, or add with olive oil to your roasting vegetables for a delicious flavour. I make herb butter for use on baked potatoes with young leaves.

Rosemary makes an excellent insect repellent and it is one of the herbs you can plant by your door to keep flies out of the house,or throw a few sprigs on the barbecue in summer to act as an insect repellent. Mixing the leaves into hamburger meat before going out on a picnic can help keep the meat from spoiling before you cook it as rosemary has excellent antiseptic properties.

The antiseptic properties make it an excellent herb to crush and place on small wounds in the garden. It has a long history of being used in sick rooms.

Rosemary relaxes the smooth muscles of the gut making it an excellent digestive tonic. It should be avoided in medicinal amounts in pregnant women as it can stimulate the muscles of the womb (culinary amounts are not likely to be harmful), a property that means it can bring on menstruation.

Rosemary is for remembrance, and it does help study when used in aromatherapy oils and candles.

Parsley Recipes

There are many ways to use Parsley in your cooking, it is not just a garnish. Try mixing chopped parlsey through mashed potatoes or adding it to fishcakes or the breadcrumb mix you coat chicken or fish in, but the classic parsley recipe is Tabouleh. Tabouleh is a delicious salad accompaniament, but goes well with chicken, lamb and fish dishes as well.

Tabouleh recipe

Ingredients (serves 6)

135g (3/4 cup) fine burghul
80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
Sea salt flakes & freshly ground black pepper
3 ripe (about 340g) tomatoes, halved, deseeded and finely chopped
1 lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded, cut into 1cm cubes
3 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
4 cups loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley
2/3 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped fresh mint

Method

1. Place the burghul in a medium bowl. Add enough cold water to cover and set aside for 1 hour to soak.
2. Drain burghul through a fine sieve and use your hands to squeeze out any excess moisture. Spread burghul over a baking tray lined with paper towel and set aside for 30 minutes to dry.
3.Combine the lemon juice and oil in a screw-top jar. Season with sea salt flakes and pepper. Shake until well combined.
4. Combine burghul, tomato, cucumber, green shallot, parsley and mint in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Australian Good Taste - October 2004 , Page 77

Simple container herb garden

The easiest way to grow herb plants is in a small container garden. You will need,

1. A suitable container. Anything you can imagine will do. Ideally it will have drainage, or you can punch holes in the bottom to provide it.
2. Potting compost, from your compost bin or special herb growing mix.
3. Herb plant seedlings. Buy them from your local garden centre or get them from a friend. Get a selection of herb plants you already know how to use initially.
4. Pebbles or similar as a decorative mulch.

Now build your garden,

1. Fill the bottom of the container with rubble if it is very big. Top with compost.
2. Plant the herb seedlings. Try and put tall herb plants in the middle and surround it with smaller ones. Ground cover type herbs will fill in the gaps.
3. Cover the top with your chosen mulch.
4. Water well.

Your herb garden is ready. Put it outside in the sun, or under shade if you lice in a very hot area. In cold areas it will live well on a table close to a window or in your conservatory.

These herb gardens need only a little care. Make sure they stay damp, although herb plants are very tough and will thrive with some neglect.

The container herb garden shown here has parlsey, thyme, chives, rosemary and oregano.

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