Preserving Herbs

Home grown herbs are so much more flavorful than store bought herbs it makes me wonder just how old some of them are.

My favorite way to dry herbs is to group the herb in three bundles. Make one slightly larger than the other two. Tie the larger one on one end, another one on the opposite end and one slightly offset from the center.

Then hang the herbs. I use my laundry room because the dryer keeps it warm. Just throw the large bundle over a bar. You can also use a closet rack or place the string on a hanger and put it pretty much anywhere.

For something like dill, I prefer to just lay it flat to dry. It is too delicate to handle dry.

Once they are thoroughly dry, snip the string and crush the herbs. Store them in a left over jam or mustard jars. Some jars are so pretty and after you have enjoyed the condiment you bought, it is nice to find a use for the jar.

Another option to save the flavor of summer is to blend the herbs in butter and scrape the mixture into ice cube trays. Freeze and keep them stored in any freezer proof bag or container.

Then when you want to make rye-dill bread: just pop out a cube and use it for the fat in your recipe. You can also use it to bake fish or melt over a steak. It is a quick dress-up for plain noodles as well.

If you want the butter a little more spreadable, you can blend equal parts butter and vegetable or olive oil, a little fresh garlic and your herb. This is economical too, butter can be expensive. It has the same amount of fat but less cholesterol -- whatever that is. It makes a great spread for garlic bread too. Spread it on the bread, sprinkle a little Parmesan and broil.

I once read that basil does not store well, it looses its flavor. But I go through my herbs in one year and I have never found any store bought basil to rival my own dried.