Pot It, Grow It, Eat It by Kathryn Hawkins

Author:Kathryn Hawkins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: IMM Lifestyle

Possible problems

Slugs, snails, birds and mice (see pages 18–9).

Harvesting, storing and freezing herbs

Use scissors to cut fresh herbs, and because most herbs and flowers wilt soon after harvesting, use as soon as possible. Placing them in water like a bunch of flowers will keep them for an extra hour or so, but for keeping for a couple of days, rinse them in water, shake dry and put in a large plastic food bag with air, seal tightly and store in the bottom of the fridge. If you have space, submerging them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge will also keep them fresh for a few days though you’ll need to change the water every day.

Herbs have a freezer life of about six months, after which time the flavour is lost. They are unsuitable for garnishes once thawed, but are fine for cooking used straight from frozen and can be crumbled directly into the cooking pot or mixture. Evergreen herbs are not worth freezing since it is always better to use fresh, and in general, freeze the herbs that you are most likely to use, e.g. chives, parsley, sage or dill. Pick fresh, wash, drain and pat dry. Keep different varieties separate from each other so that there is no transference of flavour. Herbs don’t need blanching and they can either be frozen in sprigs, well-sealed in small freezer bags, or chopped and packed into ice cube trays: use 1 tablespoon of chopped herb with 1 tablespoon of water per cube and wrap the tray in cling film when frozen to help preserve the flavour; these can be added directly to recipes.

To dry herbs, pick when they are in peak condition, on a dry, warm day. It is best not to wash herbs before drying as they need to be as dry as possible. Simply shake lightly to remove any trapped compost if necessary. Choose a warm, dry, dark, well-ventilated place, ideally around 24–26° C (75–79° F); darkness helps prevent the herb oils from evaporating. Soft-leaved herbs should dry in four to five days, and up to two weeks for the coarser-textured herbs. Hang stems of the same variety in bunches of about 10 stems maximum tied with string, upside down, with the heads loosely packed in paper bags. Smaller quantities can be dried by spreading out on a tightly lined muslin frame, or brown paper punctured with fine holes spread on a wire rack. The herbs are ready when the leaves are paper-dry and fragile. Pack them in airtight containers without breaking them up too much in order to preserve their flavour. Dark glass containers are preferable for storage as plastic absorbs aromas and metal can affect the flavour. Always keep in a dark, dry place.

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