Fresh herbs can easily be dried for later use. Herbs simply need a dry, dark place to dry. Keep them away from humidity and light. I like to hang my bunches of herbs upside-down with a clothes pin from a string, much like clothes on a laundry line. You can also keep them in a paper bag, which blocks the light but lets the air through.
Herbs should retain much of their original color, even when dry. When your herbs are crispy dry, you can crush them into a colander or sieve placed over a bowl or plate. Pushing the herbs through the wholes will help separate the larger stems from the smaller, pulverized leaves. When you are finished you should have a bowl or ground up leaves and a colander full of stems, more or less. Put the leaves into a glass jar, or reuse a spice container already in your kitchen, preferably one that the light can’t get through. If a recipe calls for fresh herbs but I am using dried, I use 1/3 the amount called for. They will be good to use all winter!
Showing posts with label storage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label storage. Show all posts
Monday, June 6, 2011
Storage Tips for Produce
The best way to keep your vegetables fresh and crisp is to put them in a sealable bag or container with a damp paper towel in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator. This is especially useful for vegetables with leaves (such as lettuce, kale, bok choi), which are most fragile. If you leave them unprotected the circulating air in the refrigerator will cause them to wilt and desiccate.
Root vegetables (such as turnips and radishes) can withstand the desiccation of a refrigerator much better than leafy vegetables, but protecting them with a plastic bag or container will keep them fresh even longer.
The best way to keep your herbs fresh is in a small cup of water, also in the refrigerator. If this seems too risky for spills, you can keep the cup of water on the counter, as long as it is not too hot in your kitchen. Ideally, you want the stems in the water, but not the leaves of your herb bunch. If the water cup is all together too much of a hassle, you can also store them in a sealable bag or container with a damp paper towel in your refrigerator.
If you know you won’t get to your root crops for a while, it is best to remove their leafy tops. Even though the plant is out of the ground, the leaves can still draw nutrients out of the roots, so cutting off the leaves will ensure your roots retain as much of their nutrients as possible. Many root tops are edible, so don’t throw them out! For example, you can separate turnips from their tops, and use them both when you are ready.
Root vegetables (such as turnips and radishes) can withstand the desiccation of a refrigerator much better than leafy vegetables, but protecting them with a plastic bag or container will keep them fresh even longer.
The best way to keep your herbs fresh is in a small cup of water, also in the refrigerator. If this seems too risky for spills, you can keep the cup of water on the counter, as long as it is not too hot in your kitchen. Ideally, you want the stems in the water, but not the leaves of your herb bunch. If the water cup is all together too much of a hassle, you can also store them in a sealable bag or container with a damp paper towel in your refrigerator.
If you know you won’t get to your root crops for a while, it is best to remove their leafy tops. Even though the plant is out of the ground, the leaves can still draw nutrients out of the roots, so cutting off the leaves will ensure your roots retain as much of their nutrients as possible. Many root tops are edible, so don’t throw them out! For example, you can separate turnips from their tops, and use them both when you are ready.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)