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[H1662]How To Store Fresh Herbs

by Mary Hanna, Mar

Suspending fresh herbs in decorative bottles and covered with vinegar make delicious herbal vinegars. By making herbal vinegar you are preserving the taste of the fresh herbs. To make herbal vinegar with even more flavor use fresh herbs and spices. You can use dried herbs but it won't be half as much fun and surely not as flavorful. Later you will see one of the favorite herbal vinegar recipes.

If you take the herbal vinegar and mix it with olive oil or safflower oil you will make an excellent salad dressing. Add a bit of the herbal vinegar to sauces or to mustards for a different taste. Put a couple of tablespoons into stock for poaching fish and it will make a delightful change.

To make herbal vinegar, wash and dry your fresh herbs thoroughly then pour warm vinegar, not hot, over them in the glass jar. Be sure that the fresh herbs are completely covered by the vinegar. Seal the jar and allow them to sit for a month or two to mingle the flavors. Do not allow it access to direct sun.

Always use sterilized jars. Pour boiling water directly into the jar. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Allow the bottle to cool and thoroughly dry. Sterilize the corks by throwing them in boiling water. Make sure everything is dry before making your herbal vinegar.

After it has steeped remove the fresh herbs that you used and add new ones for a fresher look. If you want to add garlic or chili peppers to the herbal vinegar, thread them on wooden skewers so that they will stay submerged.

There are two methods to warm the vinegar. The easiest is to allow it to sit in the sun for about 20 minutes. It can be warmed on the stove but be careful not to let it boil

When deciding on which fresh herbs to use consider the type of vinegars that would pair with it. Use white wine or champagne vinegar with the delicate fresh herbs such as lemon basil or salad burnet. White wine vinegar goes with all fresh herbs. If you want to seek a stronger flavor use rice, red or cider vinegar with garlic, sage and basil. Stay away from distilled vinegar as it is harsh and will not give you the best results.

There are no herbal vinegar recipes that have strict rules. Use your imagination when pairing fresh herbs to be used in your herbal vinegar. Here are a few that go well together.

Cinnamon Basil and Whole Cloves
Lemon basil by itself
Cinnamon sticks with Whole Cloves Nutmeg and Allspice
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme –no kidding
Dill flowers with Peppercorns
Basil Garlic and Peppercorn
Hot Peppers alone or with Pearl Onions

When you start to use your herbal vinegar, as the level of the liquid goes down take out any of the herbs that are exposed to the air in the jar. If you leave them in the jar they may form a mold. Never use metal tops on the jars, they will rust from the vinegar.

Herbal vinegar can be used in many dishes. Herbal vinegar can be used in any dish that calls for vinegar. Marinate chicken or turkey in lemon basil vinegar for a tasty treat. Throw some into soups or sauces for a subtle change. Sprinkle on meats as they are cooking to add a different flavor.

You can also add fresh lemon or orange peel to the herbal vinegars for added zest. Experiment!

Following is one of the very favorite herbal vinegar recipes made with fresh herbs.

Lemon Herb Vinegar
4 cups of white wine vinegar
2 cups of lemon thyme sprigs
1 cup lemon balm leaves
1 cup lemon verbena sprigs
One continuance peel from a fresh lemon

Sterilize a six cup bottle. Rinse and thoroughly dry the fresh herbs and lemon peel. Put the herbs and peel into the bottle and pour the warmed vinegar over the material. Allow the mixture to cool. Seal with a non metallic cap. In 2 weeks strain and divide into smaller bottles. You can add new fresh herbs to the bottles for added flavor and to make them look pretty.

This should give you some incentive to start an herb garden and to make your own herbal vinegars.

Good Luck and have fun!

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Herbs are fun and easy to grow. When harvested they make even the simplest meal seem like a gourmet delight. By using herbs in your cooking you can easily change the flavors of your recipes in many different ways, according to which herbs you add. Fresh herbs are great in breads, stews, soups or vegetables. Every time you add a different herb you have completely changed the taste.

If you are a beginner start slowly, add just a little at a time adjusting as you go along until you have it just right. For more help visit to: www.150-venison-recipes.com.You will see in most instances that an individual herb is associated with a particular food item. Basil is paired with tomatoes, Oregano with sauces, Rosemary with lamb and Chives with butter or cream cheese. Of course, none of them are limited to these items, but you will see them paired most often with that particular food. Use your imagination and experiment, experiment, experiment!

You can make herb vinegars for salad dressings, marinades, or soups. Herb oils are very useful in cooking whenever a recipe calls for it.

Fresh herbs as garnishes dress up any dish making it look truly spectacular. Lay individual sprigs of rosemary over broiled lamb chops. Chop fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the top of your potato salad. The combinations are endless and the outcome delicious.

Fresh herbs will keep in the refrigerator for several days but then you must freeze them. They can be frozen by laying them a paper towel and putting them in a plastic bag. Once they are frozen only use them in cooking not as garnishes. A friend of mine washes them, puts them an ice cube tray, covers them with water and then freezes them. When she needs them for soup, stews or sauces she just drops a cube in.

My favorite herbs to grow are basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley and mint. Mint is great but is careful; mint can over run your garden. For more detail go to:www.cat-head-biscuit.com.A tip here would be to bury an empty coffee can and plant the mint in it. The can prevents the mint from ?creeping? all through your garden.

I love to make herb butters. Take a half of a cup of softened butter and mix in about 4 tablespoons of a fresh herb. Lay out a piece of saran wrap, place the butter in the middle roll the saran wrap up to form a ?log? out of the butter. Put in the refrigerator and anytime you need a pat of butter just cut it off the ?log?. (Hints for ?log? butter: potatoes, bread, steaks, noodles or any kind of sauce).

A fresh herb in any salad dressing really makes it sparkle. You can use any herb or a combination, be creative.

I learned a trick a long time ago using basil, lemon and avocados to create and instant natural face mask. Put a big handful of basil in a blender and run it on high. Once the basil has been pulverized, throw in a half of an avocado and a large teaspoon of lemon juice, mix until smooth. Wash your face, pat it dry and gently rub the avocado mixture on. Leave it on as long as you like, then use warm water to it wash off.

These are just a few ways you can use fresh herbs from your garden. I am sure you will come up with many more.

Article Source : Wowwiki Fishing And Cooking Guide

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Mary Hanna has sinced written about articles on various topics from amino acid, Health and Medical Condition. . Mary Hanna's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.

Amrit.dec2008 has sinced written about articles on various topics from Vegetarian Diet, Food And Drink and Fitness. . Amrit.dec2008's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.