An invaluable addition to the kitchen, fresh herbs and aromatic spices give dishes distinctive taste and ethnic personality. These charts help pair flavourings with the foods they best enhance.
Storing Herbs
Because they do not keep well, fresh herbs are best used straight after picking. The following methods of storage will help keep them fresh and prolong their life, essential techniques in the summer months if you have a herb garden.
For short storage of 1-2 days, pack freshly picked herbs in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Delicate varieties, such as basil, benefit from being wrapped in slightly damp paper towels before they are placed in bags.
To dry herbs, hang them up by their stalks in a dry, well-ventilated room. This position concentrates the flavour in the leaves. Once dried, store herbs in airtight containers.
Fresh herbs can be frozen with excellent results. For best flavour, use young herbs picked before the flowering stage. Gather them in the early morning when the dew has dried and the leaves are at their most aromatic. Strip off the leaves and chop them finely (bay, rosemary, sage and thyme should not be chopped, but snipped into small sprigs). Place chopped herbs in ice-cube trays, cover with iced water and freeze. When solid, pack herb ice cubes in freezer bags, ready to drop into liquids straight from the freezer. Sprigs of herbs should be frozen as they are, in airtight containers.
