Cabbage never perishes! Three great ideas for your herb harvest
As winter approaches, many aspiring gardeners decide to prune their herbs. However, if your herb collection consists of more than just a single, small basil plant, you'll quickly find yourself with a lot of excess. Of course, it's far too good to throw away, but you can't eat as much as you'd need to season it all. We've put together a few ideas to help you with this!
herb bundle
Herbs of all lands, unite! Simply tie the twigs and stems of various herbs together at the ends with kitchen twine (preferably made of natural fibers) and wrap them tightly at regular intervals all the way to the other end. Then tie a knot at the end of the twine and hang the herb bundle to dry. If you're cooking a hearty meat dish or a spicy pasta sauce, a Mediterranean bundle of thyme , oregano , and parsley is a great choice. A combination of lemon balm , mint , and lavender will add a fragrant touch to your desserts. Let your creativity run wild here. And if you place a herb bundle on your barbecue charcoal, you'll conjure up a wonderful aroma in your garden or in your neighbor's window :-)
herbal salt
Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Herbal salt is available ready-made in every supermarket, but for you, as a gourmet who loves to experiment, making your own blend is definitely worth it. Plus, you have the security of knowing exactly what's in it. Use a type of salt of your choice as a base. Just make sure when buying that no additives have been added to the salt. Almost all types of herbs are suitable for making herbal salt. If you prefer a classic approach,
Chili , rosemary , or wild garlic are all very good. If you're looking for something different, you'll be surprised how stevia or Aztec sweet herb transforms ordinary salt into an exotic flavor experience. The important thing is that all herbs are dried beforehand.Since we're assuming you don't have a dehydrator, we recommend simply drying the herbs outside in a warm, shady spot. A mortar and pestle are ideal for grinding the herbs, but a food processor is also suitable if you want to produce herbal salt on a larger scale. Finally, simply mix the herbs with the salt and pour into decorative jars or a salt mill. It's incredibly simple to make, yet still the perfect gift to impress your mother-in-law or even the guests at your next big party. Homemade herbal salt also makes a great guest gift!
herbal oil
Have you discovered the perfect herbal salt for you? Great! Perhaps you'd like to try your hand at making a delicious, homemade herbal oil! Just like with salt, you don't need much. Just a base oil, some herbs, and a container of your choice to fill them with. If you're feeling creative, you can also combine a selection of herbs with some spicy ingredients, such as garlic, chilies , or lemons.The right basis
You probably know that there are a variety of different oils, but not all of them are suitable as your base oil. To choose the right one, you should make sure it isn't overpowering. You want the aromas of your herbs to fully develop. Relatively neutral oils you can use include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, and sunflower oil. If you want to experiment a bit, you can also try walnut oil or olive oil. However, these oils are a bit more aromatic, so you should be a bit more careful with your herb selection.
Choice of herbs
When it comes to choosing the right herbs, your imagination is the only limit. You can use any aromatic herbs you know, as long as they have the right aroma. Let your taste speak for itself! We recommend combining a few different herbs. It's not always necessary to use fresh herbs. Some Mediterranean varieties, such as oregano, rosemary, marjoram, sage, or thyme, can actually increase in aroma when dried, provided they have been dried beforehand. Other herbs, such as borage, dandelion, lemon balm, or peppermint, should be fresh or frozen if possible, as they lose their aroma very quickly after drying.
How To Herbal Oil
Once you've gathered every ingredient, the rest is child's play! Add the herbs to your chosen bottle. Whether you chop them up or use them whole is entirely up to you. Chopped herbs allow their aromas to expand, but you'll need to filter the oil again afterward. If that's too much work for you, twigs and leaves are perfectly fine! Now pour the cooking oil into the bottle, making sure to completely cover the herbs.
Once you've combined everything, close the bottle tightly and, above all, airtight after filling. If you don't, you'll quickly end up with nasty, rancid oil that you won't want to use again. Now you'll need some patience, as the oil needs to absorb the flavor of the herbs. To do this, it's best to store it in a cool, shady place for at least a month before it's time to taste it! Whether you remove the herbs from the oil afterward is, of course, your decision. The quality of your oil will not suffer. Just make sure the herbs are always covered with oil when using it. This will prevent mold, and your oil will last for a long time.
Herbs in stock
Perennial varieties such as thyme, parsley and chives can easily provide you with a fresh supply all year round, provided you have a suitable location. The situation is different with annual varieties such as basil and dill . Drying is an option, but many varieties lose a lot of their aroma when preserved this way. A simple alternative is freezing. All you have to do is wash your harvested herbs, pat them dry with a kitchen towel, chop them and put them in the freezer. An ice cube tray is ideal for freezing your herbs in portions; you then only have to fill it with water, olive oil or melted butter. You can then simply add the herb cubes to your meals later.
