Connections:
Herbs from the Garden
By Nancy Yergin, MS,
RD, LDN, Forest County Penn State Extension
Adjacent to my
kitchen garden in the back yard is a small herb garden. As a dietitian, I
have an interest in food and seasonings as well as the pharmacological
properties of herbs - the original medicines of the past. Just beyond the
kitchen door, my herb patch gets invaded early and often as meal times come
around.
A quick trip to the garden with kitchen scissors or a paring knife yields a
handful of flavor for planned meals. With a snip, I collect handfuls of
basil for pasta, flat leaf parsley for the weekly bean dish, and sprigs of
Greek oregano for a pizza I have in mind.
The garden is a battlefield of sorts. Thyme and sage destined for later
seasoning events are warring for sunlight and space as do clumps of chives
and dill. Like the “that that doesn’t kill us makes us stronger” philosophy,
herbs that have to struggle a bit develop a fuller flavor.
Next to the herb bed sprawls bee balm with shaggy red, pink, or wine-colored
blooms, which threatens to overshadow the only slightly less-aggressive
lemon balm. Both these plants, cousins in the mint family and liberated from
a friend's herb patch, are a source for aromatic teas suitable for a steamy
summer's afternoon.
Interested in heritage herbs once used as medicine, I also grow pennyroyal,
tansy, rue, lungwort, poppy and yarrow. Some of these have toxic compounds
and are not intended for consumption, but I pick a few to make an aromatic
bouquet for the table on the porch.
It’s easy to use herbs. Harvest them by snipping off flowers or leaves,
preferably on a sunny morning just after the dew has evaporated. Don't worry
about clipping off the leaves of small plants as this will encourage the
development of fuller plants.
Once harvested, it is best to use fresh herbs as quickly as possible. Store
them in the refrigerator in zip-locked bags to keep them moist and use
within a week. Basil, which darkens in the cold environment of a
refrigerator, will keep for several days as a bouquet in water in a low vase
or glass on a counter. Chop or mince herbs just before cooking for the
greatest release of flavor.
If you can't use fresh herbs right away, dry or freeze them. To freeze, wash
the herbs in clean clear water, pat dry, place in air-tight containers or
plastic bags, label, and freeze. Herbs keep well for up to two years in the
freezer, if properly prepared and frozen. I like to buzz basil with a small
amount of water in my blender and freeze the green slush in ice cube trays.
Cubes can then be stored in a larger freezer bag and added to soups and
stews when snowflakes and woolen mittens are in vogue.
To dry herbs, arrange cleaned herbs on a cookie sheet or plate, cover
lightly with paper towels and place in a dark, dry place with good
ventilation. I hang some herbs like mint and yarrow in bunches of stalks
from the ceiling of a shaded porch where it’s dim and warm. I also use a
small dehydrator. Dried herbs are ready for storage when they crumble
easily.
Dried herbs can be stored whole or crushed, but whole herbs retain their
flavor longer. To assure optimum quality, store dried herbs in rigid
containers with airtight seals. Choose ceramic jars or darkened-glass
containers to help protect the herbs against light deterioration. Make sure
herb leaves are completely dry to prevent mold growth during storage. Label
all storage containers with the date and name of the herb and store in a
cool, dry place. Dried herbs store well up to one year. Their strength can
be judged by their aroma.
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