Herbs are expensive to buy, but because they take so little space, they are also really easy to grow your own. If you purchase fresh herbs from the grocery store, you can extend the life of any fresh cut herb by wrapping the stems in a damp paper towel and place the entire bunch inside a bag for refrigeration. To deal with the excess before it goes bad, you can chop, add a little oil and freeze 1 tsp. or 1 tbsp. blobs on a sheet, and then bag for use later.
You can also dry herbs. Wash and remove leaves from the stem, simply place on a paper towel over a cooling rack, or use a dehydrator tray. Place where the air is warm and there is less light (sunlight will reduce the essential oils). Once dry, store in repurposed clean jars in a dark cupboard. If you are drying large amounts, keep the bulk of it in whole leaf form and only lightly grind the amount meant for storage in the kitchen cupboard.
Dry herbs? Fresh herbs? The answer is: either. The ratio of replacing dry herbs with fresh herbs goes like this:
- 1 tsp. dry herb = 1 Tbsp. fresh herb
However - IF the dry herbs are older than 2 years, increase the ratio to:
- 2 tsp. dry herb = 1 Tbsp. fresh herb
Some herbs such as bay leaf, parsley and cilantro, become quite mild after dehydrating, so cooks often double the amount:
- 1 leaf = 2 leaves
- 1 tsp. = 2 tsp.
If herbs have accidentally been ground into a powder, this fine flour is now more concentrated and this is the ratio:
- 1 tsp. fine ground dry herb = 1 Tbsp. dry herb
Hope you find these cooking tips useful!
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