What to do about Herbs?

Don't be that guy...

Your herb garden has exploded into prolific pandemonium! Some plants have bolted.  Some plants are attacking the other plants. What do you do?

• a) Take a machete and hack the s**t out of everything.  Leaving nothing but a deserted wasteland behind.
• b) Rock back and forth in a corner while weeping or mumbling something about tiger-striped, basil-scented staplers.
• c) Come up with creative ways to cook, dry and preserve those delicious herbs so that you can enjoy them throughout the winter months.

I'll leave you to your own devices if you chose "a)" or "b)".  If you chose "c)," here are some ideas you can try to enjoy those herbs year round:

Herb Infused Oil

Making herb-infused oil is pretty easy.  You can do it in a number of ways.

One easy way I like is to place all my favorite herbs that compliment eachother in a jar with sea salt and pepper.  Then I pour in extra virgin olive oil until the mix is covered.  I put it in the fridge for a week and then thaw it.  Using cheesecloth I strain the herbs out while pouring the infused oil into a separate clean jar.  Then I enjoy.  This is generally potent stuff, so 1 teaspoon usually amply seasons any dish.  Or you can use it to dip bread on.  Or you can use a bunch of it to make focaccia bread!

Drying Herbs

There are a couple of different techniques to drying herbs.  You can hang some string like a clothing line in your home and hang freshly cut herbs upside down.  Once the herbs have fully dried, you can store them in a clean jar as whole leaves or crumble them to make seasoning or powder.

When drying certain herbs, like sage (especially sage for smudge sticks), you should tie the leaves together with twine so the don't dry spread apart.  I've also used dental floss before.

Preserving and Freezing:

Some herbs, like basil, make yummy and easy-to-make sauces, pastes and pestos!  If you want to freeze the pesto you make, just omit the cheese.  The cheese doesn't freeze as well, and funkifies the taste.  You can add the cheese after it thaws out of the freezer if you like.  

Here are some tried and true pesto recipes you may like:

 

You can always pound all the ingredients with a mortar and pestal for an earthy consistency.  I like this better than using a blender or food processor most of the time.

Basil Pesto
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup pine nuts or coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (6 ounces)
• 5 cups basil leaves, chilled and perfectly dry
• 6 small garlic cloves, quartered
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for sealing
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet for about 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Coarsely chop the basil leaves. In a large mortar, combine the basil and garlic and pound to a coarse paste. Add the nuts and pound until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the Parmesan, then 3/4 cup of the olive oil. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Smooth the surface and pour a little olive oil on top to seal.




Arugula Pesto

Ingredients:

• 4 cups packed fresh arugula
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup pure olive oil
• 2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, Pecorino or Romano Cheese

Blanch the Arugula for about 15 seconds and then immerse in an ice bath to retain the color and cool the leaves.  Then throw all your ingredients, besides the cheese, in a blender and blend to your desired consistency.  Add the cheese and pulse to combine.  Yum!

Mint Pesto
Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed mint leaves
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 scallions, thickly sliced
• 3-4 medium garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher Salt

In a food processor, combine the mint leaves with the parsley, scallions, garlic and lemon zest and olive oil pulse until chopped and smooth. Season the with salt.

Olive-Mint Pesto

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons tightly packed mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons small capers, drained
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup pitted mixed olives, such as Calamata and Cerignola
• Freshly ground pepper

 In a food processor, pulse the mint, capers, garlic, lemon zest and crushed red pepper. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the olives and pulse until coarsely chopped. Season the pesto with pepper.

Cilantro Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 packed cup coarsely chopped cilantro (stems and all)
• 1 packed cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup marcona almonds or blanched almonds
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the oil into a food processor jar. Add the cilantro, parsley, almonds, and vinegar and blend until the herbs are finely chopped and smooth. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

Spicy Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients:

• 1 cup cilantro leaves and small sprigs
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and small sprigs
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Kosher Salt

In a food processor, combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic, ginger and jalapeño; blend until minced. With the machine on, gradually add the oil in a steady stream and puree. Scrape the pesto into a bowl and season with salt.


 

Parsley-Artichoke Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked artichoke hearts
• 1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup grated parmesan, romano or pecorino cheese

In a food processor combine the artichokes, parsley, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil. Mix in cheese.

Disclaimer:  Whenever preserving your own foods at home, please be aware of foodborne botulism.  You should always sterilize everything before and after using it.  Before consuming any food that you have canned or jarred at home, remember to heat it on the stove to kill any spores of the toxin.

From the DPH: All canned and preserved foods must be properly processed and prepared. Home-canned products should be heated to 241oF (116ºC) using a pressure cooker to kill the spores of Clostridium botulinum. Home-canned foods should be boiled for 10 minutes before eating; this will destroy the botulism toxin. Reheated foods should be heated to 165ºF. Frozen foods should be thawed in the refrigerator, rather than at room temperature. Bulging containers should not be opened, and commercial cans that are dented should be returned to the store where they were purchased.

~Shreena