How to freeze herbs
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Have fresh herbs on hand all the time! Did you know you can pop them in ice cube trays, add oil and freeze them. This is a brilliant trick and one you will use. It certainly beats using dried herbs. Bring your food and flavours to life and never run out of herbs again. Soft herbs such as mint, basil, lemon verbena, and dill are usually added raw to a dish, and they don't respond as well to this kind of preserving. Their fresh taste is changed in the freezer, and honestly, I don't usually choose to freeze these delicate sorts of herbs at all, with the exception of homemade basil pesto.
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Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally from the market or your own garden.
If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves. Here we froze a combination of finely-chopped and whole herbs such as rosemary, fennel stalk, sage, and oregano.
Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
Don't forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!
If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave them in larger sprigs and leaves. Here we froze a combination of finely-chopped and whole herbs such as rosemary, fennel stalk, sage, and oregano.
Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.
You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes!
Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butter over the herbs.
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer containers or small bags.
Don't forget to label each container or bag with the type of herb (and oil) inside!
