Dried Herbs

I plant an herb garden each spring that I can use all summer and fall. It allows me to pick fresh herbs when I need them. I add fresh herbs to many of my favorite recipes. At the end of summer, I dry herbs and use them later in fall and throughout the winter. Today, I picked about a dozen stems of basil and dried the leaves. Making Dried Herbs is easy to do and saves me from having to buy them in the grocery store.

You can use this method of drying herbs with any large leaf herb, such as basil, oregano, sage, mint and parsley. For herbs with smaller leaves, simply dry the leaves while still on the stems. You can use a baking rack, like I did, or you can put the herbs on parchment paper before drying. I like to wash and dry my herbs and place them on a baking rack so the air can circulate around the herbs to dry them evenly.

Are there different types of Basil?

Basil is an herb I use often. I add it to soups, sauces and pasta dishes for a fresh, peppery flavor. There are a number of different types of basil. The most common basil is sweet or genovese basil. Sweet basil has large, rounded leaves. Thai basil has smaller, pointed leaves and has stronger, spicier flavor. It is great to use when cooking Asian dishes. Lemon basil has a lemony flavor with a peppery note. It is best used in cocktails, seafood dishes and herbed butter.

How to make herbed butter?

Herbed butter is an easy way to add flavor to a meal. Simply mix room-temperature unsalted butter with dried herbs and spices in a small bowl. Place the mixture on parchment paper and roll it into a log, then freeze it. Remove it from the freezer and cut into slices. You can then add the slices of butter to meats and veggies on the grill or while baking in the oven.

I also use dried parsley, oregano, and thyme. Each gives a different unique flavor to the food you prepare. An herb garden is affordable and easy to grow. Plants are just a few dollars each and will continue to yield herbs all summer. Plant them in a dedicated garden box or put them in flower pots to make a pretty display.

When the end of summer arrives, pick large amounts of herbs and dry them using the method outlined below. You’ll appreciate having dried herbs to use all winter.

How to make Dried Basil?

Ingredients:

100 fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

• Remove fresh basil leaves from the stems. Rinse and dry them on a paper towel.
• Place the leaves on a baking rack (or parchment paper) set on a baking sheet.

• Bake in a low temperature oven for one hour. My oven’s lowest setting is 170 degrees, so that is what I use. Do not dry your basil leaves in the microwave, as this can cause a fire.

• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool. Place the whole dried leaves in an airtight container.

• Crumble the leaves to release their intense flavors before adding them to your favorite dishes.

Pasta dishes with a tomato-based sauce, like Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells, are enhanced with the addition of dried basil leaves. The basil’s peppery, earthy flavor shines through and makes your dish so flavorful.