Basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, and other herbs are must-haves both in the garden and kitchen. If you have an abundance of herbs, here are some things you can do so you can savor them for a long time.
Herb-Infused Oil
For extra flavor on your salad, pizza, or sautéed vegetables, you may opt for herb-infused oil.
The more herbs you add, the richer the flavor of the oil will be. You can fill half of the jar with herbs and add room-temperature olive oil. Make sure the herbs and jar are clean and dry because moisture promotes bacterial growth.
Ensure you've soaked the herbs with more than an inch of oil. Remove any air bubbles by stirring the mixture before covering the container with a lid.
The herbs may be removed from the oil after two to three weeks.
Paste
To make an herb paste, separate the leaves from the stems of the herbs, then put them in a food processor. Gently pour in olive oil until it reaches a paste-like consistency.
Otherwise, you can simply chop the herbs using a knife and cutting board until thinly sliced. Put them in a mixing bowl and add olive oil as you stir. After it has reached a smooth texture, store herb paste in the fridge.
This can last for two weeks when kept in a refrigerator, or longer if kept cool with ice cubes, on a pan lined with parchment paper, or in airtight bags.
Ice cubes
Use up extra kitchen herbs by incorporating them into ice cubes so that you may enjoy them in soups or cocktails.
Begin by cutting the herbs according to your liking. Use bigger cuts to spice up a drink, but roughly chop them if you plan to utilize them in a dish.
Add the herbs to the ice tray once they've been chopped. Pour water over the herbs to fill about one-third of each cube and store in a freezer for an hour.
Next, fill the rest of the ice cube mold with water, place them back in the freezer, and then let the entire mixture freeze.
What's crucial to note, among these choices, is to make sure the herbs are clean before using any preservation procedures.