Homegrown: Growing and cooking with fresh herbs

The following is by Linn County Extension Master Gardener Lisa Slattery:

I love growing and cooking with fresh herbs.  You can grow herbs in a garden or in pots for triple-duty purpose; pretty plants, fabulous scents and access to fresh herbs for cooking and eating.

 Herbs prefer full sun with well-drained soil.  There are annual herbs like basil, cilantro and parsley (actually a biennial but treated like an annual).  Perennial herbs include sage, thyme, lavender, chives, mint and oregano.  Many people assume that dill and fennel are perennial but they simply reseed year after year.

The best time to harvest herbs is in the morning and before they flower for optimum flavor and fragrance.  For perennial herbs cut back one-third to one-half of the plant just as the flower buds appear.  You can cut back annual herbs even more because they'll grow back quickly.  Wash the leaves and stems thoroughly and let them dry on clean towels before use.

Preserving herbs is easy and drying is the best technique.  Air-drying is the most common way to dry herbs.  Hang them in small bunches in a dark, well ventilated area for a few weeks until the leaves are “crispy” to the touch.  You can also lay them on screens indoors or out to dry but if you dry them outdoors they'll take longer depending on weather.  You can also dry herbs in your oven on very low heat (about 180) for several hours. Keep an eye on them so they dry evenly and don't burn.  I haven't tried the microwave method, but herbs can be dried between layers of paper towels.  Use short intervals of heat to figure out how long it will take for the herbs to dry without blackening.  Once dried separate and slightly crush the leaves from the stems and store in glass jars.

Some herbs don't dry well – like basil.  It's best to freeze it to keep the green color.  You can mix it in the food processor with a bit of water or make pesto and freeze in ice cube trays.  Chopped chives also freeze well in a bit of water.

Get creative and mix some herb vinegars, oils and butter.  Try mixing a handful of chopped fresh herbs with a stick of softened butter, roll it up inside wax paper and freeze. Once chilled slice to melt over baked potatoes, fish or veggies…yum!