Basic Guide on Using Herbs

Need flavor? Add herbs. They are the simplest way to boost the character of a dish. Use them in baked recipes too. When choosing fresh herbs, look for herbs with a vibrant color and aroma. Black spots, off odors and yellow leaves indicate old, tired herbs that are losing much of their flavor. Farmer's markets carry field-grown herbs, which have a stronger aroma than the greenhouse herbs usually sold in grocery stores.

When washing herbs, put them in a large bowl of cool water and swish them about with your hands to loosen any bits of grit. Lift the herbs out of the water, leaving the grit in the bottom of the bowl. If the herbs are very gritty, repeat the process. Then, spin them dry in a salad spinner or blot dry by rolling up in a kitchen towel.

To store those tender fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, dill and tarragon, just remove any rubber bands or fasteners from the herbs, then trim the stems. Put the unwashed herbs, stem side down, in a tall container with enough water to cover the stems. Cover loosely with a plastic bag, then store on the top shelf of the refrigerator (the warmest part) for up to 5 days. The exception here is basil which can be stored loosely covered in a container of water at room temperature to protect its delicate leaves from the cold, which could cause them to turn brown. As for those hardy fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage, simply wrap the stem ends in a damp paper towel. Then put the herbs in a plastic bag and refrigerate unsealed for up to 2 weeks.