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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Harvesting and Storing Herbs/Basil Butter Recipe

While I don't have any veggies to harvest quite yet - some peppers are close - I do have PLENTY of herbs!!!  This posting will be about Harvesting and Storing Herbs, with, of course, a recipe added as well!!

Fun Facts about Herbs -
  • Dried herbs are more potent than fresh
  • When storing fresh herbs, wrap stem in a damp paper towel, seal them in a re-usable bag, and keep in the refrigerator, to use quickly
Harvesting/Storing Herbs -
  • Cut with kitchen or garden shears
  • When drying - do so in a shady, area:  Hang by the stem upside down - once dry, leaves should be removed whole and kept in tightly closed container.  Should keep flavor for several months
  • Freezing Herbs - wash and let air dry till wilted.  Cut or chop into sizes you would like and store in the freezer in a tightly closed container

Basil Butter Recipe
Ingredients:
  • 4 Cloves Garlic
  • 15 Leaves Fresh Basil
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
  • 1 Cup Butter
Instructions:
1.) Place garlic, basil and pepper in food processor - process till garlic is chopped.
2.) Add butter and process just till mixed.
3.) Enjoy!!!

*You can also place butter on a sheet of parchment paper and roll it into a cylinder.  Then, place in refrigerator and cut pieces as needed.
*Herb Butter is easily freezable.  Let stand in the refrigerator for a few days for the flavor to spread, then place in container and freeze.
*Herb Butter is great to add flavor to vegetables, baked potatoes or pasta, try rubbing it under the skin when roasting chicken, place it atop your favorite grilled steaks just after grilling, or simply use it on  breads and rolls!!

I made this recipe today and am looking forward to having it on fresh baked Italian Herb Bread (with some of my dried herbs) - recipe to follow in a few days!!

Also - coming attraction - Basil Ice Cream!!! (All I need is an ice cream maker - which I plan on getting soon!!)

**A few notes about the above recipe:
1.) This recipe actually makes a lot!! You can easily cut the recipe in half and still have plenty!
2.) Use any fresh herb or combination of herbs in this recipe to create a variety of Herb Butters!
3.) It makes it easier when the butter is room temperature!
4.) Herb butter is also known in the culinary world as "compound" butter!!

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