Avant Gardener: Dry herbs for summer flavor year round

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • August 27, 2013
  • 413
                        
Summary: Some herbs are great for drying while others lose the characters that make them so delicious. Here are a few worth drying this summer. When it comes to drying herbs for later use, not all herbs are created equal. Drying is a great way to preserve flavors synonymous with summer. It is also the easiest way to preserve herbs. Some herbs however are better than other herbs when using this method. Some resources will tell you the best time to harvest most herbs for drying is just before the flowers first open when they are in the bursting bud stage. If this is possible then by all means harvest away. If it is not possible and you must harvest herbs that are past their prime, then do so anyway. There may be a slight difference in taste and texture but in general, an old herb is better than no herb. Those same resources will tell to gather the herbs in the early morning after the dew has evaporated to minimize wilting. It sounds so lovely and even romantic. Most of us are already at work before the dew has evaporated and really? We are going to dry the herbs anyway so if they are slightly wilted it is unlikely anyone will be the wiser. That same resource warns herb harvesters to avoid bruising the leaves and discard all bruised, soiled or imperfect leaves and stems. That gardener is obviously living in another dimension. In this garden, there are plenty of bruised, soiled and imperfect herbs. For that matter, the gardener is bruised, soiled and imperfect and fortunately, they have not discarded me yet. Basil is one of the lousiest herbs to dry. Do not even consider it. Ever. There are other ways to preserve this tender herb. Thyme comes in so many varieties that are all worth drying. Woodsy and earthy, thyme is an all-purpose spice and should be in any respectable kitchen. Sage dries well. With a pine-like flavor that is more lemony and eucalyptus than rosemary, sage comes in traditional varieties that work well under the skin of a Thanksgiving turkey but also in varieties that do much to compliment dishes from northern Italy. Speaking of rosemary, this herb dries well and retains its flavor but once dried it should be ground before using in cooking unless you like eating pine needles. Rosemary has a distinctive flavor that is usually a like or hate thing with most people. Tarragon is very French and like most things French, it is aromatic. I was going to say stinky but that might not have sounded quite right. Tarragon dries pretty well and is great when used in sauces, salads and with fish or poultry. It is reminiscent of licorice, the black kind not the waxy red kind. Coriander is actually the seed of the cilantro plant. While cilantro is best used fresh, coriander is better dried and tastes nothing like the plant that sprouts from it. Once dried, coriander seeds can be toasted to bring out even more flavor. Oregano is used in many Italian dishes, sometimes too much and too often. It is a powerful herb with a hint of lemon and rather peppery. It dries well and when used in moderation can complement meat and vegetables. When using dried herbs in cooking remember to use about half the amount you would if a recipe calls for fresh. Dried herbs are much more concentrated.


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