HERBAL PICKIN'S
If you're like us, you've been grazing
in the garden all summer. Actually, I could spend the rest of my days in the
garden and never get bored. Harvesting is even more fun. Let's talk about
what to do with the pickin's. We've chosen a few herbs that are most
commonly homegrown.
CALENDULA, Pot Marigold
(Calendula officinalis) is one of the easiest herbs to propagate and
harvest and it's uses are many. To preserve the petals, harvest the flower
heads on a sunny day. Strip the petals off and spread them out on paper to
dry. Avoid contact between the petals since that causes discoloration.
When they are completely dry, seal them in an airtight bag or container
and store in a cool dark place.
COMFREY (Symphytum officinale)
is a member of the borage family. It is so hardy it's almost impossible
to kill. Once you have comfrey established in your garden, it's there
to stay. Both the leaves and roots can be harvested for drying. To
harvest the leaves, cut the plant just before it blooms, leaving a two
inch stem stub. Strip the leaves from the stem and dry them quickly in
the sun. When they are completely dry, cut them and seal them in an
airtight bag or container, and store in a cool dark place. The roots
are harvested by digging up the whole plant. Clean the root and place
it in the sun to dry. Turn it occasionally while it's drying. When
completely dry, cut the root and seal in an airtight bag or container
and store in a cool dark place. Another method would be to cut the root
before drying and spread the root pieces in the sun to dry. Don't worry
about losing your comfrey plant when you harvest the roots. Just leave
a little piece of root in the ground and it will come back next
year.
GENERAL TIPS
I may be able to avoid being
redundant if we clear up a few general dos and don'ts before going on.
Do use fresh herbs during the growing season. Don't use metal screens
to dry herbs. Metals should not come in contact with herbs (stainless
steel being the exception). Drying screens made of plastic or some other
nonmetal substance are suitable. Some herbs should not be dried in direct
sunlight while others are best dried in the sun. I will be noting those
preferences specifically when they apply. A stainless steal knife or
shears should be used for the cutting. Do store the herb after drying
in a cool, dry, dark location sealed in an airtight bag or container.
Ovens may be used for drying herbs. Some even like to use a microwave
oven (I do not).
Another method of drying herbs
is in bundles hanging from the ceiling. Gather ariel parts of the herb
and tie them at the base of the stems. I use rubber bands because, as
the herb dries, the tension of the rubber band keeps the bundle tight.
Twine or string can also be used. The bundles should be small. About an
inch or less in diameter at the base. Air drying in bundles is a popular
and effective method for many herbs. The bundles must be placed in a well
ventilated area away from direct sunlight. I think the charm of bundles
of herbs hanging around makes this method the most pleasurable and the
scent adds to that pleasure. To complete the process, after the herb
bundle is dried, crumble the herb onto a large sheet of plain paper.
You can then lift the paper and pour the herb into its container.
When choosing containers for storage, a dark glass container is the
best choice.
BASIL (Ocimum basilicum)
loses its color, flavor, and (in my opinion) usefulness when dried. With
the exception of holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), I do not dry basils. I freeze
them. For freezing, harvest the leaves. Spread them out on a tray lined
with paper and place them in the freezer overnight. Bag the frozen leaves
loosely and keep them in a freezer drawer or some place in the freezer
where they will remain uncrushed. These I use for culinary purposes
(when I can find the time to cook). Holy basil can be air dried in
bundles.
SAGE (Salvia officinalis)
leaves should be harvested before the plant blooms. Spread them on a
screen away from direct sunlight. When they are completely dry, remove
the stems. You can store them whole, cut, or rubbed. Rubbed sage produces
the powdered variety most often available at the grocery. Place a few
leaves in the palms of your hands and rub your hands together catching
the powder on a plain piece of paper. They can also be rubbed through
a fine screen. Bottle, label, and store. All varieties of sage can be
handled in this way. The air dried bundle method can also be used for
sages if the bundles are kept small.
OREGANO (Origanum vulgare)
is ready for harvest when the white flowers appear, unless of course
fresh pickings have prevented flowering. At any rate, when the plant
is ready for harvest, it is suitable for air drying in bundles inside
or it can be spread out in the sun for rapid drying. You can store
the leaves whole, cut, or rubbed.
MARJORAM (Origanum majorana)
can be handled exactly the same as oregano (above).
THYME (Thymus vulgaris)
should be harvested in midsummer, just before the flowers begin to open.
Cut the entire plant about two inches from the ground. A second growth
will develop again later and may also be harvested in some zones. Do not
harvest the fall growth if you want your plant to winter over. For winter
hardiness, leave at least two thirds of the plant uncut in the fall.
To dry your thyme, spread the ariel parts in a warm shady spot until
the leaves separate from the branches with slight pressure. Store the
leaves and discard the branches. The air drying bundle method may also
be used.
ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus
officinalis) can be dried in many ways. Harvest the entire stems and
bundle them. Now ... use your imagination! Wreaths, swags, or plain
bundles hanging around the house dry beautifully. Stale indoor air can
be freshened by rosemary. Another method, if you want to skip the
decorating part, is to strip the leaves from the stems and dry them
on screens or plain paper in a shady spot.
SAVORY (Satureja montana
and S. hortensis) can be harvested and dried like thyme (above), but
just cut the top 8-10 inches of growth leaving a little more than two
inches on the plant. Store the dried leaves and discard the branches
being careful to remove all pieces of woody stems.
LAVENDER (Lavandula spp.)
we could write a book on this family of herbs. Or should I say Cathe
could write a book on this herb? ;-) She is becoming a lavender guru.
Flowering lavender tops are harvested when in full bloom. To dry them,
spread them out in a shady spot, well ventilated, at 90 to 100 degrees
F. (32.22 to 37.78 degrees C.) and strip the dry flowers from the stem
by hand. If the flower buds are to be used for the production of
essential oil, they must be distilled immediately after harvest,
not dried.
GARLIC (Allium sativum)
"Have you had your garlic today?" Harvest garlic by pulling the bulb
out of the ground when the tops begin to fade (turn yellow). Brush away
as much soil as possible, but do not wash them. Lay them out in a shady
spot and let the tops dry for a few days. A successful way of storing
these bulbs is to braid the tops together to form a garlic rope. These
ropes can then be hung in a convenient location just about anywhere.
Clip the bulbs from the rope as needed for use. Try roasting them and
adding them to mashed potatoes. Wrap the whole bulb in foil. Bake it
at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes. Squeeze each clove into a bowl of
mashed potatoes and mix well.
LEMON BALM (Melissa
officinalis) is well suited for air drying in bundles, but it can
also be dried on a screen. The whole ariel part of the plant is useful.
Being a perennial, it can winter over and, like thyme, should not be
harvested too closely in the fall. When completely dried, cut the
tender ariel parts and store.
LEMON VERBENA (Aloysia
triphylla) can be harvested almost anytime of the year, but to preserve
the best fragrance, harvest in late summer ... now! Strip the leaves
from the shoots or cut the shoots and chop them with the leaves. Spread
them out in a shady spot to dry.
ROSES (Rosa spp.) can be
preserved for use throughout the year by the air drying method. Pick
the buds before they open leaving enough stem for bundling, about twelve
inches. You could use your imagination again here and incorporate these
bundles in many decorative projects as they dry.
ROSE HIPS are the vitamin
C laden fruit of the rose. After the blossoms fade and the petals drop,
rose hips appear as a pulpy seed pod of different sizes and colors. Rugosa
rose hips are one of the larger ones and contain an exceptionally high
quality of vitamin C. Wild rose hips are also rich in vitamins A, B1
and B2, and many minerals. Gather rose hips when they are fully ripe,
but not overripe. They should be bright scarlet. If orange, they are
under ripe. If dark red, they are overripe. If you can obtain fresh rose
hips, pack them in glass containers and freeze them for later use. They
can also be dried, with some nutritional loss, by spreading them on a
screen in a shady spot.
TANSY (Tanacetum vulgare)
should be harvested at the peak of its growth before the leaves turn
yellow ... probably now! Dry the leaves in 90 degree F. (32.22 degree C.)
shade for two days.
FEVERFEW (Tanacetum
parthenium) can be dried like tansy (above) for use throughout the
year. Although, if you are using it for migraines, try to bring the
plant indoors in a pot to have fresh leaves available all winter. Start
with a fresh plant again in the spring.
VALERIAN (Valeriana
officinalis) is best harvested in late fall. Dig up the roots, leaving
enough in the ground for next year's growth. Wash them thoroughly. Slice
them lengthwise and dry them rapidly at a high temperature. This may mean
using an oven set at about 150-200 degrees F. When completely dry, cut
and store. I hope that's valerian I'm smelling! :-)
USE 'EM UP!
Herbs generally have a good shelf
life, but go ahead and use them. You can always harvest some more next
year. The drying methods we mentioned above will work for many other
herbs too. If you are growing something unusual and are not sure how
to preserve it, drop us an email. We may be able to talk about it in
the next newsletter. And, if you are using an herb in some way that
you would like to share with this group, please do so!
HERBES de PROVENCE BLEND
-
One part marjoram
-
One part oregano
-
Two parts thyme
-
One part savory
Strip the leaves from the stems
of each herb after drying. Powder in a blender or food processor.
Bottle, label, and store. This blend can replace the store-bought
Italian spices that leave you wanting for flavor.
SPEAKING OF LABELS
Don't forget to label everything!
If you make the mistake of thinking you will be able to identify the
herb later, you may be disappointed. Many times it is near impossible
to distinguish one from another after they are processed.
SALSA VERDE
-
3 or more cloves of
garlic, finely chopped
-
2 cups fresh parsley,
finely chopped
-
1 tablespoon fresh
watercress leaves, finely chopped (optional)
-
1 tablespoon mixed
fresh herbs, finely chopped
(For the above mixed fresh herbs, choose basil, marjoram, a
little thyme, sage, chervil, and dill. If substituting dried
for fresh, use a little less of the dried herb.)
-
Coarse salt
-
4 tablespoons olive oil
-
Juice of 1-2 lemons
-
1-2 teaspoons sugar
-
Black pepper
Blend or pound in a mortar the
garlic, parsley, watercress, fresh mixed herbs, and a little coarse
salt until they form a smooth paste. Add the oil, a spoonful at a time,
and mix well. Add the lemon juice and season with sugar, salt and pepper
to taste.
This sauce is green and piquant.
Served hot or cold, it is an excellent accompaniment to any fish or seafood.
It also goes well with hard boiled eggs and many other dishes.
FOOD CAN BE MEDICINE
The herbs in these two recipes
(above) have some medicinal value. Food can be medicine. Who says medicine
has to taste bad! Think herbs when you think food. Now if I could just
spare an hour or two today, I'd get in the kitchen. :-)
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