Fresh Herbs

I love the scent and smell of fresh herbs there is something wholesome and fresh about them.  I have not done too badly with them this year considering but there is always room for improvement. 

I have the herbs drying off coat hangers.  The herbs are tied in little bunches and attached to the bottom support of the coat hanger with a little string.  It should not take too long for them to dry.  I will then with the sage at least crumble it into jars for long keeping over the winter.  I prefer to air dry them as I think that more important things can be processed in the Dehydrator like jerky or dried vegetables or tomatoes for sun dried tomatoes.

I have  at present drying for the winter months the following:

Fresh Sage  - I use in lots of home made stuffings.  I really need a bit more and may well have to buy some as my sage is new and has not got itself set properly. I am hoping for a better crop next year but may move the plant in any event. It is also good for sore throats and a good one to make in this respect is a herb honey clear honey with the sage added but it is soothing and then use the sage infused honey to make sage tea with.

Fresh Oregano; I love Oregano on pizzas and on barbecues and always have some in house.  

Fresh Garden Thyme; I use a lot of Thyme as well I find it perks up chicken dishes and adds a depth of flavour to gravies and sauces and tend probably rely on this one quite a lot; although I do not put much in at a time.  I have pickled eggs to do this weekend and I always add fresh thyme and mace blade with black peppercorns to the mix.

Lemon scented Thyme.  This one I fell in love with served on carrots at a local hostelry and I have been using it ever since.  I have a new book with lots of different recipes in which I intend to find and go through this winter, but lemon scented time will definitely be making a repeat performance in this household next year.  One worth making room for.

Fresh Parsley.  There is nothing like home grown and naturally dried Parsley to add to a white sauce to accompany fish.  It really does have lots of flavour so this is one I tend to have on hand a lot as well.

Fresh Rosemary.  I adore Fresh Rosemary especially when it is served with garlic studded roast lamb.  I tuck a little sprig of Rosemary into each cut in the lamb that has a stud of fresh garlic in and it beautifully scents the meat.  It is one of my favourite ways of cooking lamb.  Its so so tasty.  I had also contemplated adding a bottle of red wine to the mix but OH is not keen on wine in food so I have to be careful.

Flat Leaved Parsley, very much as the curled leaf parsley.

There is also Basil in the ice cube trays in a little oil.

Fresh mint in ice cube trays in water.

Fresh chives in ice cube trays in water.

I have also got some mixed herb vinegar on the go as well a couple of bottle of this.

I did the keeping mint sauce the other day and the mint vinegar for serving it with.

I also intend to make some croutons and cover them with oil and fresh mixed herbs and then dehydrate them for use over the winter months with home made soups.  Will bring a bit of the summer back into the winter months.

I also want to get some Bouquet Garni made as well.  They always make a stock or a stew a little more flavourful.

I shall keep doing a bit here and there until I have enough to carry me through to next Spring.  Well that's the plan anyway.

Catch you soon. 

Pattypan xxx