Cyprus Mail
Food and Drink

How to preserve and extend the life of fresh herbs

In this video, chef Billy Parisi explains how to keep herbs fresh for longer, avoiding them turning into the brown goop that makes them inedible.

In their normal, store-bought packaging, soft-stem herbs might last between 2-4 days, while hard-stem herbs might last around 6-8 days. Yet there are several ways to extend herb life by incorporating a few simple, at-home solutions.

  1. This simple technique is used for soft-stem herbs only. Start by filling up a short- or medium-height class with cold water. Place the herbs stem-side down in the water, but not submerging them. Next, place a plastic bag over the top of the herbs and glass, and pinch the bag together as best you can. Chill on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
  2. You can use this technique for hard stem-herbs and some soft-stem herbs such as mint, parsley, and cilantro. Fill a glass up to the medium waypoint with cold water. Remove the stems of the herbs if they are attached to a larger bunch, or simply remove the leaves from the stems completely and submerge them in the water. Chill on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 1- 2 weeks, or longer.
  3. You can use this technique for any fresh herbs. Place the herbs on a damp paper towel and loosely roll it up. Put the rolled-up herbs in a plastic bag, or airtight plastic container, and chill on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, or longer.
  4. You can use this technique for any fresh herbs. Place the herb leaves or dice them evenly into ice cube trays. Pour in olive oil, cover and freeze for up to six months. You can use these herb-and-olive oil ice cubes in pasta, vegetables, or on top of proteins.

View the original video here.

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