The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [44]
Strain through a plastic (not metal) colander to remove the herbs. Then strain through paper coffee filters until the vinegar is crystal clear.
Pour the vinegar into hot, sterilized, dry jars. Add a sprig or two of fresh, sanitized herbs. Cap immediately. Store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator to retain the best flavor.
tip Marjoram, opal basil, burnet, chive blossoms, tarra gon, thyme, nasturtiums, rosemary, lavender, and rose petals are best with white wine vinegars. For red wine vinegar, choose strongly flavored herbs, such as basil, dill, garlic, sage, fennel, lovage, spearmint or peppermint, bay, thyme, chives, caraway, or savory.
Herb Jellies
Herb jellies provide yet another way to preserve herbs. Mint jelly is a traditional accompaniment to lamb, but the possible combinations are infinite. Thyme jellies are delicious with beef or fish; sage jelly goes well with poultry; basil jelly goes well with just about any meal.
If you are making apple jelly anyway, consider adding a few herb leaves to each hot, sterilized jar for an exciting new flavor. Otherwise, you will need to start with an herb infusion — herbs that have been steeped in a hot liquid for about 20 minutes. You may use homemade or commercial fruit juice or water as the base.
Please note: Please review the instructions for making jams and jellies in chapter 8 before proceeding with the recipe.
Basic Herb Jelly
Makes 6 half-pint jars
2 cups fruit juice or water
1 cup fresh herbs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3½ cups sugar
Few drops food coloring (optional)
1 pouch liquid pectin
6 fresh herb sprigs (optional)
Begin preheating water in the boiling-water-bath canner and teakettle. Sterilize half-pint jars and prepare lids.
In a saucepan, combine the fruit juice or water with the herbs. Heat to the boiling point, but do not boil. Remove from the heat, cover the pan, and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter paper or a jelly bag, squeezing the herbs left in the paper or bag to extract all flavor. Discard the herbs.
In a large saucepan, combine the herb infusion, lemon juice, sugar, and food coloring. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
When the boil cannot be stirred down, pour in the pectin, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir and skim off any foam that collects on top.
Add 1 herb sprig to each sterilized jar. Immediately pour in the hot jelly, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Seal.
Process in a boiling-water bath for 5 minutes.
Preserving Each Herb
Anise
Harvest anise seed when it begins to dry on the plant. Dry seed stalks in a dehydrator at 110°F for 10 to 12 hours, or in a conventional oven at 110°F for 18 to 24 hours, or outdoors out of direct sunlight for several days. Remove seeds, discard stalks, and store.
USES. Use the licorice-flavored seeds in herb teas and baking.
Basil
Snip leaves from stems of sweet basil as soon as they have developed. Wash and pat dry. Dry leaves in a dehydrator or oven at 110°F for 8 to 12 hours. Dry stems outdoors for 1 to 2 days.
USES. To prepare Italian dishes and recipes with tomatoes, fish, cheese, and eggs. Delicious in herbal vinegars and jelly.
Chervil
Pick small bunches from immature plants. Dry in a dehydrator or oven at 110°F for 12 to 18 hours, or outdoors out of direct sunlight for several days. Crumble leaves, discard stems, and store.
USES. To flavor egg and cheese dishes.
Chives
Harvest chives before flowers form. Their flavor is best retained using one of the freezing methods detailed on pages 125 to 127. Or chop stems and dry in a dehydrator or oven at 110° F for 4 to 6 hours, or outdoors out of direct sunlight for 8 to 10 hours. Store.
USES. To flavor soups, salads, casseroles, sauces, herbal vinegars and jellies, and as a garnish.
Dill
Harvest dill for leaves when the plants are immature. Harvest heads as soon as flower buds form, but before all the buds are open. Dill heads can be bagged and frozen for use