Use a salad spinner to remove excess water; pat dry with paper towels.
(This is known asflash freezingand also works well on other fruits and veggies.)
Put the frozen herbs into labeled,sealed containers.
Credit:Jason Donelly
Test Kitchen Tip: Chop chives and lemongrass before freezing them.
These herbs are thin and will freeze in minutes.
Carefully pour olive oil or water over the herbs to cover.
Use a spoon to gently submerge the herbs.
Place ice cube trays in the freezer; freeze until firm.
If desired, remove frozen cubes from tray and store in a resealable plastic freezer bag.
Freeze up to three months.
To use, drop an herb cube into hot soup or sauce.
Food Safety Tip: Herbs in olive oil can be stored in the refrigerator only up to three days.
Botulism spores from the soil may be present on herbs and thrive in oils oxygen-free environment.
Make a paste by mixing 13 cup oil with two cupsfresh herbs in a blenderuntil smooth.
Alternatively, you could make a batch of yourfavorite pestoto freeze.
The paste freezes beautifully in sealed jars or ice cube trays that are thoroughly wrapped to make them airtight.
you could also remove the cubes once frozen and store them in a plastic freezer bag.
The herb paste will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.
In winter, toss a frozen herb paste cube into your dishes for a garden-fresh taste.
There you have it.
