The author of the text is Michał Mazik
As a supporter of spicy and varied cuisine, I try to dry myself
and store herbs so that you always have them at hand in the kitchen.
Which species are the best?
A large part of my inventory comes from my own cultivation. I also source plants
from less frequented glades, as well as from remote forests.When harvesting, remember not to pick protected herbs, e.g. angelica.Never reach for plants that you do not know!
Many species are poisonous, and often those administered medicinally are only used by professionals.An example is digitalis, which is beneficial for the heart, but should not be eaten alone.
Preparation for drying
You can dry whole plants, leaves, roots, flowers and even soft fruits at home. Always provide them with a place that is sheltered from the sun, airy and dry.It can be a utility building, an attic or a place under the roof of a terrace.If the temperature is high there, so much the better. I dry my herbs in different ways depending on the part of the plant.
-Leaves- I pick young, firm and place them loosely on metal sheets in a warm, airy place.
-Flowers- I pick at the beginning and in full bloom, and I dry the same way as the leaves.
-Whole herb(leaves, flowers and stem) - I usually harvest it at the beginning of flowering. I remove the lignified parts and dry as above.
-Roots- I dig up in the fall and early spring. I clean, crush and dry them on a baking tray under the roof. They need a lot of time and warmth to dry quickly. They can also be dried at minimum temperature in a kitchen oven.
-Fruit- with dry fruits, such as juniper or fennel, no problem. I use the oven to dry soft fruits, initially setting the lowest possible temperature, then increasing it by 20-30 ° C after some time.
I store the prepared herbs in a dry place in paper bags.You can also put them in a jar or a tight metal can.
Freezing herbs
Another effective method is to freeze herbs and create ice cubes from them.This method is very simple.
1. I choose the right plants for mixtures, e.g. lovage soups, parsley
and marjoram. I shred them well.
2. I pour over the finely chopped herbs with a jug of boiled water.
3. Then, after thoroughly mixing, I put the wet ones into ice containers.Herbs are light and float on the surface of the water.It is worth pressing them down with a spoon from time to time.
4. I pour liquid into the ice cube container to fill in all the gaps, then put it in the freezer. Done!
I use herbal cubes as needed, adding appropriate mixtures to cooked dishes.
