How Should I Use Fresh Herbs?

“Fresh, organic herbs are amazing for health, containing highly concentrated levels of vitamins and minerals – for example weight for weight, parsley can contain twice as much vitamin C as oranges do. Try to use fresh herbs daily and plentifully where you can, and remember that it’s best to add them just before serving to preserve their properties. Pick them fresh to benefit from the active ingredients contained in the essential oils of the herbs. Fresh herbs will last about a week before these oils deteriorate, and dried herbs should be kept for no more than a year (including time spent in shops and cupboards). Windowsill herbs can grow well into autumn, so you’ll only be without fresh herbs in the UK from December to February, and drying them yourself is easy. I particularly love to preserve the flavour of basil or coriander by blending them with garlic, seasoning and a little olive oil. I freeze this mixture in ice cube trays and defrost a cube as a salad dressing, or let it melt over hot dishes. Herbs that are frozen like this can keep for up to three months.”

About the expert: Chef Olivier Sanchez teaches on the Natural Chef Course at CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) Visit naturopathy-uk.com/courses-eu/courses-natural-chef/
for more details.

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