Using up fresh herbs

We will have our first frost tonight, so after work this evening I scrambled to harvest the tender items that will not survive freezing temperatures. This included plucking some green tomatoes and bringing in a lot of herbs. Finding ways to use or preserve this abundance of things like mint, oregano, chives, and basil can be a challenge, so I was delighted to see Saveur posting about what to do with a surplus of herbs.

The first method is one I rarely think of, which is to make a compound butter. Not only is this a terrific idea, you can freeze the butter in logs so it will last a good long time. Slathering this butter on a hot dinner roll is heavenly. Another brilliant idea is to make batches of herb-infused simple syrup, perfect for cocktails or to jazz up a cup of tea or iced coffee.

Freezing chopped herbs in ice cube trays with a little olive oil is another great way to keep them from going to waste. You can add these flavor cubes to soups, stews, or braises. Woody herbs like thyme and oregano can also be air dried – it’s amazing how much better these dried herbs are than even the best quality bottled stuff in the grocery store. With all of these great ideas, I will be set for the winter with just a little effort.