Rouxbe

Hi......

I always had a problem with fresh herbs , they are really expensive and lose their freshness after a short period of time , so I always have to buy fresh one's almost weekly .
Does any one know a good way to keep them fresh for a significant amount of time ?

Thank you ...

I find that rinsing the herbs, shaking of the excess water, rolling them in paper towels and placing the package in a loosely sealed plastic bag will hold sturdy herbs like sage, oregano, italian parsley, tarragon etc. for at least 2 weeks, even 3 weeks (store them in the vegetable drawer of the fridge). Marjoram is less durable and so are basil and cilantro.

She's been frustrated over the years as well but has figure it out. She's currently on set shooting cooking school content but will be with you later.

I put my herbs in a jug or large measuring cup, and then place a clear plastic bag over top of them. This seems to work really well, especially for parley and cilantro.

The comment from Hanna also sounds like it would work very well.

Sorry, forgot to say that I fill the jug with an inch or two of cold water. I also change the water every few days. Also when I put the bag over the herbs, I sort of fold it over a bit so it is a bit snug around the jug.

Thank you all for your help ....

Dawn :
do you put the jug in the fridge or do you keep it outside ?

You are most welcome Khaled, it is my pleasure. I usually put them in the front of my fridge, not too close to the back, where it can sometimes be too cold. I used to put them on the door, but I find the top shelf to be the best.

Okay ... I've blanched a lot of things in my day, but when I came across a recipe for Basil-infused Oil, it said to blanch the basil leaves, I was quite puzzled. How would you go about that???? How long would they stay in the water? Dip in and out, maybe?

About the herbs, I also do what Dawn suggests. It works well for most herbs. :)

This is quite common. What it does is bring out the green in the herbs (e.g. basil). To blanch it, drop it in rapidly boiling water for about 10 seconds, then remove and plunge directly into an ice bath. See: rouxbe.com/drilldowns/96 (only for herbs, it only takes about 10 seconds).

You should notice a much brighter green color from the herbs.

Let's see: retain the roots (to absorb water) water, plastic bag over the herb, in the refrig on a lower shelf. Also, wash, dry, chiffonade, freeze loosely and then use as needed.