Start with any herb, or combination of herbs you like. Make sure they’re washed and cleaned, and then snip them up. I tend to use the same combo in most of my recipes, so I just mixed fresh basil, oregano, and rosemary together.
You can use herbs alone, or add other flavor components. My favorite combination with fresh herbs is garlic and lemon, so I’m adding fresh minced garlic, and some fresh zest from the lemon.
You can actually stuff quite a large quantity of herbs into a small space, so you can make these as full as you like. Just remember that 1 teaspoon of a dried herb equals 1 tablespoon of the fresh one, so you can go heavy handed on the fresh when you think about using them in your favorite recipes. They’re not as strong as dried herbs. I just toss in a little garlic and lemon right on top.
The next step is to encase the herbs in a cooking liquid, and you can use one of 4 things. Aside from water, you can use broth, melted butter, or olive oil. All of them work well, and are well suited for different purposes when they’re all finished.
After your cubes are filled, add in your desired liquid You don’t have to be adding copious amounts of butter or oil. If you stuff the cubes with herbs and flavorings, you really only need a couple of teaspoons of liquid, which is a great amount for most recipes.
I’m using rosemary olive oil in this batch.
Pour a little in, and then gently press herbs down so they’re all submerged.
After freezing you can pop them in freezer containers or bags,
and them use them straight from the freezer for fresh herb flavor all year long.
Some of my favorite uses: – Melt a cube in a saute pan before scrambling eggs or making an omelet – Use them to saute fresh vegetables – Rub on top of hot corn on the cob – Slice pats on top of grilled steak – Saute chicken or fish on the stovetop – Drop in a pot of homemade soup – Add to pasta sauces – Toss a couple with fresh hot pasta or ravioli – Soften and spread on french bread and broil until golden brown – Melt on hot baked potatoes – Toss with roasted vegetables, either pre or post roasting If you’re a fan of canning and preserving, then make a note that this Saturday August 16, Jarden Home Brands (Ball brand) will host the first annual International Can-It-Forward Day. You can connect via a variety of online and in-person activities, including participation in a live webcast on www.frespreserving.com, taking place on ground in Brooklyn Borough Hall Farmers Market, where viewer questions will be answered in real-time by Top Chef’s Judge- Chef Acheson. Twenty five farmers markets across the country will also be hosting Can-It-Forward Day celebrations, so check it out near where you live! Also, don’t miss The Scoop tomorrow, because I’ll be giving away lots of goodies!
