Freezing Herbs

Basil all year round?  It’s possible!  I harvest bunches and bunches of herbs in the summer, blanch them, dry them, and freeze them. Here’s how to do it:

1. Harvest your favorite fresh herbs; wash.  At this point, leave them on the stem.
2. Prepare an ice batch.
3. Prepare a double boiler for steaming.  Water should be at a respectable boil, but not a roaring boil.
4. Place a handful in your steamer basket and steam until herb becomes a more brilliant green.
5. Remove from steamer basket and plunge into ice water bath to stop cooking.
6. Let dry on a towel.  At this point, you can remove herbs from the stem and dice or leave on the stem (I do this because, well, it’s easier.)
7. When completely dry, line up on a sheet of wax paper with a little space between each stem.
8. Roll up wax paper so that you can unroll as you use them over the course of the winter.
9. Place in a freezer bag and freeze at 0 degrees for up to 6-8 months.