In most cases, fresh herbs are preferable to dried ones – Thai and other Asian dishes demand fresh coriander, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves – but for times when fresh herbs will be scarce and for some uses, you need dried herbs.
Dried herbs have a stronger, more concentrated flavour and do better in slow-cooked dishes, such as casseroles or a bolognese sauce. For the best of both worlds, add some of the same fresh herb that features in a slow-cooked dish about 10 minutes before the end of cooking, so as to have some of the top notes – the fresh flavours that are the first to be noticed but also the first to fade away.
Mediterranean herbs – bay leaves, thyme, sage, marjoram and oregano – native to hot areas, withstand drying very well.
All herbs are at their flavour peak just before they flower, so that is the best time to pick them for drying, and also pick them in the morning as soon as they are dry and before the heat of the day releases their oils.
Hang small bunches upside down in a dark, cool, airy space for as long as a week, until the leaves crisp up – then strip the leaves from the stem and store them in air-tight containers in a dark cupboard.
Microwaving is also a good method of drying out the moisture from herbs without affecting their essential oils. Dry only small quantities at a time, and give them short bursts on a low setting.
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