In the summer, freeze fresh herbs in oil for use all winter long. This technique works well with rosemary, thyme, parsley, cilantro, or any of the tender leafy herbs. Don’t bother to use your best extra-virgin olive oil here: plain, mild olive oil works best. Basil cubes are shown in the photo, and the biggest bag in my freezer holds basil cubes – we just love that particular flavor.
A little time spent with my food processor does the trick, though. I show basil in the photo, and the biggest bag in my freezer holds basil cubes – but this technique works well with rosemary, thyme, parsley, or any of the tender leafy herbs.
Frozen Herb Cubes in Oil
- fresh herbs of your choice, leaves only
- olive oil
Pick the herbs and strip the leaves from the stems. Wash the leaves and dry carefully (I roll them gently in a towel.) Measure them – really pack the leaves into a measuring cup. Put them in a food processor, add an equal amount of olive oil, and process until smooth. Put into a silicon ice cube container (I like this one) and freeze until solid.
After a day or two, pop out the herb cubes and store them in a zip-top plastic bag. The tray I use has a 1-ounce capacity for each square, and I did not quite fill them to the brim, which means each of my herb blocks equals about 1 1/2 Tbsp. I find it’s a perfect size to add to soups or sauces.