Difference between revisions of "Dry Herbs in the Microwave"

Herbs have been used for thousands of years in cooking to flavor food, as perfumes to make us smell nice, as disinfectants, to protect us against germs, as medicines - to heal us when we are sick, as currency, instead of money.  Today we still use herbs for the same purposes, but perhaps not as currency! Recipe books are full of suggestions about adding herbs when cooking, but sometimes your favorite recipe calls for ''dry'' herbs. You can go to the store and buy dried herbs, but there is a simpler way. Use your microwave!

Herbs have been used for thousands of years in cooking to flavor food, as perfumes to make us smell nice, as disinfectants, to protect us against germs, as medicines - to heal us when we are sick, as currency, instead of money.  Today we still use herbs for the same purposes, but perhaps not as currency! Recipe books are full of suggestions about adding herbs when cooking, but sometimes your favorite recipe calls for ''dry'' herbs. You can go to the store and buy dried herbs, but there is a simpler way. Use your microwave!

== Steps ==

== Steps ==

#'''Pick out the herbs that you want.'''  It's recommended that you choose the herbs before they flower. Select herbs that are fresh, still green and tender.  Mid-morning is the best time of day to collect fresh herb leaves.  If you harvest them too early in the morning the leaves may still have dew covering them. When harvested later in the day, the heat may be too intense and cause your herbs to wilt before you have a chance to bring them inside. Chives grow quickly in spring and summer. Cut as you need them for use, trimming right down to the base.When cutting parsley, always remove the whole leaf, together with the leaf stalk, nipping it back to where it joins the clump. Avoid the oldest leaves as these tend to be tough.Cutting rosemary for culinary use will prevent the plant from becoming woody. Use secateurs to trim {{convert|10|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on|1}} - {{convert|15|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on|1}} from each shoot, as required. Avoid cutting back into woody, leafless branches.When harvesting basil, nip out with scissors or between finger and thumb, the tips of the plants back to just above a pair of leaves. New growth will emerge at this point. Don't nip just below the leaf, leaving a short stem, as this will simply wither.<ref>http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/herbs-pick/</ref>

#'''Pick out the herbs that you want.'''  It's recommended that you choose the herbs before they flower. Select herbs that are fresh, still green and tender.  Mid-morning is the best time of day to collect fresh herb leaves.  If you harvest them too early in the morning the leaves may still have dew covering them. When harvested later in the day, the heat may be too intense and cause your herbs to wilt before you have a chance to bring them inside. Chives grow quickly in spring and summer. Cut as you need them for use, trimming right down to the base.When cutting parsley, always remove the whole leaf, together with the leaf stalk, nipping it back to where it joins the clump. Avoid the oldest leaves as these tend to be tough.Cutting rosemary for culinary use will prevent the plant from becoming woody. Use secateurs to trim {{convert|10|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on|1}} - {{convert|15|cm|in|sp=us|adj=on|1}} from each shoot, as required. Avoid cutting back into woody, leafless branches.When harvesting basil, nip out with scissors or between finger and thumb, the tips of the plants back to just above a pair of leaves. New growth will emerge at this point. Don't nip just below the leaf, leaving a short stem, as this will simply wither.<ref>http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/herbs-pick/</ref>