Best Way to Prepare Herbs for Cooking

If you grow your own herbs organically and they appear free from dirt, there is no need to wash them before use, and this helps greatly in preserving their freshness and crispness. If herbs are store-bought, wash them whole, shake off as much water as possible, and dry gently with kitchen towels before chopping. Time permitting, it helps to wash the sprigs in advance so that they can air-dry for a while after toweling.

Use herbs as fresh as possible. It is not worth even trying to store basil, as it turns black so quickly. However, if parsley or coriander must be stored for a day or two, trim the stalks and stand them in water in the refrigerator covering the top loosely with a plastic bag so air can circulate. Chives can be kept in a loose plastic bag. Woody herbs like rosemary and thyme will last slightly longer and may be stored in an unsealed plastic bag in the refrigerator or in a jar of water at room temperature.

Chives and herbs with tender stems (such as coriander) can be snipped easily with scissors. For herbs with woody or tough stems, pull off leaves before chopping. Herbs can be chopped in a food processor, but an experienced cook will find a good-quality chef’s knife as quick as anything else for cutting up herbs. An all-purpose knife with an 20-cm (8-inch) blade-works well. Keep the tip of the knife on the board and rock the handle up and down while moving the blade across the herbs. Or use a mezzaluna, a half-moon curved blade with two handles that is used by working it in a rocking action in a slightly dished wooden bowl.