Learn How To Make The Most Of Herbs

Q: I planted a small herb garden this year, and it is growing beautifully. Now that it’s growing, though, I don’t exactly know what to do. When do you harvest the herbs and how do you prepare them (cut, dice, chop, etc.) for eating? Actually, anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. Now I wonder why I even bothered to plant them!
– Linda,
Blountville, Tenn.

A: First of all, don’t regret planting the herb garden. If nothing else, the smells that some herbs give off are great, the colors are good and some even keeps bugs away.
But, foremost, you can do so much with the herbs in the kitchen. Remember, if you have a recipe that uses dry herbs, you have to use about twice as much fresh herbs.
This is because dry herbs are more concentrated due to being dried out. Fresh herbs can be dried or frozen and used later.
SOME TIPS ON GROWING HERBS
Don’t let space stop you from starting your own garden. Small crops like lettuces, strawberries, herbs and tomatoes grow very well in containers on your deck, patio, windowsill or even a fire-escape.
Talk to other gardeners in your area before getting started. Since you share similar sun and soil conditions, oftentimes what works for them is likely to work for you.
Herbs are great for beginners. Start with hearty herbs like rosemary, mint and thyme that can survive indoors or out year-round. More delicate herbs like basil prefer the great outdoors and lots of sunshine.
Plant prolific herbs like mint in containers to keep them from taking over your garden. This is a very important tip. Make sure if your container has holes in the bottom, you don’t put the pot directly on the ground. The roots will grown out the holes and still take over your garden.
Most herbs love sunlight, so whether you plant indoors or out, in a container or in the ground, make sure they get plenty of sun and water.

STORING FRESH HERBS
Almost all herbs can be saved, either by drying or freezing. It’s best to dry woody-stemmed and thick-leaved herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano or even mint. Hang them upside-down in bunches somewhere cool and dry, then strip off the leaves and keep them in an airtight jar.
Soft-leaved herbs like basil and parsley are best frozen: freeze leaves, with a little water, in ice-cube trays. Thaw them out in a colander before using. Now a recipe for your fresh herbs:
SAVORY HERB ROASTED CHICKEN
5 sprigs rosemary, picked and finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons
10 sage leaves, chopped
2 sprigs tarragon
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
Pinch of black pepper
Salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole chickens
In a small bowl, combine the chopped rosemary, sage, garlic, black pepper flakes and olive oil. Season generously with salt.
Using your fingertips, carefully work your way under the skin of the chickens to separate the skin from the breast to develop a pocket. Spread the herb paste under the skin of both chickens. Use all of the paste and try to distribute evenly.
Drizzle each chicken with more olive oil and massage the skin. This will really help to get a nice brown crispy skin. Sprinkle each chicken generously with salt.
Place the chickens in a roasting pan with 4 cups of chicken stock and place in a preheated, 375-degree oven.
Check the chickens about 15 minutes into the cooking process: the skin should be starting to turn a lovely brown. Lower the heat to 375 degrees F and continue roasting.
After another 15 minutes, remove the chickens from the oven and turn over. At this point, check the level of liquid in the roasting pan. If most of the liquid has evaporated, add another cup of stock and return the chickens to the oven.
When the chickens have browned on the bottom, about 15 minutes, remove them from the oven and turn them back over. Return the chickens to the oven for the final 15 minutes of cooking. During this time, the skin on the chickens should be very brown and crispy.
Remove the chickens from the oven and take the temperature in the crease between the thigh and the breast. (When doing this be sure not to have the thermometer probe touch a bone or you will get an inaccurate reading.) The thermometer should read between 160 and 170 degrees F.
When cooking poultry, in general, the rule is 17 minutes per pound. If the thermometer reads less than 160 degrees F, return the chicken to the oven for an additional 10 minutes and then re-check the temperature.
When done, remove from oven and let rest on counter for 15 minutes before cutting the chickens. Make natural chicken sauce with drippings.

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