PRESERVING THE POWER OF HERBS

Rob Smith shares his favourite ways to make your herbs last, from fragrant oils and butters to pesto, salts and freezer cubes – easy, thrifty methods that keep flavour at your fingertips all year round

- Rob Smith

Herbs are the true flavour powerhouses of the vegetable garden. You don't need much, just a handful of basil, a few sprigs of thyme, or a scattering of chives, and suddenly an ordinary dish is transformed. They're the smallest plants with the biggest impact, the kind that make you stop and breathe in before you taste.

I've always thought herbs capture the spirit of the garden better than anything else. They link the seasons, the soil, and the kitchen in one fragrant loop. Whether it’s mint pushing up after winter or rosemary standing proud through the frost, herbs remind us that flavour doesn’t come from abundance, but from essence.

The beauty of herbs is that their flavour doesn't end when summer does. Around the world, gardeners have found clever ways to preserve that punch of flavour, so it lasts all year. In southern Europe, herbs are dried in the sun until they crumble, releasing their concentrated perfume. In the Mediterranean, they're steeped in oil to create bottles of liquid gold. Some cultures blend herbs into butter, ready to melt over a meal in the colder months. Others freeze them in ice cube trays, make bright pesto, or even mix herbs with salt to create their own homegrown stock mix, perfect for soups and stews.

However you do it, preserving herbs is about keeping a piece of your garden alive through the dark months a reminder that good flavour, like good gardening, is about care, patience, and making the most of what nature gives.

DRYING HERBS

Drying herbs is the oldest and simplest way to preserve them, concentrating their flavour and giving you a store cupboard full of your garden's aroma to use all year round. It's ideal for woody herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano, though softer ones like mint and sage also dry beautifully. Drying your own herbs will save you a small fortune!

Ingredients: Fresh herbs, picked early in the day after the dew has dried