At the end of the season, I often find myself with lots of leftover herbs. A great way to preserve them is by drying them out in the oven and using them to make an herb mix. I pulverize the garlic and zest with a mortar and pestle, but you can use a food processor, too. This method is great for any dried soft or hard herb. Drying times vary depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. You’ll know they’re ready when you can crunch them up with your fingers.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 6 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 3/4 cup |
Ingredients
- Fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary
- Slivered garlic and peel of 1 lemon (no pith)
- 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170 degrees F. Place the herbs, garlic and lemon peel on their own areas on a sheet tray and bake until the herbs are fully dried, about 6 hours.
- Use your fingers to crush the dried herbs, and a mortar and pestle for the dried zest and garlic (or a food processor, if you don’t have a mortar and pestle).
- For the Italian seasoning: Mix together 1/4 cup dried basil, 1/4 cup dried oregano, 3 tablespoons dried thyme, 2 tablespoons dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon dried garlic, the lemon peel and the red chile flakes in a small bowl (save the remaining dried herbs for another use). Store in a cool, dark place.
Reviews
Absolutely delicious.