{"id":362803,"date":"2017-10-03T16:32:02","date_gmt":"2017-10-03T16:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/origin-www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=362803"},"modified":"2024-10-03T08:59:48","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T13:59:48","slug":"how-to-chop-fresh-thyme-basil-and-other-common-herbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/how-to-chop-fresh-thyme-basil-and-other-common-herbs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Cut Basil, Thyme, Cilantro and Other Fresh Herbs"},"content":{"rendered":"[dam-video dam-id=\"30144\"]\r\n\r\nWe all love seeing fresh herbs<\/a> coming up in our garden and enjoying the scents as we pluck stems off the plant. Once we're in the kitchen, though, many of us take pause: How do you cut fresh basil? How do you get all those tiny leaves off a sprig of thyme?\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\nEach kind of herb requires its own type of prep, but learning how to cut basil or rosemary or cilantro is simple once you know how to approach each one. So give your herbs a quick wash, grab your favorite cutting board<\/a> and get started!\r\n

How to Cut Basil<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\"Person\r\n\r\nTo cut big basil leaves, our Test Kitchen recommends a fancy-sounding technique: chiffonading. Don't worry\u2013this French method is simpler than it sounds.\r\n\r\nTo get perfect ribbons of basil\u2014perfect for our favorite fresh basil recipes<\/a>\u2014start by rolling a stack of basil leaves together into a tight bunch. Using a sharp chef's knife<\/a>, slice crosswise into thin strips.\r\n\r\nYou can use this same technique for sage leaves.\r\n\r\n\"Person\r\n\r\nTest Kitchen Tip: <\/em>Be sure that your knives and kitchen shears are sharp when working with herbs. A dull knife can easily bruise delicate herbs like basil and mint, causing unappealing browning of these fresh ingredients.\r\n

How to Cut Fresh Parsley and Cilantro<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\"Using\r\n\r\nTo remove cilantro and parsley leaves quickly and easily, run a fork along the stem. This will gently remove the leaves.\r\n\r\nYou can then choose to use these leaves whole for a more rustic presentation or give them a rough chop for sprinkling on top of your favorite pita<\/a> or pasta<\/a>.\r\n

How to Prep Fresh Thyme, Rosemary, Mint and Oregano<\/h2>\r\n\"Person\r\n\r\nFor herbs with lots of smaller leaves, plucking each leaf off can be a painstaking job. However, there are tools to make this job simple. A handy gadget like\u00a0this editor's favorite herb stripper<\/a> allows you to pull a stem of your preferred herb through the opening. This will remove the leaves right from the stem with a gentle tug.\r\n\r\nWhile you're waiting for your herb stripper to come in the mail, you can use this Test Kitchen hack: Simply thread a stem through a hole in a colander. This will remove the leaves and collect them right in the basin of the strainer.\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to herbs like thyme, there's no need to mince these little leaves down further. However, if you want to chop rosemary, oregano or other herbs a little finer, just break out that chef's knife and rock it back and forth over the leaves until they reach the size you're looking for.\r\n

How to Cut Fresh Chives and Dill<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThese herbs are the simplest to prepare. After washing and drying, simply snip them with sharp kitchen shears<\/a>.\r\n

How to Store Fresh Herbs<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\"Parsley\"\r\n\r\nIf you find yourself with extra herbs, you can store them<\/a> for another day. Trim the ends of delicate herbs like parsley<\/a>, mint, dill, cilantro, and tarragon<\/a> and place them in a jar filled with an inch of water. Tent a plastic bag over the top and store it in the refrigerator. Change the water every other day or so, just to keep things fresh.\r\n\r\nDo the same for basil but keep it on your kitchen counter. The harsh chill of the fridge can be too much for delicate basil.\r\n\r\nHeartier herbs, like rosemary, thyme, oregano and chives, can be wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag.\r\n\r\nAnd if you want to get serious, there are so many helpful gadgets for keeping herbs fresh<\/a>. These Prepara herb savers<\/a> earned rave reviews from one of our editors.\r\n

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