What is the best way to preserve...

angelique · July 6, 2006

Hi All,

What is the best way of preserving peppermint and summer savory?

Angelique

**coronabarb** · July 6, 2006

Angelique,

I have started picking peppermint and freezing it on trays, then into ziploc bags. I've heard of chopping it up and freezing in ice cube trays with a bit of water...too much work for me.

Earl · January 13, 2007

What about cilantro? I'm always buying a bunch for Mexican food but never use all of it and it turns to mush. I've fine minced some and froze it, but I've been leary of using it. :-)

spyfferoni · January 15, 2007

I make sofrito which consists of onions, peppers, cilantro, and garlic. I run it through the food processor with a little olive oil and vinegar and then I freeze it. I have also done the same thing with just garlic. I bet you could do the same thing with herbs, especially if you are going to use them in cooked dishes.

Tyff

montanamato · January 15, 2007

Tyfannie....I have been looking for a good recipe for Sofrito...Would you care to post it ?

Jeanne

spyfferoni · January 16, 2007

Jeanne,
I don't really follow a recipe, but here are some basic recipes that you can play with. I generally use what ever sweet peppers I have growing. I make a lot in the fall and if I run out, I'll use green bell peppers from the store, or whatever is on sale. Most of the recipes don't add vinegar, but in Puerto Rico the sofrito/recaito you buy in the store has vinegar in it. I think it helps preserve it, since I don't add salt to mine, it add a nice flavor too. I don't use a lot, maybe a couple of TBS is all. I also added
a recipe for Adobo, which is the basic seasoning salt used in Puerto Rican cooking. It is similar in Cuba and The Dominican Republic too. I don't put tomatoes in my sofrito when I make it, because I'll add them when I'm cooking, or use tomato sauce. It stays better longer that
way. . I always substitute sweet peppers for the aji dulce and cilantro for the culantro. Sometimes I'll add some fresh or dried oregano to the replace the culantro.

This link has a lot of sofrito recipes:
http://www.caribbeanseeds.com/sofrito.htm

"Sofrito is the base for most Puerto Rican dishes. This can be added to beans, rice, soups, stews, you name it."
INGREDIENTS:
2 green bell peppers, seeded
and chopped
1 red bell peppers, seeded and
chopped
10 ajies dulces peppers, tops
removed
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
4 onions, cut into large chunks
3 medium heads garlic, peeled
25 cilantro leaves with stems
25 leaves recao, or culantro
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a food processor, combine green peppers, red peppers ajies dulces, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Add cilantro, recao, salt, and pepper. Process to the consistency of semi-chunky salsa (not watery). Place in a ziplock freezer bag, and use as needed, or freeze in portions.

Recao is a popular Caribbean herb with many aliases. Among them, Culantro, long coriander, ngo-gai, and Mexican coriander. It may possibly be found in Latin grocery stores, or substitute with cilantro.

Aji Dulce is a common ingredient in Puerto Rican recipes. It is a small, sweet red pepper. If you can't find it, use red bell pepper.

Adobo

1 measure garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano
½ measure salt, and black pepper.

Stir ingredients together and save in a plastic container with lid. This is great for just about anything. Sprinkle on all meats, and fish, even omelets and eggs.

montanamato · January 16, 2007

Thanks for all the great info...I was on that site and noted all the variations , so assumed it was a pliable recipe. I am growing Aji Cachucha ( Aji Dulce) for the first time and hope to try some new recipes this summer...Glad to hear you substitute Oregano for culantro too!

Jeanne

spyfferoni · January 16, 2007

I'm going to try growing Aji Dulce too. I am thinking I'll have to overwinter it to get a good crop not this summer, but next. My MIL has some that she's been growing for years and it is as big as a tree! I tried growing culantro this last year, but it never got big enough to do anything with. I'm going to bring some back with me from our trip--I'll freeze it, and I'll bring some seeds for the aji dulce.

Posting the recipes was a good distraction for me last night.
I was a little wound up after I finished cleaning up the mess my dd made. (She got into a huge tub of margarine and flung, and smeared it all over the place.) My Dh wasn't home last night, so Tomatoville to the rescue.

Tyffanie

July 6, 2006	#1
angelique Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rocklin, California Posts: 501	What is the best way to preserve... Hi All, What is the best way of preserving peppermint and summer savory? Angelique

July 6, 2006	#2
coronabarb Tomatoville® Recipe Keeper Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseburg, Oregon - zone 7 Posts: 2,821	Angelique, I have started picking peppermint and freezing it on trays, then into ziploc bags. I've heard of chopping it up and freezing in ice cube trays with a bit of water...too much work for me. __________________ Corona~Barb Now an Oregon gal

January 13, 2007	#3
Earl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,278	What about cilantro? I'm always buying a bunch for Mexican food but never use all of it and it turns to mush. I've fine minced some and froze it, but I've been leary of using it. :-)

January 15, 2007	#4
spyfferoni Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 675	I make sofrito which consists of onions, peppers, cilantro, and garlic. I run it through the food processor with a little olive oil and vinegar and then I freeze it. I have also done the same thing with just garlic. I bet you could do the same thing with herbs, especially if you are going to use them in cooked dishes. Tyff

January 15, 2007	#5
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	Tyfannie....I have been looking for a good recipe for Sofrito...Would you care to post it ? Jeanne

January 16, 2007	#6
spyfferoni Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 675	Jeanne, I don't really follow a recipe, but here are some basic recipes that you can play with. I generally use what ever sweet peppers I have growing. I make a lot in the fall and if I run out, I'll use green bell peppers from the store, or whatever is on sale. Most of the recipes don't add vinegar, but in Puerto Rico the sofrito/recaito you buy in the store has vinegar in it. I think it helps preserve it, since I don't add salt to mine, it add a nice flavor too. I don't use a lot, maybe a couple of TBS is all. I also added a recipe for Adobo, which is the basic seasoning salt used in Puerto Rican cooking. It is similar in Cuba and The Dominican Republic too. I don't put tomatoes in my sofrito when I make it, because I'll add them when I'm cooking, or use tomato sauce. It stays better longer that way. . I always substitute sweet peppers for the aji dulce and cilantro for the culantro. Sometimes I'll add some fresh or dried oregano to the replace the culantro. This link has a lot of sofrito recipes: http://www.caribbeanseeds.com/sofrito.htm "Sofrito is the base for most Puerto Rican dishes. This can be added to beans, rice, soups, stews, you name it." INGREDIENTS: 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped 1 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped 10 ajies dulces peppers, tops removed 3 medium tomatoes, chopped 4 onions, cut into large chunks 3 medium heads garlic, peeled 25 cilantro leaves with stems 25 leaves recao, or culantro 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon black pepper DIRECTIONS: 1. In a food processor, combine green peppers, red peppers ajies dulces, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Add cilantro, recao, salt, and pepper. Process to the consistency of semi-chunky salsa (not watery). Place in a ziplock freezer bag, and use as needed, or freeze in portions. Recao is a popular Caribbean herb with many aliases. Among them, Culantro, long coriander, ngo-gai, and Mexican coriander. It may possibly be found in Latin grocery stores, or substitute with cilantro. Aji Dulce is a common ingredient in Puerto Rican recipes. It is a small, sweet red pepper. If you can't find it, use red bell pepper. Adobo 1 measure garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano ½ measure salt, and black pepper. Stir ingredients together and save in a plastic container with lid. This is great for just about anything. Sprinkle on all meats, and fish, even omelets and eggs.