A casual menu is rarely without fresh greens. Parsley - one of the most common types. With its tart taste and pleasant aroma, it gives dishes a special appeal.
Parsley should be handy at all times. Well, if you can pluck the beam directly from the garden. But not everyone has this opportunity. And summer does not last year round. Often greens have to buy and take care of to keep it longer.
How to keep fresh parsley
Parsley is best to pick in the morning - after the sun has dried the dew. At this time, the most fragrant greens. But the midday heat can significantly impair its taste.
When buying parsley on the market or in a store, you need to choose bunches of bright green color and with a fresh aroma. Such greens will remain in the refrigerator for several days. It is necessary:
- a bunch of parsley put in a jar of water. Leaflets should remain at the top and not to sink into the liquid;
- put on a large green bag and move it to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
The color and flavor of parsley will last 3-4 days.
To save fresh greens a little longer, you can use one of the ways:
1. Storing parsley in a glass container:
- Cooking a clean liter jar.
- We wipe inside with a napkin so that not a drop of moisture is left on the walls.
- Put the parsley in a jar upside down. This is necessary in order to make it easier to get greens.
- Close the lid of polyethylene and send the jar in the fridge.
Greens stay fresh for up to three weeks.
2. Storing parsley in the bag:
- We put parsley in a plastic bag.
- Clean the small onion and put inside.
- In a half-open form, we place the package on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Parsley will not fade and will not lose flavor for up to two weeks.
Greens should be washed only before direct use.
Freezing parsley bunches for the winter
Save parsley for several months and even until the next harvest is not difficult. One of the acceptable methods of procurement is freezing.
The cold does not destroy the structure of parsley leaves. Therefore, all the useful substances and fresh aroma are preserved in frozen greens.
The simplest thing is to freeze bunches of parsley without chopping it into pieces. Procurement sequence:
- Parsley is sifted through, we remove yellowed and dried leaves, extraneous blades of grass.
- Rough scapes are pruned.
- Immerse the parsley in the water and wash it very thoroughly.
- Place the twigs on a paper towel to dry.
- We divide absolutely dry greens into small bunches and wrap them in cling film. It is important that the amount of parsley in the bag is enough for filling one dish.
- We send the billet to the freezer.
Parsley will last well all winter. It must be remembered that after defrosting it can not be re-exposed to cold.
Other ways to freeze parsley
Parsley for the winter can be saved in the form of fragrant ice cubes. We do this:
- We wash the parsley and chop finely.
- Put the greens in ice molds.
- Fill with water and carefully put in the freezer.
- Fully frozen cubes are put into the bag and left in the cold.
Greens in this form will last up to four months.
Instead of water, chopped parsley is poured with olive oil or melted cream. Then the dishes, dressed with greens, will become even more appetizing. Parsley frozen in oil can be stored for up to six months.
Storing parsley in salted form
Salt is a natural preservative, so it perfectly preserves all the useful contents of parsley. Salting process is as follows:
- Parsley mine and chop finely.
- Mix greens with salt in the ratio of 5: 1. You can use a blender.
- Fold the mixture in a clean glass container. Leave a place for the juice, which is formed as the salt dissolves.
- Tara tightly close and place in the refrigerator or in the cellar.
Parsley with salt will last at least six months.
Preserving dried parsley
Dried parsley perfectly retains useful qualities, and its aroma not only does not disappear, but also becomes more saturated.
Dry the greens like this:
- Wash parsley well.
- Drain until there is not a drop of water on the green.
- We leave the parsley as a whole or disassemble it into leaflets.
- Put the greens in one layer on a baking sheet or sheet of paper.
- Dry in the shade, in a dry and well ventilated room (the kitchen is fine).
In a few days the parsley will be ready for long-term storage.
You can dry the greens in the oven, observing the following conditions:
- temperature - 50-60 degrees;
- the oven door does not close (so that the air can circulate freely);
- greens mixed periodically.
In the oven, the parsley will dry for 5-6 hours.
Greens should be stored in an airtight glass container in a dry and dark place. It remains usable for at least a year.
Each housewife has his own way of storing herbs. Indeed, it is not bad when fresh parsley pleases with its aroma and decorates your favorite dishes at any time of the year.
