With the cooler fall weather approaching (very slowly approaching), I recently decided it was time to harvest my herb garden. I never have a problem using all of my basil. The girls LOVE their “green pasta” which is a basil & spinach pesto that I make from scratch and serve with penne. Avery (almost 4) requests it “on the reg”.
However, I was kind of scratching my head about how to utilize the bounty of oregano and sage that my garden produced. I hate wasting food (I get a tad neurotic about it at times – you should see my freezer) so I turned to Pinterest (where else!) to get some ideas.
Here’s the thing about me & Pinterest – I will do a specific search, and whatever comes back gets manipulated to accommodate what I have on hand. In this case, I found a basic recipe for “herb salt” which listed garlic, kosher salt, and fresh herbs as the sole ingredients. That’s it, nice and simple. Except I didn’t have garlic (gasp!) so I used shallots, and I used Trader Joe’s organic sea salt instead of Kosher salt. So, basically, an entirely new recipe which you will find below.
Virginia’s “Famous” Herb Salt (I exaggerate, slightly…)
This is delicious sprinkled on meat, fish, vegetables or eggs. Packed in small jars, the salts make great gifts (see below testimony!).
The other day my friend Megan over at “My Tasteful Life” posted a Facebook update crediting my herb salt for her fabulous roasted chicken dinner. She used this recipe, but substituted my homemade herb salt for the herbs in the butter. I am flattered, to say the least! If you have a moment take a look at her website, she has lots of great meal plans and tips to simplify cooking for your family.
Check back in soon to see my upcoming post with pictures and details on my new fall plantings!
Virginia's "Famous" Herb Salt
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Loosely-packed fresh herbs (I used sage, rosemary, and oregano)
- 3/4 Cup Sea salt
- 3 Shallots (garlic is a great substitute)
- Pinch Crushed red pepper flake
Instructions
- In a Vitamix (or food processor) combine ingredients. Pulse until mixture forms a moist granular consistency. Spread on parchment lined baking sheets and let dry at room temperature in a cool dry place for 3 to 5 days or until dry. Once dry, transfer to an airtight storage container and store at room temperature for up to 1 month or freeze.