by Shelly Mcrae

Created on: April 19, 2010

Fresh parsley brings a savory flavor to dishes, livening soups and stews when chopped and added at the last moments before serving. Parsley served as a garnish cleanses the palate and freshens the breath. Fresh parsley, whether purchased or plucked from your garden, will remain fresh for up to a week if sealed in a plastic bag.

Rinse the parsley under cold water and lay the sprigs out on a clean towel. Fold the sprigs in the towel and gently press so as to remove excess moisture. Place the sprigs on a dry towel and allow them to air dry for approximately one hour.

Place the parsley sprigs in a sealable plastic bag and squeeze out the air. Seal the bag and keep the parsley refrigerated, removing only as much as you need at one time.

Fresh parsley tolerates low heat for short periods of time before losing its potency. Dried parsley, however, may be cooked into foods, used as a cooking seasoning, rather than a last minute addition. Dried parsley cooked into sauces and rubbed on meats brings a rich and savory undertone to your dishes.

To dry parsley, wash and air dry the sprigs, just as you would if you were preserving them in the refrigerator. Once dry, lay the parsley sprigs out on a clean screen and place in a cool, dry area. The screen should be slightly raised to allow for complete airflow around the parsley.

The parsley may take up to two weeks to dry properly. Monitor the parsley and watch for the color to become less bright and the leaf edges to curl slightly. The stems should become limp. When you touch the leaves, they should feel dry but not crumbly. To test, pluck one leaf and rub it between your fingers. If it breaks down in large pieces, the parsley is ready. If the leaf "smears" your fingers, wait a few more days and test again.

When your parsley is properly dried, gently remove the leaves from the stems and store the leaves in an airtight container. Keep the container in a cool dark place such as your pantry. The dried parsley leaves will keep for six to eight months.

Add dried parsley to your dishes during the cooking process. Because dried herbs are more heat tolerant than fresh, they may be added as a seasoning during sautéing, to sweated vegetables and to sauces during simmering. Use dried parsley as part of your seasoning mix for dry rubs and in slow cooked sauces.

When using dried parsley, crumble the dried leaves just before adding it. The flavor is better preserved if you keep the leaves somewhat intact after drying. By crumbling them at the last moment, you gain more flavor in your food.

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