When it comes to herbs, do you have an embarrassment of riches? If so, making herbal vinegar is one good way to use up those excess herbs. Not long ago, my Greek oregano was threatening to take over the rest of the garden box; it was even trying to crowd out the antique rose (yes, it had been awhile since I had pruned the Greek oregano). I trimmed away two armfuls of the herb and decided to make an herbal vinegar of part of this bounty (I dried the rest), adding some garlic and a bit of rosemary for good measure.
This is the basic recipe I used:
4 handfuls of Greek oregano
several sprigs of rosemary
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 gallon of distilled white vinegar (you can substitute red wine vinegar as well)
Rinse the herbs and then place in a non-reactive saucepan. Add the garlic and then the vinegar. Bring to a boil; simmer for five minutes. Let cool for about ten minutes and then put the mixture in a canning jar or jars. Let this mixture steep for two weeks.
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| Steeping Herbs |
Using a bowl underneath a sieve, separate the now-flavored vinegar from the steeped herbs. Run the liquid through a filter--I use a paper towel in a funnel--to remove any trace herbs. Pour the filtered vinegar into a clean jar or bottle.
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| Filtering the Herbal Vinegar |
Your herbal vinegar will make a great homemade vinaigrette dressing or an interesting addition to soups or beans.
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| Herbal Vinegar, Ready to Use or to Give |
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