You know, this gorgeous basil you’ve bought at a farmers market? Yeah, I’m sure you’ll get it into black slime by Thursday. That’s a shame, isn’t it? And it could have been easily avoided! Try to freeze herbs in olive oil – this way is simply amazing for preserving that beautiful color!

You won’t need anything fancy to do that – just a usual silicone ice cube tray and some extra virgin olive oil. For such a purpose, I would recommend either Bertolli or California Olive Ranch. Oil helps to protect herbs from freezer burn and to keep their green color.

First of all, wash herbs carefully to remove all dirt. Spin to remove excess moisture with a salad spinner – this is crucial, because moisture is bad for the freezing process. Now cut herbs into small pieces – they work great with basil, rosemary, and thyme.

Put herbs into compartments of an ice cube tray, pressing them in there tightly. Add oil slowly so that your herbs were covered completely. Remember, there should be an air gap above them – liquids expand while freezing.

Let your tray freeze overnight and on the next day you will have beautiful flavor bombs. Remove them from the tray and put them into a heavy-duty Ziploc bag. Label it so as not to get herbs mixed with ice accidentally.

Drop a cube into your pan while searing a steak. It will melt immediately and give an additional flavor to your dish. Believe me, it will make your Tuesday night dinner much more gourmet than it usually is possible. You can add these cubes to your soup too.

It’s cheap and you don’t have to throw away any food. Moreover, now you’ll be always ready to entertain your guests – no more shopping for a few sprigs of parsley!