HELEN'S HERB VINEGAR MAKING PROCEDURE

Hot processing:

Gather fresh herbs after dew has dried off, if dusty, rinse carefully, do not soak herbs in large amounts of water, as you will loose the oils. You can hose them the day before you pick them, to remove most of soil.

If you wash them, lay them on terry toweling and pat lightly to remove the water. Place them in a large jar (1 or 2 gallon).

Place a good quality wine vinegar (I use the champagne wine vinegar for most - it can be obtained in white or red at the Kitchen Shop and I use the Rice Wine vinegar for my lemony flavored vinegars), in a large enameled or glass pan, bring up to, but not boiling point.

Pour over the herbs. If your container has a metal lid, place a piece of plastic wrap first and then the lid. Place in a dark area for 3-6 weeks.

Strain through a coffee filter into individual wine, or other bottles, which have been sterilized and let drain to dry. Use only corks to seal or other non-metallic caps.

I use approximately a double handful of Basils, or a mixture of herbs, to a quart measure. This can be quadrupled in a gallon container.

After you strain into individual bottles, add garlic, preferably slivered, cayenne peppers, which have been pierced with a sterilized needle which allows the vinegar to penetrate into the seed pod. These will be ready to use in 3-4 weeks. They will keep their flavor for a year after opening.

There are many things that can be used to make vinegars such as young green shallots; garlic in the red wine vinegars; even the chipotle peppers (which are smoked jalapenos) in red wine vinegar.

Cold processing:

Process the cleaning of the herbs in the same manner as above, place directly into your individual wine bottles, add the garlic, and peppers if desired, add the cold vinegar, cork and place in dark area for 3-6 weeks before using. This is an excellent way to process, if to be used sooner. When you have used down to about halfway, add more vinegar.