A top British chef has shared a simple method she uses to make herbs stay fresher for longer without wilting. Sally Abe, who currently leads the team at London restaurant The Pem, has been detailing easy cooking tips for people to try at home. In a mini series called ‘20 Seconds Tip’, Sally explained that all you need is a piece of kitchen roll and some water.
Sally recently appeared on the BBC 2 programme Great British Menu where she won the show’s Central and East of England round, heading into Finals Week. Celebrating 20 years of Great British Menu, the show is celebrating Great Britons from across the country, marking the anniversary with a banquet held at Blenheim Palace.
In the video uploaded to TikTok, Sally said: “You bought this lovely bunch of coriander. What are you going to do with the rest?
“It’s all going to go wilted and need to go in the bin and it’s really sad. Top tip, damp paper towel. Just gently roll your herbs in there.
“Roll ‘em up. Bottom shelf of the fridge. That’s going to stay fresh for up to a week.”
If you don’t want to use kitchen roll, you can also use a J cloth, which is a reusable, absorbent cloth that will retain the water.
Food & Wine also recommended placing the herbs in a tightly sealed container or resealable bag, that way it will prevent oxygen from entering and the leaves from wilting.
Using a damp kitchen roll helps to re-moisten the herbs, preventing them from drying out. This will allow herbs to stay fresh for up to two to three weeks.
Food & Style also suggested using a fibre (cotton) cloth, as this allows the herbs to breathe, so they don’t spoil.
