Content
- Preserve Pimpinelle - Instead of drying, insert or freeze better
- Harvest Pimpinelle properly
- Freeze pimpinelle
- Insert pimpinelle
- Tips & Tricks
Preserve Pimpinelle - Instead of drying, insert or freeze better
Once the Pimpinelle was a kitchen and medicinal herb widely used in German peasant and herb gardens. Especially for herb sauces, quark dishes and salads, the aromatic, slightly cucumber-like, young leaves are still used today. The Pimpinelle is still mainly known in the Frankfurt area, as it is one of the main ingredients for the well-known Frankfurt Green Sauce. The tender leaves should be used fresh if possible, otherwise they lose a lot of flavor - in principle, the pimples can indeed quite dry, but this is not advisable for taste reasons. It is better to freeze or insert them finely chopped.
Harvest Pimpinelle properly
Only the very young and tender leaves and shoots of the Pimpinelle are used, as older plant parts are very bitter and therefore inedible. When harvesting, cut the shoots as close to the base as possible to stimulate the plant to grow again - but at the same time, be careful not to "cut into the heart" as Pimpinelle grows out of it, much like picking salad.
Freeze pimpinelle
The freshly harvested leaves and shoots are not washed off, but merely dabbed a little with a kitchen towel. Then chop them as fine as possible and freeze them in an ice cube container or other small freezer boxes with lids. Frozen pimples last about a year, but should be consumed within three months if possible - otherwise the herb will lose too much flavor.
Insert pimpinelle
Even the insertion of the tender leaves in vinegar, oil or lemon juice has proven itself. Leave the freshly picked cabbage in the chosen liquid for about four weeks and then strain it. The bottle should be kept in a dark and cool place. The so flavored liquids are great for salad dressings, for example, as part of a herb vinaigrette for green salad or cucumber salad. Pimpinelle can be combined very well with herbs such as purslane, borage, parsley, cress or dill.
Tips & Tricks
Also, the Pimpinelle should never be boiled or otherwise heated, otherwise it loses its strong, but very volatile aroma. At best, the tender leaves are freshly used throughout the year.
IJA