The salted herb mixtures are used to season stews, soups and sauces.
There is no universal recipe, and what Herbes Salées is will vary depending on what fresh herbs are available at the time that it’s made. It must be made from fresh herbs, not dried.
Herbs used can include parsley, oregano, chives, grated carrot, celery leaves, leeks, spinach, Swiss chard, onion, shallots, etc.
You can make different mixtures for different purposes: chives, parsley and savoury for potatoes; green onion and chives for fish; etc.
The general idea is to mince and mix all your herbs. You then take a clean jar (some people just use plastic sealable containers), and fill it by making alternating layers of minced herb and coarse salt. As you fill the jar, you press down from time to time to ensure that the layer of herb you are covering with salt gets completely covered with salt. Instead of layers, some people mix the salt and the herbs up before putting them in a jar. The top is then put on the jar, and it is stored in the refrigerator.
The coarse salt doesn’t dissolve completely. When you go to use the herbs, if you want to rinse the salt off them, you can by rinsing them in a sieve under running water. Most times, though, most people just use them as they are, cutting back on salt in other areas of what they are making.
Cooking Tips
Sample recipe:
1 cup (1 1/3 oz / 35g) fresh chives, chopped
1 cup (1 1/3 oz / 35g) fresh savoury, chopped
1 cup (1 1/3 oz / 35g) parsley, chopped
1 cup (1 1/3 oz / 35g) chervil, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 cup (1 1/3 oz / 35g) fresh celery leaves, chopped
1 cup (8 oz / 250g) green onions, chopped
4 to 8 tablespoons of coarse salt
Combine everything except the salt in a large bowl. In a large bowl, make a 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) layer of the herb mixture, and sprinkle the layer all over with some of the salt. Repeat layers until all the herb mixture is used. Cover the bowl, and put in the refrigerator to sit for 2 weeks. Drain, then transfer the mixture to sterilized jars. Don’t fuss overly about preserving the layers of salt — some people even mix it all up deliberately at this point. Instead of a large bowl, you can use a large plastic container with lid. Store in refrigerator; some people say theirs is good for up to a year.
Storage Hints
Store in fridge for up to a year.