March 14, 2009 | Technique

Fresh herbs add a fresh, bright taste and often some needed color to dishes. A quick sprinkling of parsley can really wake up a dish. But if you store herbs in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, they tend to rot and get slimy fairly quickly and you’ll end up throwing out half of what you purchased. This technique works for storing either parsley or cilantro in the refrigerator. When you get the bunch home rinse it with cool water and shake as much excess water from the herbs as you can (blotting dry with a paper towel helps too). Then cut off the bottom of the stems like you would trim fresh flowers, stick them into a cup of water, and store the “vase” of herbs in the refrigerator. I’ve found parsley and cilantro will last two to four weeks stored like this.

Wondering what to do with parsley besides decorate your plate? Here’s a recipe for Beef and Pineapple Skewers with a Parsley Sauce that I saw Giada DiLaurentis make on the Food Network this week – looked good so give it a try!