Fresh herbs freeze well and are convenient for cooking but they are not suitable for garnishing as they will appear wet and limp when thawed.

Strip the leaves from any woody stalks, like rosemary, sage or thyme. This is not necessary with fleshy stalks, like parsley or coriander (cilantro), which have a lot of flavour in their stalks. Finely chop – the easiest way is to put them in a cup and snip them with scissors. Alternatively, leave sprigs whole.

Pack chopped herbs in small rigid containers or screw-topped jars. Put sprigs in polythene bags. Remove the air, seal, label and freeze. Storage time: 6 months.