I'm fine with dried herbs but my husband is horrified. Do we have to use dried? Can we use fresh?

DAVILCHICK
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Crab & Herb Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe question for: Crab & Herb Stuffed Mushrooms

7 Comments

amysarah December 30, 2015
Dried parsley is tasteless, and fresh parsley would be ideal in this recipe. Just to note - it's extremely easy to find. It's a staple in every produce dept. in my area all year round (NY area,) so I can't imagine it's not in LA as well.
 
Windischgirl December 30, 2015
I agree with your husband about dried parsley. Fresh is best!
I buy a couple of bunches of fresh parsley now and then; wash it well and stem it. I chop the leaves in the food processor and pack into a small (4 oz) container and freeze. The parsley retains its flavor and color for a few months; scrape the frozen herbs with a fork to loosen them before adding to the dish.
 
DAVILCHICK December 29, 2015
Thank you both! I read him your responses and he wanted me to clarify he was just horrified at the dried PARSLEY. He thinks dried parsley tastes like cardboard.
 
702551 December 29, 2015
He's right. Dried parsley is worthless.

Here in California, we can get fresh parsley all year around at the farmers market.

Anyhow, buy some fresh stuff at your grocery store and wave it in his face until he smiles.
 
702551 December 29, 2015
Hey wait, your profile says you're in Los Angeles.

Getting fresh parsley isn't going to be any challenge. You don't even need to get on the freeway. :-)
 
Susan W. December 29, 2015
You'll probably want to double the amount of herbs if you switch to fresh. Taste as you go. The herbs in that recipe will definitely work if fresh.
 
702551 December 29, 2015
You are free to substitute fresh herbs. Note that dried herbs often have a different flavor profile than their fresh counterparts.

Also you may want to point out to your husband that drying herbs is a natural food preservation technique based on thousands of years of organized agriculture. Two hundred years ago, you couldn't get many fresh herbs in the dead of winter and there were no air-freighted shipments from the other side of the globe.
 
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