Herb Juice

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •3 to 4-quart saucepan
• •Fine colander
• •Large bowl for ice water
• •Digital kitchen scale
• •Small food processor or large mortar and pestle
• •Two sturdy lint-free cotton towels
• •Small glass bowl and tightly covered jar

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the herbs

   Pick over the herbs carefully, discarding yellow leaves and every tough parsley, chervil, or tarragon stem. Wash them in plenty of cold water, lift them out so any grit remains behind, and drain. Weigh 25 grams of each prepared herb after trimming. The different cup measures reflect how differently the leaves pack; equal weight preserves the source formula’s equal proportions.

2. 2

   Blanch two minutes

   Bring the blanching water to a full boil in a 3 to 4-quart saucepan. Add all four herbs together, press them beneath the water with a spoon, and let the water return to the boil. Boil for exactly two minutes. This fixed cooking is enough to soften the leaves for pounding while holding their green character; prolonged boiling gives you a tired, brownish juice.

3. 3

   Cool them rapidly

   Drain the herbs immediately, then rafraîchir, cool rapidly, in the ice water until completely cold, about one minute. Lift them into the colander and drain again. Do not leave them soaking once cold, because the water begins carrying away the very flavor the juice is meant to concentrate.

4. 4

   Wring nearly dry

   Spread the herbs across the center of the first clean lint-free towel. Gather the corners, twist the bundle tightly, and press until water falls only in occasional drops rather than a stream. If the bundle still feels loose or wet, open it, redistribute the herbs, and twist again. Ça se rattrape. Do not proceed while blanching water remains trapped inside, or the finished juice will be pale and weak.

   Use a sturdy flour-sack towel or tightly woven cotton cloth, never terry cloth. It must withstand hard twisting without shedding fibers, and it will be permanently stained green.
5. 5

   Pound to paste

   Chop the compressed herb mass into several pieces and place them in a small food processor. Process in short bursts, scraping the bowl often, until the herbs become a dense, uniform paste with no visible strips, about two to four minutes. Add neither water nor oil. If the blade spins above the herbs, stop and press the paste back beneath it; the processor replaces the mortar’s labor, not the required fineness.

6. 6

   Extract the juice

   Place the paste in the center of the second clean towel. Gather it into a tight bundle over a small glass bowl, then twist and squeeze with steady force until the vivid green juice stops flowing. Rotate the bundle as it tightens so no pocket escapes pressure. If the yield stalls while the paste still feels damp, open it, process it for another minute, and wring it through a fresh section of towel. That is the rescue; never thin the juice with water.

7. 7

   Chill and finish

   Transfer the Jus d’Herbes immediately to the smallest clean jar that will hold it, cover, and chill. Stir before using. Begin with 1 teaspoon per cup of completed sauce, added after the pan leaves the heat, then taste before adding more. Never boil the finished juice into a sauce, or its bright aroma and color will fade. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Trust the scale for the herb ratio. Parsley, chervil, tarragon, and chives occupy wildly different volumes, but the source calls for equal quantities; equal prepared weights give the home cook a precise answer.
• •Use plain water for blanching. Salt is not part of this formula, and the juice must remain neutral enough to finish preparations that have already been seasoned.
• •Chervil is part of the structure, not a decorative extra. Dill or coriander changes the identity of the juice. If the chervil at the market is yellow or scentless, wait for a better bunch rather than disguising it.
• •Add Jus d’Herbes only after the finished sauce leaves the heat. It should sharpen an existing foundation, not replace one, and a teaspoon often carries farther than expected.
• •Keep the squeezed herb pulp for the compost, not the sauce. Once thoroughly pressed, it has surrendered its useful color and aroma and will only add coarse fibers.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the juice up to one day ahead and keep it in a small, tightly covered jar in the cold. It remains usable for two days, but its fragrance and color are strongest during the first day.
• •For longer keeping, freeze teaspoon portions in a small covered tray for up to one month. Transfer the frozen portions to an airtight container, thaw only what you need in the cold, and stir before using.
• •The herbs may be picked and washed several hours ahead. Wrap them separately in barely damp towels and chill, but weigh, blanch, and extract them together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 45g)