Dill is an herb well known for its use in flavoring pickles. Both the plant leaves "dill weed" and the seeds are used in cooking and as pickling spices. The leaves can be used dried, as you see most often in jars in spice sections of the supermarket, or used fresh, snipped straight from the fresh green plant. When "fresh dill" is an ingredient in a recipe, it is the green plant leaves (and tender stems) that are being called for. Dried dill weed can be substituted for the fresh dill weed but there will be some loss of "fresh" flavor. In general, you can substitue one teaspoon of dried herbs for one Tablespoon of fresh herbs (a 1:3 ratio). Dried herbs do lose their flavor over time, so if your jar of dill was not recently purchased, you may need to add slightly more, test the flavor and let your taste guide you. It is better to start with less dried herbs and gradually add more if needed, than to start out with too much since that can overpower the other flavors of the dish. If a recipe doesn't otherwise specify, whenever "dill" is listed as an ingredient, use the "dill weed" or leaves. Dill seed will be specifically called for if that is the intended ingredient. As a rule of thumb, you can always substitute dried herbs for fresh and fresh for dried using the 1:3 ratio of dried (1 part) to fresh (3 parts).
Like the top of a fennel plant - light with frond-like leaves.
Everything but the lower stem.
You use the leaves. Crush them.
If fresh dill is not available you can used dried dill. I teaspoon dried dill is equal to 1 Tablespoon fresh dill.
Use one full head of fresh dill (it looks a bit like a starburst) per quart jar.
Approximately 3/4 of a teaspoon should equal one dill head.
About 3/4 teaspoon of dill seed equals and average head of dill
Typically, a bunch of fresh dill contains about 1/2 to 1 ounce, depending on the size of the bunch. This is equivalent to roughly 1 cup of chopped fresh dill.
1/3
Yes
You can substitute 1 tablespoon dill seed for 3 dill heads. The flavor will be less pungent than if you use fresh dill.
1/3
Typically, about 4-5 sprigs of dill are equivalent to one head of dill. However, this can vary based on the size of the sprigs and the specific recipe you're following.
That depends on the store. Many do, but some don't specialize in fresh herbs.
Yes, you can freeze dill, it is easy. Wash the dill, lay it flat in one layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze the dill. Once frozen store in plastic freezer bags. Remove only the amount you need and use as you would if it were fresh picked.