Don't worry about small tender stems close to the leaves of the herbs. You only need to remove the tough, thick larger stems of herbs like parsley and cilantro. For chives, remove the dried brown bits. For oregano and thyme, use your fingers to slide down the length of the stem removing the leaves in one swipe. Recipe can be halved, doubled or even tripled. Use one tablespoon of oil for every cup of clean, dry, lightly packed herb leaves.