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Culinary herbFAQ part 5/7
Archive-name: food/culinary-herbs/part5
Posting-Frequency: monthly (on or about 20th) Last-modified: 16Apr02 Version: 1.17a URL: http://ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/culi-cont.html -------------------------------------- 2.28 Horehound Latin name: Marrubium vulgare. -------------------------------------- 2.28.1 Growing horehound -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Horehound is a perennial native to the Mediterranean and northern Europe, and is naturalized in the United States. It is a good border plant and doesn't require much attention, but is sometimes winter-killed. Horehound prefers a poor, dry sandy soil, and tolerates a wide pH range- all the way from 4.5 to 8. Horehound is easily grown from seed sown in shallow holes in fall or early spring. It can also be propagated from stem cuttings, root divisions, or layering. Space seedlings 8 to 15 inches apart. -------------------------------------- 2.28.2 Harvesting horehound -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Horehound flowers from June to September, but not always in its first year as plants that are grown from seed may take two years to bloom. Harvest the leaves and flowering tops in peak bloom, they are easy to dry, or can be used fresh. -------------------------------------- 2.28.3 Using / preserving horehound -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Horehound tea, cough syrup and candy: (Dried leaves may be used for tea.) Strip leaves from plant, chop into measuring cup. Measure out twice as much water as leaves. Bring water alone to boil, then add horehound. Boil for five minutes, let cool, and strain into jars. Refrigerate resulting infusion until needed. To make tea: Add twice as much boiling water as horehound infusion. Sweeten to taste. To make syrup: Add twice as much honey as horehound infusion and a little lemon juice. To make candy: Add twice as much sugar as horehound infusion, and add about 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar per cup of infusion. Stir to dissolve, and cook over low heat until the hard ball stage (290F) is reached. Pour into buttered plate. Break into pieces when cool. -------------------------------------- Old-Time Horehound Candy From: Fran frich.TENET.EDU: from _Herbal Treasures_ by Phyllis V. Shaudys (highly recommended!): 2 cups fresh horehound, including leaves, stems and flowers (or 1 cup dried) 2 1/2 quarts water 3 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1 tsp. butter 1 tsp. lemon juice (or 1 sprig lemon balm) In large saucepan, cover horehound with water. Bring to boil, simmer 10 min. Strain thru cheesecloth and allow tea to settle. Ladle 2 cups horehound tea into large kettle. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar. Boil, stirring often, until mixture reaches 240F. Add butter. Continue to boil until candy reaches 300F (hard crack). R4move from heat, add lemon juice. Pour at once into buttered 8" square pan. As candy cools, score into squares. Remove from pan as soon as it is cool. Store in aluminum foil or ziplock plastic bags. Note from Henriette: horehound candy, made with any horehound at all in it, is exceedingly bitter. A far better cough candy can be made by using thyme, hyssop (not anise hyssop) and peppermint instead of the horehound. That mix is actually tasty. -------------------------------------- 2.29 Marjoram and Oregano Latin names: Origanum majorana (former: Majorana hortensis) - sweet marjoram, marjoram Origanum vulgare - oregano or wild marjoram Origanum onites - pot Marjoram Origanum heracleoticum - winter marjoram Origanum dictamnus - dittany of Crete, hop marjoram Coleus amboinicus (Plectranthus amboinicus) - Cuban oregano Mexican oregano: several plants, eg. Poliomintha longiflora, Lippia graveolens, and Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia Also see 2.29.4, Cuban oregano, and 2.29.4, Mexican oregano. -------------------------------------- 2.29.1 Growing marjoram and oregano -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Marjoram grows as an annual up to two feet tall in most parts of the United States due to climate, but it is a perennial in its native north Africa, Portugal, and southwest Asia. Marjoram prefers a light, fairly rich, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil, with a pH from 7 to 8. It like full sun. Marjoram is easily grown from seed that is sown in spring, or by cuttings taken in the summer. It can be induced to be perennial by overwintering indoors in pots. When grown indoors it has a tendency to trail that makes it good for hanging baskets. Marjoram makes a good companion plant for eggplant, pumpkin and zucchini. The genus Origanum contains about 20 species, of which five are common in herb gardens. Oregano (O. vulgare) is a perennial, native to Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. Pot marjoram (O. onites) is a close relative of sweet marjoram that is native to the Mediterranean, and O. heracleoticum is native to southeast Europe. Oregano grows to 2.5 feet tall, and flowers from late July until September. It is a sprawling herb and is therefore not well suited for growing indoors. Pot marjoram grows to two feet tall, and neither it nor dittany of Crete are hardy in cold climates. Dittany of Crete grows to one foot tall, blooms in summer or autumn, and like Pot marjoram, grows as an annual in cold climates. Dittany of Crete grows well indoors due to its small size and its flavor is very similar to that of common oregano. Oregano likes light, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil with full sun. Rich, moist soil makes the aroma and flavor of oregano weak. Oregano can be grown from seeds, stem cuttings, or root divisions, but seeds are sometimes slow to germinate. Also, plants grown from seed may not be true to the flavor of the parent plant, or may even be flavorless. Oregano makes a good companion plant for cauliflower but should not be planted with broccoli or cabbage. -------------------------------------- 2.29.2 Harvesting marjoram and oregano -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Marjoram: harvest the leaves as soon as blooming begins. They dry easily and can be frozen, but some people believe that drying the leaves actually improves the flavor, making it sweeter and more aromatic. Its flavor when fresh is closer to that of oregano. Harvest oregano leaves as plants begin to bloom. -------------------------------------- 2.29.3 Using / preserving marjoram and oregano -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Marjoram is great in tomato dishes, and with meats, onions, brussel sprouts, or mushrooms. Oregano is good with potato salad, fowl stuffing, peas, soups, scrambled eggs, omelets, tomato dishes, meats, beans, deviled eggs, spaghetti, chili, hamburgers and pizza. It is essential to Italian, Spanish, and Mexican dishes, and combines well with basil. Chicken Corn Soup with marjoram 2 cups chicken stock 2 cups chopped potatoes 2 cups fresh corn kernels 2 cups chopped cooked chicken 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh marjoram salt and pepper Bring stock to a boil, add potatoes, cover, cook until potatoes are barely tender. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and marjoram, add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about another 10 minutes. -------------------------------------- 2.29.4 Which oregano do you have? -------------------------------------- From: Chris McElrath Mcmariah.AOL.COM: The word oregano comes from the Greek "oro" meaning mountain and "ganos" meaning joy. The generic stuff that nurseries sell is Origanum vulgare which is attractive, but of little culinary value. Many of you may have noticed that your oregano plants don't have much flavor. True greek oregano is the same as what is often called wild marjoram. In fact, I usually use marjoram in place of oregano in my recipes. Many nurseries interchange the labels freely. Greeks felt that the sweet smell was created by Aphrodite as a symbol of happiness. Bridal couples were crowned with it and it was placed on tombs to give peace to the departed. O. vulgare -- basic oregano, spreads by rhizomes, grows wild in England O. onites is an upright plant -- called pot marjoram O. heracleoticum -- winter marjoram, peppery and volatile flavor -------------------------------------- Cuban oregano: From: Ann McCormick McCORMICK9.AOL.COM I have recently purchased some Cuban oregano, with botanical name of "Coleus ambionicus". It has thick, almost fleshy leaves that are 1 to 2 inches long with a somewhat fuzzy surface. It has a wonderful fragrance that reminds me of oregano with a kick. The garden shop owner told me she knew very little about it other that some of her customers use it in cooking and that it is should be grown like an annual here (Zone 6, Central New Jersey). From the botanical name (and its appearance) it is obviously not a true oregano. Have any of you grown this plant? Any information would be appreciated. From: Rastapoodle.newsguy.com (Rastapoodle) It is Plectranthus, a tropical substitute for Oregano. It is totally safe, and very pungent, so a little goes a long way. Richters Herb in Canada should sell it. Here in Miami, it's almost a weed, as all of the Caribbean and Latin American residents treasure it. It grows easily from cuttings, prefers sun/semi-shade during the hottest part of the day. -------------------------------------- From: sotrembi.saims.skidmore.edu (stephen otrembiak) Someone just told me they purchased "cuban oregano" they wanted to know more about this intriguing plant. Apparently it is a succulent and has a very strong oregano flavor. He thought it was a strange plant and is reluctant to use it for culinary purposes. If anyone has more info on this plant or knows where it can be purchased I would appreciate the info. From: weed avril_tolley.berlex.com I don't know where you would get it in New York, Steve. Here in Northern California, it is sold in the herb section, usually in 4-inch pots. It's hairy, which is why I think you wouldn't want to use it in cooking. It's very pungent, though, great smell. There are enough good oreganos for cooking, I like to leave the really ornamental ones for growing. This plant needs *excellent* drainage, full sun and not too much water or it will bite the dust. I have one growing in a pot, and one growing in an old sandbox I'm turning into a rock garden. You can just break off a stem and put it in a pot for a new plant. I've given lots of them to people. I would bet that it's tender, and you'd have to bring it indoors in winter (we don't get cold enough here for me to find out). I had one growing on the bright, hot windowsill in my kitchen for a long time before planting it out, so that works, too. From: mouvedre.ix.netcom.com (BETH W SPROW) Cuban oregano is an excellent plant. I've used it in cooking and it is wonderful. Especially in salsas with tomatillos, tomatoes peppers etc. As a house plant its great. It needs practically no watering and its varigated with cream around the edge of creamy green leaves. From: ae.meer.net (Arthur Evans) Here's one shot in the dark ... In The Art of Mexican Cooking, Diana Kennedy describes the various kinds of oregano used in regional Mexican cooking (there are apparently at least 13 kinds), including the following: "There is [...] a large, juicy-leaved oregano grown and used fresh in the Yucatan Peninsula and Tabasco, mostly with fish. It is Coleus amboinicus (I have also seen it growing in Hawaii) and it is referred to in Tabasco as oreganon." Juicy-leaved could mean succulent, and something that grows in the Yucatan might well grow in Cuba ... -------------------------------------- Mexican Oregano: From: Chris McElrath Mcmariah.AOL.COM Mexican oregano is a general name for several plants, all of which have a strong oregano flavor: Poliomintha longiflora, Lippia graveolens, and Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia. These are probably the most common but there are others. So, it comes down to: Mexican oregano is a common name which is used for several different species that grow in the southwestern US and Mexico. If you can find one, it probably has more flavor than the ubiquitous O. vulgare. -------------------------------------- 2.30 Caraway Latin name: Carum carvi -------------------------------------- 2.30.1 Growing caraway -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Caraway is a hardy biennial native to Europe and western Asia. It grows to 2 1/2 ft. tall. Caraway like full sun, and does well in dry heavy clay soil that has a moderate amount of humus (pH between 6 and 7.5). It doesn't like having its roots disturbed. Caraway is easily grown from seed that is sown in either early spring or in the fall. Seeds planted in September will flower and produce seed the following summer. It occasionally matures in the third summer of growth. Plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 in. deep, they will germinate in 7 to 21 days, or more. Space seedlings 12 to 24 in. apart. -------------------------------------- 2.30.2 Harvesting caraway -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Harvest seeds as soon as they begin to ripen to avoid shattering of the fruits. They ripen from June to August of the second year. -------------------------------------- 2.30.3 Using / preserving caraway -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Roots taste like a combination of parsnips and carrots, and they can be boiled like a vegetable. Young shoots and leaves can be cooked with other vegetables or can be chopped into salads. The dry seeds are used in rye bread, sauerkraut, cheeses, applesauce, soups, salad dressings, apple pie, cabbage dishes, potatoes, and stew. Seeds contain small amounts of protein and vitamin B. -------------------------------------- 2.31 Catnip Latin names: Nepeta cataria and other Nepeta species. -------------------------------------- 2.31.1 Growing catnip -------------------------------------- From snielsen.orednet.org (Susan L. Nielsen): To all catnip culture hopefuls... my own tale of woe. I guess the point was mainly to grow it for the cats, but I had anticipated waiting until the holidays and using it for gifts. The first time, I naively plunked the catnip among the mints and pennyroyals. The poor little transplant never pushed its roots out from the pot-shaped ball they came in. The neighbor cats ripped it out of the ground and played football with it all afternoon -- this I judge from its condition when I arrived home from work the second evening. Silly me, I thought then that a bit of wire would keep the cats off it. I tenderly re-planted the invalid Nepeta with a bit of poultry wire arranged over the top and staked into the soil. I have always wondered what happened to the wire... After this second violation, the plant did not look a likely candidate for survival. In medical terms, its condition was 'grave.' So I brought home another, and planted it in the top of a _large_, heavy imported Italian terra cotta pot. Filled with soil, this pot weighs in at about 75 pounds. Imagine my horror, when I returned home the following evening, to find the pot overturned, the soil excavated, the catnip plant nowhere to be found, but significant tufts of animal fur scattered among the wreckage. It passed through my mind that this might not be an ordinary cat at work, but, perhaps, Something Larger? The yellow tiger-colored hairs did, however, suggest a domestic visitor over an apricot catamount. I next (jaw set, grim determination in my eye) planted catnip in a plastic pot hung by 3 chains from the cross-bar of the clothesline. With pliars I closed the hook that passed through the eye of the bar. I arranged new chicken wire over the top of the pot. I put cast-off barbed wire at the base of the clothesline pole, and anchored it with iron stakes driven in at angles. I stood back to admire my work. It looked like an industrial construction project on the perimeter of a prison. I have always prided myself on effective design in the garden... On the following evening, I probably need not tell, the catnip had again been ravaged. The scene was improbable. The pot, still attached by one of three chains, hung at a debauched angle. Its contents had spilled into the barbed wire at the base of the installation. Among those wires were traces of catnip leaves, and quantities of yellow and white fur, soft fur, tinged with spots of blood. Bits of perlite from the potting medium clung to the red spots. The catnip, and the nipped cat, were nowhere in evidence. I adopted a philosophical outlook then, as I surveyed the result of the day's work. I decided it might be a better thing to not grow catnip in the garden. SuN. -------------------------------------- From Judi Burley jburley.TRIANON.WORLDTEL.COM: Regarding Catnip. I use a cage over mine. Just an old birdcage. Then the cats can get at what grows out of the cage but the base plant is safe. By the way I put the cage over the plant and then drive the cage into the ground well. Works great. -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Catnip is a very hardy perennial that is native to the dry regions of the Mediterranean, inland Europe, Asia, and Africa. Cataria grows to 4 feet tall and somewhat resembles stinging nettle. Mussinii grows to 1 foot, sprawls. It has a citrus-like scent and is sometimes called catmint. In order to keep cats away from catnip avoid bruising the leaves, which releases the oils. "If you sow it cats won't know it, if you set it cats will get it," is an apt saying. Catnip loves full sun but can tolerate partial shade, and does well in almost any garden soil (pH between 5 and 7.5). It is more pungent when it is grown in sandy soil with full sun. Catnip is easily grown from seed, and can also be propagated from root division. Plant seeds 1/4 in. deep or shallower, they will usually germinate promptly. Space seedlings 18 to 24 in. apart, they transplant fairly happily. (However, transplanting them brings them to the attention of the felines.) Catnip grows well in pots and windowboxes, and even though it is a perennial, it may have to be re-planted a couple times a year to replace those plants ravaged by the cats. -------------------------------------- 2.31.2 Harvesting catnip -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Harvest as needed for fresh leaves. Harvest flowering tops for drying, usually in July and September. -------------------------------------- 2.31.3 Using / preserving catnip -------------------------------------- From Jennifer A. Cabbage fxjac.camelot.acf-lab.alaska.edu: Catnip can be used to add an unusual flavor to sauces, soups and stews. -------------------------------------- 2.32 Lovage Latin name: Lovage: Levisticum officinalis (Ligusticum levisticum) Scotch lovage: Ligusticum scoticum. -------------------------------------- 2.32.1 Growing lovage -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): This is a broad-leaved, tall (6-10') and (for an umbellifer) long-lived perennial. It has deep fleshy roots, and prefers deep, well-drained soil with some moisture in a light but not necessarily sunny position. It dies down completely in the winter and will survive the top inch or so of the soil freezing solid. It may be grown from seed, small plants, or by splitting older ones in its dormant season. It spreads slowly but is not invasive. From HeK: If you give it good soil and plenty of sun it'll go for the height record in your garden - I've seen plants that were over 3 m (10') high. On the other hand, in a poor spot it'll only get to about 50 cm (2'). The roots will be enormous no matter where it grows. You can propagate it from pieces of root, and it's an 'easy to garden' plant - nothing will crowd it out and I have yet to see an unhealthy plant. -------------------------------------- 2.32.2 Harvesting lovage -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): The leaves can be used fresh or dried in the usual way, or the seed can be harvested for winter use. An established plant produces huge heads of seeds. From HeK: The roots are used in cooking in Europe. Dig them, take a step or two back, try to dig again. Give up, and at least try to break off a chunk or two. Dry these in small chunks and powder before use. Caution - very little goes a long way. You pick the seeds when they turn brown; dry them and add as a spice to your foods. You pick a leaf a year (they have a very strong taste and are -really- large), dry it and use it as a spice. You can pick a leaf- or flowerstalk and shoot peas - it's much more fun than weeding the garden, and you might hit a fly or two, too or you can use it as a drinking straw. -------------------------------------- 2.32.3 Using / preserving lovage -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): It has a taste rather like celery with a hint of yeast extract, and is a traditional flavour enhancer; it can be used in quite large quantities. The young leaves are excellent chopped in salads, but the normal use is to put the older leaves or seeds in soups, stews, casseroles, stock etc. The seeds will keep for a year or two (for cooking) in a tightly closed jar. It is an extremely useful herb. From HeK: It's the main spice in all those dried soups - in Germany it has been called the Maggi-herb, after one big dried soup firm over there. I add it to all kinds of stews and soups, and it fits nicely in a spicemix with ginger, sweet pepper, cayenne, turmeric, garlic powder... sorry, have to go cook something now. And oh yes, you can also candy young stems of lovage. I wouldn't vouch for that taste, though. Anyone want to try? Let me know how many you managed to eat ; ) -------------------------------------- Lovage overdose - nausea From Chrissie Wildwood: Ignoring my common sense, I followed the advice given in one of my herbal cook books - that is, to use lovage 'like spinach'. This implies that the herb is safe to use in quantity. So I used four stems of fresh lovage leaf, mixed with a much larger proportion of spinach, and used this as a basis for a cheese flan. Even though the flan tasted delicious, less than an hour later we (myself, partner and a friend) began to feel nauseous. I sensed lovage was the culprit. Fortunately, I had some peppermint oil tablets available. We chewed two tablets each and this quelled the nausea within a few minutes. The herb's emetic side-effect is largely overlooked. Indeed, only one reference book in my vast herbal library offers a warning against over use of lovage: 'The Illustrated Book of Herbs, Their Medicinal and Culinary Uses', by Jiri Stodola and Jan Volak, published by Octopus, 1984 (a translation from the Czech). Here we are warned: 'If taken internally in excess, lovage may cause nausea and vertigo.' But what constitutes an 'excessive' dose? Undoubtedly, four leafy stems shared between three adults (even though cooked for an hour in a pastry case with spinach, beaten egg, cream and cheese) can make you feel very queasy. Thankfully we didn't experience vertigo as well. -------------------------------------- 2.32.4 Which lovage do you have? -------------------------------------- From Henriette: Scotch lovage can be used like lovage. Can't say how it differs from lovage, though, as it doesn't grow here. I imagine the taste is milder - how else can you explain that the English make a stew out of lovage leaves? -------------------------------------- 2.33 Savory, summer and winter Latin name: Summer savory: Satureja hortensis Winter savory: Satureja montana -------------------------------------- 2.33.1 Growing savory -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Summer Savory: This is a medium-sized (1') annual, and needs reasonably warm, damp conditions for germination, but needs only a little water thereafter. It has small seeds, so don't sow it too deep. It may be possible to sow it for succession in warmer climates than the UK, but it isn't here. Winter Savory: Treat it exactly as common thyme (thymus vulgaris), which it closely resembles; however, it is slightly more compact, darker leaved and has white flowers. Like thyme, it makes a good edging plant. From: Esther Czekalski E.Czekalski.MA02Q.BULL.COM Summer savory is sometimes called the bean herb because it goes so well with green beans. It is a much more delicate plant than winter savory and in my experience, can handle a little more shade. In my zone I can only grow it as an annual; winter savory will overwinter and stay almost evergreen if it's mulched a bit. -------------------------------------- 2.33.2 Harvesting savory -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Summer Savory: The leaves can be used fresh or dried in the usual way. Winter Savory: The leaves can be used fresh or dried in the usual way, but it is evergreen in the UK (again, exactly like thyme). -------------------------------------- 2.33.3 Using / preserving savory -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Winter Savory: It has a flavour somewhere between thyme and summer savory, but is slightly bitter. It can be used as an alternative for either, and makes an interesting change, but be careful not to use too much. It is nothing like as bitter as hyssop. Summer Savory: It has a special affinity for beans and is known as the "Bohnenkraut" in Germany - adding it to bean salad turns horse food into a delicacy! It can also be used in salads, and for other flavouring. From: Esther Czekalski E.Czekalski.MA02Q.BULL.COM I like to get a bite of summer savory in salads, too, lettuce salads, potato salads, whatever. The leaves are fairly small so I just strip them from the stem and throw them in; chop them if you don't love herbs as much as I do. You can use it in soups and things but the flavor is so delicate that you might not know that you did! It would be better served chopped as a topping to hot dishes. (Put the winter savory in while it's cooking.) The winter savory can be kept whole, tied with other herbs and taken out of the soup before serving. Has anyone ever used savory for it's smell? I wonder if it wouldn't add a nice note to a lemony mixture. I just don't know if it lasts. Also, I have never preserved either variety so can't tell you what works best. -------------------------------------- 2.34 Rue Latin name: Ruta graveolens -------------------------------------- 2.34.1 Growing rue -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): It is a short-lived (c. 5 years) evergreen perennial 1-2' high, and seems totally indifferent to soil. It takes incredibly easily from cuttings and responds very well to being hacked back when it gets leggy. Apparently it can also be grown from seed. Jackman's Blue is the most decorative variety, and tastes the same as the common green one. It is hardy in the UK, but I don't know how much frost it will take. -------------------------------------- 2.34.2 Harvesting rue -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Don't bother, unless you are Italian! -------------------------------------- 2.34.3 Using / preserving rue -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): It is extremely bitter, and is used in very small quantities in Roman (ancient) and Italian cookery - but do experiment, because it really does add something. There is an Italian liqueur called (surprise!) Ruta, which has a branch of rue in the bottle, but is too bitter for most foreigners to drink :-) From HeK: It is also considered slightly toxic nowadays. Sensitive people can develop photosensitivity due to the coumarins in the plant when handling it; these folks should not ingest it. Otherwise, small amounts not too often should be OK - but if you can't take it then don't take it. -------------------------------------- 2.35 Rocket Latin name: Eruca sativa -------------------------------------- 2.35.1 Growing Rocket -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): It is a quick-growing annual about 2' high, and even in the UK will produce seed in well under a growing season. Sow it every few weeks for succession, and leave one early sowing for seed. It will probably escape, but is not a pernicious weed. A late sowing will last until the first severe frosts. -------------------------------------- 2.35.2 Harvesting rocket -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Use its leaves fresh. -------------------------------------- 2.35.3 Using / preserving rocket -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): It has a smoky taste, and is used to enliven salads - it gives some flavour even to supermarket Iceberg lettuce! It is probably the best of the traditional (but now neglected) salad plants, and is well worth the space even in a very small garden. -------------------------------------- 2.36 Angelica Latin name: Angelica archangelica -------------------------------------- 2.36.1 Growing Angelica -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): This is a broad-leaved, monocarpic biennial or perennial (i.e. it takes 2-5 years to flower, and then dies) 6-10' high. It likes half shade (to reduce the grass cover), and damp, rich soil. Given the right environment, it will self seed and keep itself established. If you have a very hot, dry garden, don't bother with it. It looks very much like lovage, but smells entirely different. From HeK: If you keep the flowerstalk down (break it off every time you see it emerge) the plant will be perennial - until it does flower. -------------------------------------- 2.36.2 Harvesting angelica -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Cut the side-shoots (which can be quite thick stems) before they become stringy - this is in May or June in the UK, and is just as the flower heads start to open. You can also cut the flower shoots off a little earlier, which will have the effect of keeping the plant alive for a year or so longer, but it will die after about 5 years anyway. -------------------------------------- 2.36.3 Using / preserving angelica -------------------------------------- Candied angelica stems From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Cut the shoots into strips about 6" long and 1/2" wide, and remove untidy bits. Blanch them (i.e. bring them to the boil and throw away the water). Then candy them, using gradually increasing strengths of sugar syrup. When they are done, dry them and keep them, but don't throw away the syrup; it keeps for at least a year in the refrigerator and for a long time just in a jar. They can be used for decoration, in fruit salad, in ice cream and so on. The syrup can be used for sweetening such things, and adds a strong angelica taste. I recommend angelica ice cream, made with the chopped stems, syrup and Chartreuse (an angelica-based liqueur) - this recipe is my own invention, incidentally, and this is the first publication :-) The young leaves and stems are also naturally sweet, and can be used in stewed fruits or other puddings, or used in pot pourris. -------------------------------------- Home Candied Angelica From af961.james.freenet.hamilton.on.ca (Helen Peagram), quoting Philippa Davenport in "Country Living" (British), May 1987. 1 lb Angelica 1 lb Granulated sugar The most important thing about candying angelica is to choose stalks that are young and tender. In other words, angelica is only worth candying in April or May when the shoots are new and softly coloured. Trim the young shoots into 3-4 inch lengths, put them into a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Drain and scrape away tough skin and fibrous threads with a potato peeler, rather as you might prepare celery. Return the angelica to the pan, pour on fresh boiling water and cook until green and tender. If the shoots are as youthful as they should be, this will take 5 minutes or less. Drain the stalks and dry them. Put them into a bowl and sprinkle granulated sugar between layers, allowing 1 pound of sugar for every 1 pound of angelica. Cover and leave for 2 to 3 days. Slide contents of the bowl into a heavy-based pan. Bring very slowly to the boil and simmer until the angelica feels perfectly tender and looks clear. Drain, then roll or toss the shoots on greaseproof paper thickly strewn with sugar, letting the angelica take up as much sugar as will stick to it. Then dry off the angelica - without letting it become hard - in the oven, using the lowest possible temperature. I place the stalks directly on the oven shelves (with trays underneath to catch any falling sugar) and find they need about 3 hours. Wrap and store after cooling completely. Packed into pretty little boxes, home-candied angelica makes a charming present. -------------------------------------- Angelica stem survey: Have you eaten candied angelica stems? Did you like it? Would you eat them again? Answers to the survey, so far: * From Ingolfur Guðnason engiherb.smart.is: Since you are asking: yes, I have tried to make candied angelica from young leaf stalks. It is very nice. I keep a jar in my refrigerator and serve it to guests as a curiosity. In the times of the Vikings candied angelica was in very high esteem, sold as a candy in the streets of Norway and British Isles etc. * From Francoise Chevallier Allard fcallard.univ-lyon1.fr: It is commonly used for cakes in central Europe, and in Italy for icecreams. I think it is nice, but perhaps a little strong. * From "Mike Toop" miketoop.uniserve.com I just made candied angelica (A. archangelica) for the first time. It has... an interesting flavour. I would try it again. In fact, I'm willing to try just about anything to use up the stuff... it is growing like crazy in my garden! * From david.inf.rl.ac.uk (David Johnston) Yes, I have eaten Candied angelica stems. When I was small, my mother would decorate the top of an iced cake using angelica and glace' cherries. The combination of the red and green detail on a ground of white icing is very attractive visually. The trick was to cut the (expensive) candied stems into thin slices to make it go further. When I'd grown up, I bought some candied angelica for my own larder, and permitted myself a taste in isolation. The taste is superb, and memories from my childhood flooded back! I would eat candied angelica all the time if it wasn't so expensive. As a result, I've been trying to grow angelica for about 10 years. Finally, last year a seed germinated and now I'm attempting to candy the stem. That is why I looked up the FAQ! * From "Duane Harding" hardid.calmvs.ercb.gov.ab.ca My dad use to buy it in New York City in the early 1970's. We used it to flavour Christmas pudding. -------------------------------------- 2.37 Sweet Cicely Latin name: Myrrhis odorata. -------------------------------------- 2.37.1 Growing sweet cicely -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): You have a wild garden, a long way away from anywhere else? No? Then don't grow this. Sweet cicely likes half shade and a moist, rich soil (like angelica), but is horribly invasive when it likes the conditions. It is a perennial 2-3' high, with deep roots. Like most umbellifers, the individual plants are short lived, but it seeds itself like crazy. Its leaves are a pretty mottled green, and are large and fairly deeply cut. -------------------------------------- 2.37.2 Harvesting sweet cicely -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): Its leaves can be dried, though this is tricky, or its seeds can be collected. From Henriette: the seeds taste of anise only if they are still greenish. Completely black seed have no taste whatsoever. -------------------------------------- 2.37.3 Using / preserving sweet cicely -------------------------------------- From: nmm1.cam.ac.uk (Nick Maclaren): It is naturally sweet (like angelica), but has a mild aniseed flavour; very pleasant, if you like aniseed. It can be added to stewed fruits, other puddings etc., or used in pot pourris. -------------------------------------- 2.38 Mexican Mint Marigold (MMM) / Mexican tarragon Latin name: Tagetes lucida (T. florida). Common names: Mexican Marigold Mint, Mexican Mint Marigold, Mexican Mint Tarragon, Mint Marigold, Texas Tarragon, Sweet Marigold, Cloud Plant, Yerbanis, Hierba anis, Coronilla, Pericon -------------------------------------- 2.38.1 Growing MMM -------------------------------------- From: Chris McElrath Mcmariah.AOL.COM The following descriptive information is taken from "The Herb Garden Cookbook" by Lucinda Hutson. Characteristics of MMM: "Glossy lance-shaped leaves, finely serrated:strong anise scent; brilliant golden marigold-like flowers in fall; perennial". MMM likes "loose, well-draining soil; full sun" Propagation: roots easily in water; readily reseeds Plant seeds in the fall, germination in a few days. Mature plant will be appr. 2 feet tall and 1 foot wide. Especially good in hot, dry conditions where French tarragon won't grow. -------------------------------------- 2.38.3 Using / preserving MMM -------------------------------------- From: Chris McElrath Mcmariah.AOL.COM MMM is the best available substitute for Tarragon (see 2.11). The french word for tarragon is "Estragon" which means "little dragon". MMM lacks the fiery flavor of tarragon, but its anise flavor is more pronounced. In Mexico MMM is used as a medicinal tea to calm stomachs and nerves, cure colds, alleviate hangovers. Allegedly, the Aztecs used MMM in a numbing powder which they blew into sacrificial victims' faces to calm their fears. Besides as a tarragon substitute, MMM can be used as a pleasant tea flavoring. It is tasty added to sangria, punches, mulled cider. Also good in vinaigrettes. -------------------------------------- Recipes -------------------------------------- From: Chris McElrath Mcmariah.AOL.COM Mexican Mint Tarragon Chicken This recipe I have tried and it is quite good. It comes from Lucinda Hutson's "The Herb Garden Cookbook" 4 boneless chicken breasts salt and pepper to taste 3 green onions, with tops 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 Tbsp fresh marigold mint, chopped 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp. honey2 Tbsp butter, softened 1 Tbsp white wine Slightly flatten chicken breasts and trim excess fat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients to make a thick paste. Place appr. 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the paste on each breast. Roll up tightly. Place seam side down on a lightly oiled baking dish and dot breasts with any remaining herb mixture. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Slice into medallions to serve. Marigold Mint Vinaigrette 1 egg yolk 1 large clove garlic, minced 2 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp honey 1/4 cup MMM vinegar or tarragon vinegar 1 Tbsp chopped MMM 1/2 cup olive oil pinch of salt and cayenne Blend the egg yolk, garlic, mustard, pepper and honey with a fork. Add the vinegar and chopped herbs; mix well. Slowly whish in the oil in a steady stream until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Tomatoes Rellenos 4 med. size tomatoes Salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 Tbsp fresh lime juice 3 Tbsp MMM vinegar or tarragon vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp dried mustard 1 Tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp crushed dried red chile 3 tbsp marigold mint, finely chopped 2 tbsp parsley, minced 1 1/2 cups cooked corn kernels, chilled 2 small zucchinis, chopped 4-6 green onions, chopped 1 green or red pepper, chopped salt and pepper to taste Peel tomatoes (if desired) by plunging them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately immersing them in cold water. Cut tops off tomatoes and remove some of the pulp. Lightly salt the shells and invert them on paper towels to drain. Make the vinaigrette by combining garlic, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, dried mustard, tomato paste, brown sugar, and half of the fresh herbs. Dribble a small amount of vinaigrette (reserve half) into each shell, and chill. Combine corn, zucchini, green onion, bell pepper, salt, pepper and the remaining herbs. Mix with remaining vinaigrette and chill for several hours. Generously stuff each tomato with the corn/squash mixture, and drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the top. -------------------------------------- From: Fran frich.TENET.EDU Following is a really good marinade using Mexican Mint Marigold. It's from our herb society's soon-to-be-published cookbook. I made it yesterday and marinated some chicken breasts in it before grilling. Delish! But first a comment about Lucinda Hutson, from who's book Chris took the MMM info. She has come down from Austin (to San Antonio) several times to speak to our club. She is one of the most delightful people! The first time she had slides of her house and garden - to die for! The next time she talked about her newest book on tequila and had slides of her travels in Mexico researching it. She obviously had a *lot* of fun. Now for the marinade. Herb Marinade (Marjie Christopher) 1 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Mexican Mint Marigold or French Tarragon leaves 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Pour wine vinegar into blender jar. Add remaining ingredients; blend at low speed for 10 seconds. Pour into jar with tight cover and refrigerate. Makes 1 3/4 cups. Good as marinade for poultry, beef, pork, or lamb. -------------------------------------- 2.39 Shiso or Perilla This entire entry is (c) 1999 by Terry J. Klokeid, Amblewood Organic Farm, klokeid.victoria.tc.ca Latin name: Perilla frutescens Japanese name: Shiso (Varietal names are aojiso and akajiso) Other names: Fanciful names exist, e.g. cinnamon plant, beefsteak plant -------------------------------------- 2.39.1 Growing Shiso -------------------------------------- Shiso definitely demands to be treated like a warm weather annual plant. Set it out in pots or plant it outside when it's warm, in full sun. Or keep it as a houseplant or in the greenhouse. Shiso seems to have no particular pests apart from earwigs, and is not eaten by deer. We have had shiso grow successfully in a variety of conditions, from constantly wet soil near a pond, to very well- drained soil - having dried out because one of us always forgets to water. But shiso can't stand crowding, and it does need an adequate quantity of good soil, unlike many herbs. -------------------------------------- 2.39.2 Harvesting Shiso -------------------------------------- Just pluck a few big, healthy shiso leaves when you want to eat 'em. -------------------------------------- 2.39.3 Using / Preserving Shiso -------------------------------------- Shiso is popular in Japan to give flavouring and/or colour to just about anything: tempura, sashimi, tofu, pickles. The leaves of the green variety, aojiso, may be served as a garnish like parsely, and may be sprinkled with shoyu (soy sauce). They can be used in salads and to flavour sweetpotatoes. In Japan, we have also enjoyed home-cooked tempura with leaves of shiso cooked in it, just like a vegetable. Young shiso shoots are eaten with sashimi (raw fish). Shiso leaves are included with mixed vegetables preserved in miso (a paste of fermented soy and cereal). The saved seeds from shiso are sometimes used on baked goods, like sesame seeds, and are referred to as egoma. The red or purple variety, akajiso, is the preferred variety in Japan for adding flavour and scarlet colour to umeboshi -pickled sour plums- and preserved ginger. Some people find the taste very strong at first, so it's worth tasting just a part of a leaf. Other uses include red or pink food colouring and an edible oil from the seed (which has also been used for paints). Shiso leaves rapidly lose flavour and aroma when dried, so this is not a suitable way to preserve shiso. -------------------------------------- 2.39.4 Which Shiso do you have? -------------------------------------- Thre are two varieties: 1. Aojiso, Green Perilla 2. Akajiso, Purple Perilla (or sometimes Red Perilla) Selections have been made for ornamental features. For example, the 'lanciniata' variety of akajiso has more deeply serrated leaves than common akajiso. -------------------------------------- 2.40 Capers By Miriam Kresh, in Tsfat, Israel Latin name: Capparis spinosa, capers, thorny butterfly -------------------------------------- Also see Pickled Nasturtium Pods or Seeds, ch. 2.12.3. -------------------------------------- 2.40.1 Growing Capers (or watching it grow, as it were) -------------------------------------- Every day, I pass wild gardens thriving in the old walls of my town. In late winter and spring, the succulent green disks of navelwort vie for place with pellitory of the wall, dandelions, pink cyclamens, and sometimes small, flowering almond trees. The wild mustard seeds itself willingly between the stones and doesn’t mind the proximity of white veronica, henbit, or the lovely, and poisonous, henbane. These, and other herbs make their appearances on the town walls over the weeks of our short rainy season, making a rich display to marvel at every year, regretfully to be saluted as the days once more lengthen into summer. After a few really hot days, the tender, moist vegetation dries, shrinks back, and disappears. By mid-June, Tsfat’s walls are adorned with skeletons of the henbane, still elegant, although dusty brown where their springtime yellow and purple enticed the eye before. Seedlings of figs entrench themselves between the cracks, and the pellitory, far less lush-looking than in spring, still clings, holding its own against the dry heat. A welcome visitor to town and field now is the prickly, but extravagantly beautiful caper bush. Capparis spinosa is an edible weed of the Capparaceae family, with a history stretching back to Pharaonic times. Tightly rooted in its wall crack or rock crevice, it bushes out gallantly during the most arid months of the Mediterranean summer. Small buds, closed tight as fists, spring daily from the long shoots, opening eventually into exquisite white flowers with violet pistils and stamens; they look like butterflies at rest. The small, thumbnail-shaped leaves descend the reddish stem at short intervals, armed at the joint with subtle, small hooks which discourage grazing animals; it’s known that not even a camel will eat the caper. Caper fruit resembles a small cucumber hanging down, and may be also be pickled, after having been soaked. An innocuous red shoot, thrusting out from some crevice in the sidewalk, may become quite a large bush which will catch at your clothing with its thorns as you pass by. The literature on the subject of capers is most concerned with its rubefacient (skin-irritating) property, as the plant yields isothiocyanates, or mustard oils, upon being crushed. That’s probably another reason grazers stay away; I myself am prepared to come home with hands pricked and stinging from a caper-picking expedition. Folk medicine, however, knows the fruit and tender tips to be alterative, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, and carminative. (With regard to the last, on searching through the Net for pages relating to capers, I found a Portuguese site devoted entirely to plants which relieve flatulence, where capers were among herbs mentioned.) Some cultures consider capers a specific for rheumatism. A Maltese study suggests that the presence of the flavinoid rutin makes the caper a valuable medicinal herb, as it “improves capillary function” (Rita Spiteri, University of Malta). I also saw mention of an experiment with guinea pigs who had been sensitised with a variety of animal and vegetable allergens. Those treated with a preparation of caper root survived, while those who went untreated died of shock (Khakberdyev et al., 1968). Other edible capers a Capparis corymbifera, C. decidua,C. mitchellii, and C. sodala. These are capers harvested locally and not exported. Known best as a culinary herb, Capparis spinosa’s pickled buds are a gourmet item whose cost is justified by the laborious and painful process of hand-picking. The smallest buds, viewed as the choicest, are the most expensive. (Large buds are those which are close to blooming, and could become mushy in the pickling process.) Despite this, a new, giant variety is gaining popularity. It is known as the caperberry, and can be substituted for olives in many recipes. Spain and Africa supply most of the world’s pickled capers, although they are cultivated (or grow wild) all along the Mediterranean through Turkey, Iraq, and Egypt. In effect, climates where olive trees thrive are those good for capers. Rarely is the caper found in the United States, although parts of Florida or California are possibly suitable. It is known as an “exotic”: I have seen prices as high as $2.50 for five seeds. Capparis has a family of an estimated 250 species. Here are ways to identify it in other languages: French: prier, pres, German: Kapper, Kapernstrauch Italian: cappero, capperone (fruit) Spanish: alcaparro Portuguese: alcaparra Hebrew: Tsalaf Hindi: kiari, kobra Ancient Jewish sources (The Bible and the Mishnah) mention capers as a titheable crop, giving specific Hebrew names to each edible part; buds, fruit and the tender new shoots. The Sages of ancient times compared the Jewish people to the caper for their ability to survive even after being cut down to the roots, and to thrive in the most inhospitable conditions. The Western Wall of the Second Temple in Jerusalem is host to seven species of herbs, the caper among them. Although henbane is the most common, when people ask, “What’s the flower growing out of the Wall?” they mean the eye-catching white and purple flowers of the caper bush. -------------------------------------- 2.40.3 Using / preserving Capers -------------------------------------- You have to be dedicated to pickle the caper. Harvesting it means bearing a certain amount of prickly agony. Tiny green buds appear daily on the bushes, which must be constantly monitored for new appearances. The small, closed bud with no streak of white on it is what you pick, if you want a firm but tender product. For pickling the shoots, cut them into finger-sized lengths and peel them. If picked too mature, the fruit’s seeds will be large and bitter, rendering it unpalatable, so pick only the smaller fruit. Then your crop must be soaked for two days, changing the water once; this allows a flavorful fungus which is on the plant to develop (good cheese also needs fungus). Finally, get out your mason jar and cure the caper: any simple salt or vinegar pickling recipe will do. The flavor of the finished product will be piquant; bitter-sour. The walls of my small town in Northern Israel provide me with all the caper I have desire to pickle. Following, however, is an easy recipe using the capers you can buy in little jars. Butter Sauce with Capers 4-6 servings Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup capers 1/2 teaspoon salt Melt the butter, stir in remaining ingredients. Remove from the flame. Serve over vegetables or fish, or incorporate into mayonnaise to perk it up. Try stirring a small amount into cream cheese for super lox and bagels. It’s worth viewing this lovely flower – here are some photos. Images of the Capparacea family: http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/imaxxcpp.htm and Michael Moore’s Medicinal Plant Image list: http://chili.rt66.com/hrbmoore/Resou...Other-A-C.html Anyone living where the caper bush grows will know that the flower, once picked, is so frail as to almost dissolve in the hand. A beautiful way of enjoying the bloom at home is to pick several maturing buds (for this you actually want a white streak in them); put them in a glass bowl with water almost up to the rim. They will open like Japanese paper flowers and float there, reminding you less of butterflies than of water lilies. Put them in a sunny place – window ledge or table - to highlight their exquisite colors. -------------------------------------- End of part 5 of 7 -------------------------------------- -- Henriette Kress Helsinki, Finland Over 40 MB herbal .html files (FAQs, classic texts, articles, links), plus pictures, zipped archives, the works, at: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed |
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