Herbs and Spices Untitled Document

Oregano

Plant Description

Herb: Oregano, (Origanum vulgare) - L.

Season:
Fresh leaves are ready for picking by mid June depending on when the plants were started. The tops are cut as the plants begin to flower and are dried slowly in the shade.

Uses in Cooking:

Indispensable in Italian cooking. It has a special affinity for basil, and the two often appear together in vegetable, cheese, tomato and pasta dishes. Good in soups and stews also in strongly flavored dishes with chilies, garlic, onions etc. Oregano is an important flavoring herb in Mediterranean cookery, and is often used dried rather than fresh.

Possible Substitutes:

Basil
Marjoram

How it comes:

Spice Mixes

Oregano comes as a plant most of the time at your grocers. It is also available dried and ground. Oregano dries really well and if you grow it in your garden it is well worth drying some for the winter months.

Herbs de Provence

Other Uses:

It has a beneficial effect upon the digestive and respiratory systems and is also used to promote menstruation. It should not be used medicinally by pregnant women though it is perfectly safe in small amounts for culinary purposes. The leaves and flowering stems are strongly antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and mildly tonic. It is strongly sedative and should not be taken in large doses, though mild teas have a soothing effect and aid restful sleep. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women.