Spices Oregano During drying the aroma intensifies

Oregano tastes not only on Italian pizza and tomato sauces. The fine herb also refines soups, antipasti, grilled vegetables, meat and fish. The heat makes the aroma stronger, so it's best to cook for at least 15 minutes.

Despite its strong taste, Oregano goes well with other herbs of the Mediterranean cuisine, such as thyme and rosemary, and is part of the French blend "Herbs of Provence". Only with marjoram is the spice less well tolerated, although the plants are closely related. Essential oils such as thymol and carvacrol are responsible for the characteristic fragrance and taste.

Drying intensifies the oregano aroma. Image: Dionisvera - fotolia

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a perennial, bushy shrub of the mint family. The leaves are slightly hairy and ovate pointed. It grows up to 60 cm high and is found mainly in the Mediterranean. The plant appreciates the hot sun on mountain slopes, which also explains the name "jewelry of the mountains" (from the Greek, oros = mountain, gonos = jewelry). Already in the Middle Ages oregano was important as a medicinal herb. It has an antibacterial effect, stimulates the appetite, helps with indigestion and respiratory diseases.

In the garden, the plant prefers a sunny and warm place. The warmer and the sunnier, the more intense the aroma. The soil should be light, well-drained and not too moist. The fresh leaves can be picked throughout the growing season.

Oregano can also be dried well. While many herbs lose their aroma when dried, the spice power of the Mediterranean classic is increased tenfold. For the harvest, the beginning of flowering is a good time, because the wort is then highest. The kitchen herb is cut with scissors about hand-high above the ground. Then tie the plant together as an ostrich and hang it upside down in an airy place. (Heike Kreutz, aid)