This spicy plant is known in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Siberia, the Baltic States and in almost all European countries.
His other name is oregano, and in the scientific world he is known as Origanum majorana.
There are two types of marjoram: a perennial plant with greenish-purple leaves (oregano) and one-year-old garden marjoram, which has small gray-green leaves. Both plants are cultivated as a culture for the production of essential oil, as well as spicy and vegetable crops.
There is no significant difference between the taste qualities of these two types.
Useful properties of marjoram
- Its leaves are rich in essential oil. The taste of spices depends on its composition, that is, the presence in it of pectins, tannins, terpinena, borneol, aromatic phenols. Moreover, in fresh leaves 0, 4% of essential oil, and in dried leaves - up to 3, 5%.
- The plant contains vitamins P, C, A.
- Marjoram improves digestion and whets the appetite.
- It has a diuretic effect.
- Improves the state of the nervous system, as it has tonic properties. Therefore, it is recommended for depressive states.
- Marjoram can be eaten by diabetics.
- This spicy plant is widely used in cooking.
Marjoram in meat dishes
Flower buds and marjoram leaves have a spicy aroma that resembles the smell of pepper, mint and cardamom when mixed.
Most often it is used while cooking meat dishes, especially those with a lot of fat. After all, marjoram will still help him to digest. It is added to sausages. No wonder the marjoram is called “sausage grass”.
This spice is popular in Belarusian, Polish, Lithuanian, Estonian cuisine. For example, in Estonia, marjoram is added to traditional blood sausage with buckwheat cereal.
Dried marjoram is used during cooking pork ham. Spice, along with other spices: cloves, bay leaf, allspice - put in the marinade, in which it is kept before cooking.
Marjoram is added to mince in the manufacture of sorcerers - national Lithuanian ravioli.
This spicy herb can be put in dishes from any kind of meat - pork, chicken, beef, lamb. It is added to fish dishes. For example, in Italy spaghetti with cod is often put together with parsley and marjoram.
Italians add this spicy herb to the pizza in order to give it a distinct aroma and savory taste.
Marjoram is used to make turkey stuffed with chestnuts. The stuffing, which is stuffed with this bird, is a minced pork, mixed with ground boiled chestnuts, squeezed buns, parsley, pepper, nuts and marjoram. But this does not mean that the spice is suitable only for flavoring turkey. You can replace the turkey with a duck or a goose, which will undoubtedly be no worse.
Marjoram in vegetable dishes
Marjoram goes well with tomatoes, so it is often put in tomato sauces, gravy, soups.
In dried form, it is added to different pepper mixtures. And thanks to the pepper flavor they can replace the pepper. This alternative is well suited to those who are spicy foods.
In order to give marinated tomatoes, cucumbers, and patties of spicy flavor marinades are often put in marinades. This fresh herb is added to various salads. And in the dried form, it can be insisted on vinegar or vegetable oil. Then the oil or vinegar dressing will get a pleasant smell and spicy flavor.
Marjoram in dishes of cereals
It is put into dishes from cereals, and not only from rice, but even from semolina. Dumplings from semolina are prepared with the addition of finely chopped green marjoram, boiled in salted water and served with sour cream.
Marjoram in beverages
Marjoram is dried and then brewed like tea. Especially it is shown during colds, as it has antitussive effect and relieves tickling in the throat.
A pinch of dried leaves added to a fruit drink gives it a spicy and savory aroma.
This spice is used in winemaking, as well as in the manufacture of liqueurs and alcoholic liqueurs.
What spices does marjoram go with
Marjoram is usually combined with the same spicy herbs as he himself, because it is useless to add tender herbs to the dish if this fragrant spice is already there.
- Marjoram can be mixed with cloves, pepper, bay leaf. You can also add nutmeg to it, which is also a part of many meat dishes.
- In the Middle East seasoning is popular, in which, besides marjoram, salt and sesame are included.
- A good composition gives a mix of marjoram, sage, thyme or basil.
- Marjoram can be combined with cumin or root.
- Among the bouquets of spicy herbs, a special place is occupied by the hops-suneli condiment, which is popular in Georgia and the areas closest to this country. It contains all the most savory and strongly smelling plants that Caucasians use for marinating meat, cooking kebabs, satsivi, beans, lentils, chickpeas.
How marjoram is stored
To marjoram has not lost its spicy and spicy taste, it is stored in tightly closed jars, not mixing with other spices.
The jars are kept in a dark dry place.
Mistress of the note
- In order not to spoil the taste of the dish, you need to choose the right spices so that they harmonize well with each other.
- Spices in general form (coriander, pepper) are put at the beginning or middle of cooking, and ground herbs are put at the end. Therefore, dried ground marjoram must be added to almost ready meals so that it does not have time to expire.
- More marjoram is added to aromatic meat with a spicy taste than into a tender one.
- Fewer spices are put in fried meat than in boiled meat.
- Marjoram can be replaced not only pepper, but also salt.
- But at the same time marjoram is a strong aphrodisiac, therefore this spice should be eaten without fanaticism.
- If marjoram leaves and fresh young shoots are used, they are harvested before flowering. A harvest of dried marjoram is produced at the beginning of flowering. Dried shoots of marjoram with proper storage retain their aromatic properties for three years.
