OREGANO



WHAT IS OREGANO?

While many people think of pizza when they think of oregano, this wonderful herb can add a warm, balsamic and aromatic flavor to many different dishes, especially those of the Mediterranean cuisine.

Oregano is known botanically as Origanum vulgare and is called wild marjoram in many parts of Europe since it is closely related to the herb that we know as sweet marjoram. Its name is derived from the Greek words oros(mountain) and ganos (joy) since not only was it a symbol of happiness, but it made the hillsides on which it grew look beautiful.


HISTORY

Oregano is native to northern Europe, although it grows throughout many regions of the world. It has been recognized for its aromatic properties since ancient times, with the Greeks and Romans holding oregano as a symbol of joy and happiness. In fact, it was a tradition for Greek and Roman brides and grooms to be crowned with a laurel of oregano.

Oregano has been cultivated in France since the Middle Ages and has come to be an important herb in Mediterranean cooking. Oregano was hardly known in the United States until the early 20th century when GIs returning from Italy brought word of this fragrant and delicious herb back to the United States.


NUTRITIONAL PROFILE


Oregano is an excellent source of vitamin K and a very good source of manganese. It is also a good source of iron, dietary fiber and calcium.


HEALTH BENEFITS

You may have seen a bottle marked "oil of oregano" in a health food store. There are good reasons why!

An Effective Anti-Bacterial

The volatile oils in this spice include thymol and carvacrol, both of which have been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus . In Mexico, researchers have compared oregano to tinidazol, a commonly used prescription drug to treat infection from the amoeba Giardia lamblia. These researchers found oregano to be more effective against Giardia than the commonly used prescription drug.

Potent Anti-Oxidant Activity

Oregano contains numerous phytonutrients—including thymol and rosmarinic acid—that have also been shown to function as potent antioxidants that can prevent oxygen-based damage to cell structures throughout the body. In laboratory studies, oregano has demonstrated stronger anti-oxidant capacity than either of the two synthetic anti-oxidants commonly added to processed food—BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BHA (butylated bydroxyanisole). Additionally, on a per gram fresh weight basis, oregano has demonstrated 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries.

A Nutrient-Dense Spice

Our food ranking system qualified oregano as a good source of fiber. Fiber works in the body to bind to bile salts and cancer-causing toxins in the colon and remove them from the body. This forces the body to break down cholesterol to make more bile salts. These are just some of the reasons that diets high in fiber have been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Oregano also emerged from our food ranking system as a bountiful source of many nutrients. It qualified within our system as an excellent source of vitamin K, a very good source of manganese, and a good source of iron and calcium.


HOW TO SELECT AND STORE?

Oregano is easily grown at home in the yard or in planters, so hopefully, you have fresh oregano at your beck and call. Many stores now carry fresh oregano in the produce department. Purchased fresh oregano branches should be rich green in color and not the least bit limp.

Oregano Storage

Whether it's homegrown or purchased, oregano should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

If you place a slightly damp paper towel in the bag with the oregano and leave some air in the bag, it may extend the life up to 1 week. You may also extend the shelf life of fresh oregano by storing whole stems with leaves in a glass of water with a plastic bag loosely tented over the glass.

Fresh oregano may also be frozen. Wash and dry oregano sprigs. Strip whole leaves from stems and place in plastic bag loosely without crushing, but remove all air. Freeze and keep in a location where it will not get crushed. No need to thaw before using. You can also mix chopped leaves with a small amount of water (or puree them) and freeze in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop out the cubes into a plastic bag and seal tightly. Use frozen oregano within 1 year.


Dried Oregano

To dry fresh oregano, tie sprigs into a bunch and hang in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. Once dried, seal tightly and store away from sunlight.

In general, dried common oregano sold in the grocery stores is actually a mixture of different varieties of oregano combined with marjoram and thyme. As with all dried herbs, dried oregano should be kept in a cool, dark place in a tightly-sealed container and used within 6 months for the freshest flavor.

It will not spoil if kept longer, but its potency will deteriorate greatly with time.


HOW TO USED?
  • Next time you enjoy a slice of pizza, garnish it with some fresh oregano.
  • Oregano goes great with healthy sautéed mushrooms and onions.
  • Adding a few sprigs of fresh oregano to a container of olive oil will infuse the oil with the essence of the herb.
  • Fresh oregano makes an aromatic addition to omelets and frittatas.
  • Sprinkle some chopped oregano onto homemade garlic bread.
  • Add oregano to salad dressings.


FLAVOUR

Oregano has a slightly floral and bitter taste with lemony and pungent notes. In cooking oregano should be added at the very end to prevent flavour loss.


PAIRING

Oregano is at home in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine and pairs perfectly with pizza, tacos, chicken, beef and feta.


AROMAS

Oregano has a pungent and slightly lemony aroma.


HOW TO GROW?


RECIPE






SOURCES :







Komentar

Posting Komentar

Postingan populer dari blog ini

SAMOSA

Gambar
HISTORY The SAMOSA probably travelled to India along ancient trade routes from Central Asia. Small, crisp mince-filled triangles that were easy to make around the campfire during night halts, then conveniently packed into saddlebags as snacks for the next day's journey. According to the “The Oxford Companion to Food” the Indian samosa is merely the best known of an entire family of stuffed pastries or dumplings popular from Egypt and Zanzibar to Central Asia and West China. Arab cookery books of the 10th and 13th Centuries refer to the pastries as sanbusak (the pronunciation still current in Egypt, Syria, & Lebanon), sanbusaq or sanbusaj, all reflecting the early medieval form of the Persian word: sanbosag. Claudia Roden (1968) quotes a poem by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim-al-Mausili (9th Century) praising the sanbusaj. By the early 14th Century, it was not only a part of Indian cuisine but also food fit for a king. Amir Khusrao, prolific poet of Delhi royalty, observed in...
Baca selengkapnya

BUNNY CHOW

Gambar
Bunny Chow -Deliciously Tasty South African Street food with made with aromatic spices, meat , chickpeas and potatoes served in hollow bread. A one of a Kind Sandwich. Bunny Chow is a very unique, portable and popular South African street food that exemplifies the natural fusion of South African Cuisine. A highly spiced curry that would get any spice lover excited, my kind of peeps. Rest assured no bunnies are involve in this dish. It’s usually made with some sort of protein; Lamb, chicken or vegetables and oh so delicious! Served in a hollowed out bread bowl, makes it even more appealing for carb lovers. The term bunny is another variation from the word “Bania“, an Indian class of traders who sold this tasty street food. History of the bunny chow This only-in-South-Africa combination of Asian curry, European bread, and South African apartheid was originally created in Kapitan's Vegetarian Eating House on the corner of Victoria and Grey streets in Durban....
Baca selengkapnya

PECANS

Gambar
Pecans are a type of nut produced by the Hickory tree and are native to the south-central region of the United States and Mexico. The name “pecan” comes from an Algonquin word meaning “nut that requires a stone to crack.” Pecans resemble walnuts but tend to be longer, more slender, and smoother in appearance. Their shells, which are shaped like large pills, are spotted brown, smooth, and are thinner and easier to crack than walnut shells. Description Smooth, hard, thin, oval shell. Two-lobed, brown-skinned nut, cream-colored interior. Rich, buttery flavor. Available whole in shell; shelled halved, chopped Pecan History Pecans have played a large role in the diet and cuisine of the cultures native to pecan growing climates. Many Native American tribes relied on pecans as a staple food in the fall and winter months and even traded pecans monetarily. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Spanish and French colonists began cultivating pecans and eventually bega...
Baca selengkapnya