Tags
dried, drying, Fresh oregano, Gardening, herb, Herbs, Lasagna, marinara, vegan, vegetarian
A few weeks ago I posted about planting my garden, so I could have some fresh veggies and herbs to cook with. One of the things I planted was oregano. If I had know how well this stuff grows, I would have planted it years ago!!! This one plant in a pot has taken off like gang busters! At first I was hesitant to use any, because my plant seemed so small. I blinked and now I’m wondering what the heck I’m going to do with all of it! I did some research and thought I would share my findings with my foodie friends.
As you can see by my first picture, I decided to dry some. I had read that when the plant starts to flower it is at it’s most flavorful, so this is a good time to snip some branches for drying. I simply cut several branches off, tied them together at the cut ends with string and hung them up on my pot rack to dry. It looks pretty up there and makes my kitchen smell nice! Once dried it can be crumbed and stored in a spice jar for later use or to give as a gift. I’m going to take some over to my sister tomorrow!
Another tip I found, is to cut up the leaves and freeze it in some water in ice cube trays. Supposedly when you thaw it, it still has the fresh flavor. Makes sense to me!
I love to use fresh basil and oregano in my marinara sauce! So delicious! Once my tomato plants start producing watch out!!! My marinara is being taken to a whole other level!!! I think I might make a batch of sauce on Monday and make some vegetarian lasagna for my oldest daughter and her husband when they come over for dinner!
Really the uses for oregano are abundant! Here is just a sampling of the possibilities: egg/cheese combinations, breads, vegetables (especially squash, eggplant, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, capsicum), meats, fish, chicken, pizza, pastas, Greek salads and sauces. Soups, stews, stuffings, sausage and pork.
Like I always say, go play with your food! Find creative ways to use those ingredients, try new things and you might just find your new favorite dish!
So what are some of your favorite ways to use oregano? I’m very open to additional ideas as I have a bunch of the stuff!!!
Inside Kel's Kitchen 