The marjoram ordinary draws with nothing attention to itself. But during blossoming it decorates hillsides with a pink cover. Therefore in Europe several centuries call it an oregano that means decoration of mountains. This field grass is very unpretentious and grows across the whole Europe and America. But if to dry up it, it becomes popular spice of an oregano with which season dishes worldwide. The marjoram is called a wild marjoram as it is a relative of a marjoram. Sometimes these herbs confuse. Actually, the difference between them is: at an oregano brighter spiciness and strong aroma. Though the marjoram is from the Mediterranean, now it is international spice. As obligatory ingredient it is a part of national dishes of the different countries, especially Italian and Mexican. Besides because of useful properties it is used in medicine and cosmetology.
Caloric content and chemical composition of a dried oregano
In 100 g of seasoning about 265 kcal contain. The nutrition value of this portion is made:
- 9 g of proteins;
- 4.3 g of fats;
- 68.9 g of carbohydrates;
- 40.3 g of food fibers;
- 12.1 g of ashes.
The chemical composition of an oregano is very rich:
- vitamins: And, C, E, K, all group B (except B12);
- minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, selenium;
- other substances: timol, karvakrol, sesquiterpenes, tsimol, terpenes, rosemary acid, tannins and flavonoids.
Whether you know? Earlier the English men applied an oregano as a basis for snuff tobacco, and to women it served in a role of dry spirits.
Useful properties
The spicy aroma and sharpness to a marjoram is given by essential oil. It also contains the valuable components useful to health. For example:
- timol, karvakrol and sesquiterpenes allocate essential oil of an oregano soothing, antibacterial, antifungal, antihistaminic and antivermicular with properties;
- tannins clean slags and toxins from an organism;
- rosemary acid strengthens immunity and slows down aging of an organism.
The marjoram is also called a materinka as it has medical effect on a female body:
- normalizes a menstrual cycle and anesthetizes during monthly;
- during feeding by a breast improves a lactation;
- facilitates course of a climax.
Learn what benefit is brought to women by products: beet, cashew, peanut, quail eggs, sunflower seeds of a sunflower and pumpkin, ginger, feijoa, parsley, pumpkin, dates, pomegranate.
In traditional and traditional medicine the marjoram is applied in the following purposes:
- for strengthening of heart and vessels, normalization of pressure and decrease in level of bad cholesterol;
- to improve digestion and a vermicular movement of intestines;
- for treatment of cold and viral diseases (flu, a tonsillitis);
- to kill pain of different character: tooth, head, in muscles, at injuries;
- for fight against different types of cancer: breasts, skin, blood, prostates, intestines;
- as demulcent;
- for treatment of alcoholism and simplification of a hungover syndrome.
Whether you know? It is possible to call a marjoram N1 antibiotic as she can win against those bacteria, which too hard to traditional antibiotics, for example, golden staphylococcus.
Application in cookery
Oregano use as in fresh, and in a dry form. Not only season with fresh leaflets, but also decorate ready dishes.
The dried-up grass (leaves and inflorescences) is well combined with other spices and is a part of different seasonings together with a marjoram, a basil, rosemary and a thyme. It is possible to try a marjoram combination to a saffron, an anisetree, devyasily, mint, a coriander, kuminy and a celery, fennel or a tarragon.
In tea, kvass and alcoholic beverages
Tea from a marjoram will be to the taste to fans of refined drink. He will warm them, will help to calm down and relax. He is trained as usual tea, making in boiled water (1 h a spoon on 1 glass of boiled water). This tea very useful as helps with fight against various illnesses. Add an oregano also to kvass, beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. In this case spice plays a fragrance role, allocating them with a delicate taste and aroma. Thanks to the preserving properties of a marjoram, drinks long stand and do not spoil.
In soups
Any soup will turn out very tasty if to season it with a pinch of a dry oregano. It is necessary to exclude chicken soup as seasoning kills taste of chicken broth. Spice needs to be added gradually not to spoil taste of other products. Fresh leaves are put in already ready dish, and the dry grass is added one couple of minutes prior to the end of cooking. The marjoram can be combined with other spices. For example, in the Italian tomato soup put dry mix from an oregano, a thyme and parsley.
Italian zucchini soup:
- 200 g of cheese mozzarella;
- 2 zucchinis or vegetable marrow;
- 1 onions;
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil;
- several leaves of a fresh oregano;
- 2 glasses of vegetable or chicken broth;
- pepper and salt to taste.
- The cheese cut in cubes to prisolit and mix with the crushed greens and one spoon of oil.
- Onions to chop and fry. To add to it cubes of zucchini and too to fry.
- To pour broth and to extinguish 10 minutes on small fire.
- To salt, pepper and pyurirovat the blender.
- With ready soup to put cheese with greens in plates.
Video: Zucchini soup and tortellin
Soup will be tasty if to add to it garlic, potatoes or other cheese.
In salads
Both fresh, and dry greens suit for salads. Fresh leaflets will serve as both seasoning, and ornament. Before adding a dry grass to salad, it needs to be pounded in powder. An oregano it is possible to mix with other spices, and they can season vegetable oil for salad (it is desirable olive).
Classical Greek salad:
- 3 tomatoes;
- 2 cucumbers;
- 1 onion or shallot;
- 1 paprika;
- olives to taste;
- 200 g of feta cheese;
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil;
- to taste salt, pepper, oregano, lemon juice.
- To cut vegetables large pieces, to chop onions half rings.
- In the container with olive oil to squeeze out lemon juice, to add salt, pepper, an oregano and to mix.
- To sauce vegetables and to mix.
- To mix olives with vegetables or to lay out from above.
- To cut cheese in cubes and to lay out from above on salad (in the homeland cheese is spread an integral piece).
Video: Classical Greek salad
Options of the Greek salad much: it is possible to experiment with other types of cheese, and it is possible to add boiled chicken meat.
In pastries
Oregano enriches taste of stuffings for pies and pies. It is added to cottage cheese, eggs and meat stuffings. It is obligatory ingredient of some Italian pizzas. This seasoning can be added not only to a stuffing, but also to pastries dough.
Potato bread focaccia:
- ½ kg of flour;
- 150 ml of milk;
- 12 g of dry yeast;
- 1 h sugar spoon;
- salt pinch;
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
- 2 potatoes;
- several leaves of a fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon of a dry grass.
- Potatoes to weld and make puree.
- In warm milk to stir sugar, salt and yeast, to leave for 10 minutes.
- To mix puree with dairy mix, to gradually pour flour, oil, an oregano, salt. To knead dough and to leave that approached.
- Dough has to stick a little. To oil it and to roll directly on a baking sheet.
- Again to allow to approach.
- To heat an oven to 200 °C and to bake bread of 20 minutes.
Video: We cook potato bread focaccia
Focaccia is well combined with cheese and coffee.
Each seasoning can be medicine, study as apply nutmeg, parsley, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, a curry, horse-radish, garlic, onions, mustard, a fenugreek, a carnation.
In meat dishes
Seasoning meat, an oregano often combine with a marjoram, a basil and a thyme. Though spices do taste of a dish brighter and juicier, it is necessary to add them carefully. If to go too far, they can kill taste of the meat.
The stuffed chicken legs:
- 6 shins;
- 100 g of sheep cheese or feta;
- 2 garlic gloves;
- bunch of leaves of an oregano or 1 tablespoon of a dry grass;
- pepper and coriander to taste.
- And an oregano to crush garlic.
- To grate cheese.
- To mix cheese forcemeat with spices.
- It is accurate to distribute a stuffing under skin of legs, without breaking off it.
- To bake in an oven to readiness.
- To give with rice or potatoes.
Video: The stuffed chicken legs
In pastes and sausages
Oregano it is irreplaceable in pastes and sausages. For this purpose use a dry grass. Most often spice is connected to a marjoram.
Vegetarian paste for breakfast:
- 1-2 big roots of parsley;
- ¼ glasses of walnuts or black fox;
- 1 h oregano spoon;
- 1 teeth of garlic;
- 1 h spoon of olive oil;
- salt, pepper to taste.
- To cook the cleaned root, will not become soft yet, to knead in puree.
- In a mortar to pound nuts.
- Oregano and garlic to crush.
- To mix all ingredients.
- To serve paste with toasts.
Video: Vegetarian paste
In mushrooms dishes
The French like to add an oregano to mushroom foods, considering that so they become more tasty. A little seasoning remarkably shades taste of mushrooms, especially in sauces, soups and main courses.
Mushroom goulash:
- 400 g of champignons or other mushrooms;
- 1 bulb;
- 1 carrot;
- 1 tablespoon of flour;
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
- 200 ml of water;
- 1 bay leaf;
- salt and an oregano to taste.
- Vegetables are largely cut.
- Onions with carrot are fried till golden color, mushrooms are added.
- Then, mixing, it is necessary to add in turn a tomato, flour, water, spices.
- To extinguish 20 minutes on small fire a sort a cover.
- The dish is served warm.
Video: Mushroom goulash
In dishes with cheese and vegetables
In Latin America of an oregano is an obligatory component of dishes from vegetables and cheese. Spice is often used in conservation of vegetables as it impacts them pleasant relish. Better than all oregano it is combined with tomatoes and a tomato.
Provencal tomatoes from an oregano:
- 3 average tomatoes;
- 50 g of hard cheese;
- 1 bulb;
- 2-3 garlic gloves;
- vegetable oil;
- 2 tablespoons of butter;
- oregano, fennel and a thyme (it is desirable fresh);
- salt and pepper to taste.
- To cut tomatoes in half, to clean from pulp and to salt.
- Small cut onions, garlic and greens to fry, mix with spices.
- To fill tomatoes. To put in each half on an oil cube, and to strew from above with grated cheese.
- To send to an oven for 15 minutes.
- To give with fried potatoes.
Video: Provencal tomatoes from an oregano
Contraindications and harm
Oregano is spice which can be used only in small quantities. The immoderation can cause allergic reaction and also to become the reason of decrease in potency at men. This seasoning is contraindicated:
- To pregnant women, as the risk of an abortion increases.
- To allergic persons at whom reaction on related to a grass marjoram is observed: marjoram, basil, mint, sage and lavender.
- To people with the broken blood clotting.
Oregano it is possible to call universal seasoning. It is combined with various products and other spices. Besides the grass has a set of useful properties. Adding little by little a marjoram to food, you will make it tasty and useful.