Fun with Oregano
Oregano is great! Dried oregano is of course much more intense, particularly Italian and Greek varities. But fresh oregano is just wonderful. In my garden oregano has been planted around most of the border and the stuff over the years has come back again and again, bushier and fuller. Here are some fun things to do with oregano.
- I love using handfuls of fresh oregano in salads and soups as a green rather than an herb.
- Toast fresh oregano leaves lightly in a pan and add them to your favorite chili or taco recipe.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over a huge hunk of feta cheese that's been topped with oregano leaves and serve with an assortment of green, red, and black olives.
- Match the woodsy flavor and perfume of oregano by adding some to a sauté of mushrooms.
- Toss oregano and toasted pecans with thinly sliced oranges and leeks dressed with pecan oil.
- Make some crostini by toasting some stale crusty bread with extra virgin olive oil and garlic. When it comes out of the oven layer the surface with fresh oregano and a few twists of fresh black pepper and some diced seeded roma tomatoes.