Spice market: Hung out to dry

Oregano is one of the few dried herbs I have on the spice rack in my kitchen. While the flavour of most other delicate, leafy herbs dissipates when dried, oregano actually gains in intensity. For that reason, it should be used with a light touch; if you've ever tasted really bad Italian food, or tried inexpensive jarred tomato sauce, chances are the flavours will have been overwhelmed by oregano. If a recipe calls for a certain amount of the fresh herb and you only have the dried stuff on hand, use less than half the amount, because it's easy to increase the amount later, if the flavour is too subtle, but it's difficult to tone down if you've added too much.

It's a fairly easy plant to grow in small pots on a sunny balcony. Oregano likes warmth and light, so it's no wonder the herb is popular in the cuisines of Mexico and the Mediterranean. There are many cultivars and some are more intense than others. Oregano leaves are oval, a dull greyish green, and have a delicate fuzz. If you want to dry the fresh herb, snip it off at the base of the stem. Tie the sprigs in bundles and hang them upside down by a string. Letting them dry upside down means the essential oils flow into the leaves, so they have more flavour. Store the sprigs in an airtight jar and crumble them as needed.

For an easy tomato salad, infuse dried oregano leaves in olive oil for several minutes, then mix this with fresh lemon juice. Combine this dressing with ripe, sweet tomatoes, sliced shallot, cured olives, small squares of feta cheese and a sprinkling of salt.