How to use oregano, and recipes that spotlight this ‘pizza herb’
Oregano works well with meat, tomatoes, pasta and pizza and is found in a wide range of cuisines. Be careful using the dried version, though
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 gains intensity.
It should be used with a light touch. If a recipe calls for an amount of the fresh herb and you only have dried, use less than half. It is easy to add more later, but it is difficult to tone down if you have added too much.
Although many recipes call for dried oregano to be sprinkled over food at the last minute, I prefer it when it is cooked slowly so the flavours are distributed.
Tomato sauce
For a versatile tomato sauce that goes well with meat, pasta and pizza, cook diced onion and garlic in a little oil until soft. Season with salt, add a small spoonful of crumbled oregano leaves and stir for about a minute until they soften.
Add some red wine, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced, then add chopped canned Italian tomatoes. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to a light sauce consistency. Adjust the seasonings before serving.
Braised chicken with oregano
Fresh or dried oregano is delicious with meat. For braised chicken, season the meat with salt and pepper and brown briefly in hot oil. Place the chicken pieces in one layer in a pan, add whole garlic cloves, olives, fresh or dried oregano, and preserved lemon peel that has been rinsed briefly to remove the excess salt.