Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Grind Fresh Oregano
• Part 2 of 3: Making Common Foods Using Oregano
• Part 3 of 3: Discover Other Cooking Uses of Oregano
• Tips

Oregano has a woody, fragrant aroma, so this herb is very popular in various cuisines of the world, especially in Greek and Italian. Oregano leaves are added to food both fresh and dried, because they go well with tomatoes, meat, fish and vegetables. There are many ways to use oregano in food preparation, which include baking, boiling, adding to soups and salads, as well as sauces and oils.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Grind Fresh Oregano

1. 1 Fresh oregano must be rinsed first. Oregano leaves are small and attached to stems that are unlikely to be enjoyed by anyone. Place the herb in a colander and rinse under running water to remove any dirt, then transfer to a clean towel and let dry.
2. 2 Pull the leaves off the stem. Take the oregano sprig at the top with your thumb and forefinger and simply slide them along the stem to remove the leaves. Repeat the same procedure with the other scions.
   • You can use scissors to cut the leaves off the stem.
3. 3 Fold and roll the leaves. Stack about 10 oregano leaves in a stack with the largest ones at the bottom and the smallest ones at the top. Roll each stack into a tight cylinder and, holding securely, chop on a cutting board.
   • This shredding technique is known as chiffonade and results in long, thin strips.
4. 4 Chop up the leaves. Use a sharp knife to cut the oregano leaves into thin strips. Spread these long strips on a cutting board and cut into small pieces that you can later add to baked goods and when baking.
5. 5 Swap fresh oregano for dried oregano. For cooking and baking, fresh oregano can be substituted for dried oregano. Since the flavor of dried oregano is much stronger, you will need less than fresh oregano.
   • 1 teaspoon (1.8 g) dried oregano is equivalent to 1 tablespoon (1.6 g) fresh.
   • Dried oregano is added early in cooking to give it time to combine with other ingredients, while fresh oregano is added at the end of cooking to retain its flavor.

Part 2 of 3: Making Common Foods Using Oregano

1. 1 Make a simple tomato sauce. Tomatoes with oregano sauce are a classic combination, and there are many tomato dishes with oregano added. Oregano is perfect for making tomato sauce for pasta, pizza, sandwiches, chili, soups, and more. To make the sauce:
   • In a large saucepan, cook diced onions with ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon (0.5 g) fresh oregano, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and salt to taste. Cook the mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes.
   • Add 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste and simmer for another 5 minutes.
   • Add 2 cans (800g) diced tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil.
   • When the mixture boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for an hour, stirring regularly.
   • Remove the bay leaves and serve with your favorite dishes.
2. 2 Make a bolognese sauce. Bolognese sauce is a creamy tomato sauce that is often served with spaghetti. Its preparation is very similar to the preparation of the base tomato sauce, except for the addition of some additional ingredients, such as:
   • celery;
   • carrot;
   • bacon or pancetta;
   • veal;
   • pork;
   • whole milk;
   • White wine.
3. 3 Add oregano to chili. Chili is another great tomato-based dish to which you can add oregano. The spice will be a great addition to veal, turkey chili or vegetarian chili.You can add 1 tablespoon (5.4 g) dried oregano to the chili at the start of cooking, or 3 tablespoons (4.7 g) fresh oregano 15 minutes before cooking.
4. 4 Add seasoning to baked goods. Homemade oregano bread has a unique taste and will fill your home with a wonderful flavor. Oregano is a great addition to baked goods, so feel free to add 1 tablespoon (5.4 g) of dried oregano to the batter when making homemade breads, rolls, rolls or cookies.
   • To make your own Italian herb mix for baking, combine 1 tablespoon (5.4 grams) each dried basil and oregano, 1 teaspoon (3 grams) each of onion and garlic powders, and ½ cup (60 grams) grated Romano cheese.
5. 5 Season your pizza. Unsurprisingly, oregano is indispensable for pizza as well, as it goes well with baked goods and tomatoes. You can add tomato sauce with oregano to any pizza, or sprinkle fresh oregano on top of the ingredients before baking.
6. 6 Bake the chicken with lemon and oregano. Chicken and oregano is a classic combination that lemon is perfect for. You can cook chicken, oregano, and lemon in any way you want, including baking and grilling. For roasting chicken with oregano and lemon:
   • In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce.
   • Place 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts in a large baking dish.
   • Spread the sauce over the chicken.
   • Sprinkle the chicken with 2 teaspoons (3.6 g) dried oregano and 1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder.
   • Bake at 190 ° C for 30 minutes, opening the oven occasionally to pour the sauce over the meat.
7. 7 Season other meats and fish. You can also add oregano to turkey, fish, veal, and other meats. While cooking the turkey, place 3-4 sprigs of fresh oregano inside the turkey before baking. For roasting and grilling fish, add 1–2 sprigs, which must be removed before serving. When making ground beef dishes, add 1 tablespoon (1.6 g) oregano for every 450 grams of meat.
   • Oregano-flavored ground beef is great for making meatballs and burgers.

Part 3 of 3: Discover Other Cooking Uses of Oregano

1. 1 Make oregano pesto. Traditionally, pesto is made with basil, but you can experiment and make an equally delicious version with oregano. Pesto is used as a paste, sauce and even as a dressing for vegetables, salads and potatoes. To make the pesto, combine in a food processor until smooth:
   • 1 cup (25 g) fresh oregano
   • ½ cup (60 g) shredded Parmesan cheese
   • 1 large clove of garlic
   • ½ cup (60 g) almonds
   • ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
   • salt and pepper to taste.
2. 2 Add to soups and stews. Oregano is a herb with a characteristic strong aroma and a warm, slightly bitter taste that can impart a wonderful flavor to any soup or stew, including tomato, vegetarian and chicken soups, stews, beef stew, potato soup, or fish soup.
3. 3 Diversify the flavor of the legumes. There is also Mexican oregano, which has more citrus notes and pairs perfectly with all types of legumes. Add 2 tablespoons (3 g) fresh oregano to any bean dish, baked beans, taco or burrito filling, hummus, falafel, and bean soups.
4. 4 Season fresh and cooked vegetables. Vegetables work well with oregano, because 1 teaspoon (1.8 g) of dried seasoning can diversify the taste of salads, fried and stewed vegetables, and even vegetarian sauces. Simply sprinkle the oregano on top before serving, or mix the seasoning with your favorite gravy.
   • Certain vegetables, such as tomatoes and eggplants, work especially well with oregano, making it ideal for ratatouille.
   • Oregano will sparkle brightly in fresh vegetable salads with ingredients such as olives, citrus fruits, goat cheese and anchovies.
5. 5 Prepare a Greek salad dressing. Oregano goes well with this dressing as it adds its own flavor to the olives and goat cheese. For a delicious and versatile Greek dressing for salads, potatoes and other vegetable dishes, whisk together:
   • 6 cups (1.4 L) olive oil
   • 1/3 cup (50 grams) garlic powder
   • 1/3 cup (30 g) dried oregano
   • 1/3 cup (30 g) dried basil
   • ¼ cup (25 g) pepper
   • ¼ cup (75 g) salt
   • ¼ 3 cups (35 g) onion powder
   • ¼ cup (60 g) Dijon mustard
   • 8 cups (1.9 L) red wine vinegar
6. 6 Make herbal oil out of oregano. Spiced oregano oil is used in food preparation, dressings, marinades, bread baking, and wherever regular oil is used. To infuse oregano oil:
   • In a small saucepan, combine a glass (235 ml) vegetable oil, 5 cloves of minced garlic, and 3 sprigs of fresh oregano.
   • Cook the mixture over low heat for 30 minutes.
   • Remove the pan from heat and wait for the oil to cool.
   • Remove the garlic and oregano.
   • Transfer the oil to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
7. 7 Combine oregano with other spices. Oregano is used not only as an independent seasoning, but also in combination with other spices. Some of the most popular spices that are perfect when paired with oregano include:
   • parsley;
   • basil;
   • thyme;
   • garlic;
   • onion;
   • marjoram.

Tips

• The purple or pink flowers of the oregano plant are also edible and make a wonderful addition to salads. They have the same spicy aroma as oregano, but the taste is softer.