Herb
Oregano
Also called dried oregano
A pungent Mediterranean herb, usually used dried because drying concentrates the oil. Greek oregano is peppery; Mexican oregano is a different plant with a citrus edge. Pizza-shaker dust is often a faint shadow of either.
Origin
At home in the eastern Mediterranean. The dried herb travelled better than basil, which is why it stuck to tomato, cheese and grilled meat.
Flavour
Pepper, thyme, a slight bitterness, camphor if it is good Greek oregano. Fresh oregano is greener and milder. Old dried oregano smells of hay.
How to use it
Crush dried oregano between your fingers over oil, tomato or feta so the leaves break and the oil wakes. In al pastor, pozole and carnitas it goes into the marinade or the pot, not only on top at the end. A little is enough; a heavy hand turns a sauce bitter and dusty. Add dried oregano early enough to hydrate; raw flakes on a wet salad stay sharp and woody. Fresh oregano can go in later. Salt the food, not the herb jar.
Storage
Dried, airtight, dark, and replace when the smell fades — often within a year.
Recipes using it
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