Marjoram

Marjoram originally comes from Asia Minor and is now also cultivated in Germany. The plant of the genus Dost can be found in many gardens and occasionally as herbaceous wild growth. Other designations are Wurstkraut and Roast Herbs – they already indicate the use of marjoram. Marjoram is closely related to oregano, which is also often referred to as wild marjoram. In contrast to the sweet and tart sausage herb, oregano has a peppery note.

Purchasing and storage

Dried marjoram is available all year round, in the season from July to September the herb can also be found fresh in well-stocked supermarkets. Store it in a sachet in the fridge and it will keep for several days. For a constant supply during the cold season, you can place marjoram in a pot in a sunny spot on the windowsill. In the garden, marjoram grows as an annual subshrub in sunny, wind-protected locations. With its small, delicate violet flowers, the herb is beautiful to look at and exudes a pleasant scent. It is best to harvest marjoram just before flowering to enjoy the full aroma of the leaves. Incidentally, marjoram is not hardy – but you can easily grow the herb again. Simply sow the marjoram seeds in the cold frame from mid-March or directly outdoors from May. The harvest can be dried and stored away from light for years. You can also freeze the chopped leaves.

Kitchen tips for marjoram

Like lovage, marjoram tastes very good in hearty soups and stews. Meat, offal, and fish also benefit from the aroma of sausage herb, whether pork, poultry, game, or black pudding. You can also season your fried potatoes, purees, pizza, and egg dishes with marjoram, use it to refine dips and sauces as well as bread toppings such as cream cheese and camembert. Dose the herb carefully so as not to let the taste become too dominant. When cooking, only add marjoram to the food just before the end of the cooking time. If you don’t have oregano on hand for a recipe, you can just use marjoram instead. But do not mix the two spices. On the other hand, thyme, rosemary, chervil, sage, basil, savory, and fennel go well with marjoram. The expert reveals how you can otherwise combine herbs when cooking.