The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World - Padma Lakshmi (2016)

SPICES, HERBS, AND BLENDS FROM A TO Z

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OPPOSITE, FROM TOP LEFT: Mediterranean oregano (sprigs), dried Mexican oregano, chopped dried orris root, dried Mediterranean oregano, and onion powder

ONION POWDER

See Garlic (and Onion) Powder.

OREGANO

BOTANICAL NAMES: Origanum vulgare (Mediterranean); Lippia graveolens (Mexican)

OTHER NAMES: (Mediterranean) wild marjoram, Greek oregano, rigani

Mediterranean oregano is a pungent herb native to the Mediterranean region. It’s an ancient plant, and its name comes from the Greek for “joy of the mountains,” referring to both the fragrance and the beautiful sight of wild oregano blanketing rocky Mediterranean hillsides. A member of the mint family, oregano is actually wild marjoram (see Marjoram). Many different varieties grow in Greece, where they are collectively referred to as rigani.

Oregano is one of the few herbs that most home cooks and chefs alike prefer in its dried state, particularly for tomato and other long-simmered sauces (common marjoram, on the other hand, is more often used as a fresh herb). The aroma remains pungent, and the flavor is equally sharp, clean, and warm, with just a slight bitterness. Dried Greek oregano, rigani, is often sold packaged still on its long stems, but attractive and aromatic as the bunches are, the leaves should generally be removed from the stems before storing. In either case, crumble or crush the leaves between your fingertips when adding them to the dish you are cooking.

Mediterranean oregano pairs well with marjoram, sage, thyme, basil, and garlic and onions. It is an essential ingredient in Italian cuisine, where it is the defining herb in pizza sauce and many other tomato sauces. It also appears in many Italian herb blends. It complements eggplant, zucchini, and peppers, as well as tomatoes, and it seasons vegetable dishes throughout the region. Oregano is also good in egg and cheese dishes. Combined with other herbs and aromatics, or simply with salt and pepper, the dried herb is used as a rub for grilled or roasted meats, and it seasons meat and vegetable stews. (Oregano is also an ingredient in many chili powders.) In Turkey and various Middle Eastern countries, oregano seasons meat for kebabs and other meat dishes. A favorite herb in Greek cooking, it is used with spit-roasted lamb or kid and in moussaka and fillings for stuffed vegetables. Oregano oil can be drizzled over dishes as a finishing touch or used as a simple rub for meats and poultry.

The equally pungent Mexican oregano, or orégano, is not related to the Mediterranean herb, although it is often mistakenly believed to be the same species. Mexican oregano is actually a shrub in the verbena family, and its leaves are larger than the Mediterranean variety. (Confusingly, there is a type of oregano grown in Mexico that is in the same family as Mediterranean oregano, and there are various other herbs or plants that may be referred to as oregano there.) Mexican oregano is native to South America but is now primarily grown in Mexico (in other Latin American countries, it is more often Mediterranean oregano that is cultivated today). The aroma and flavor of Mexican oregano will be familiar, but it has a noticeable citrus character, like lemon verbena. It, too, can be used as a rub for grilled or roasted meats. In Mexico, it is an ingredient in moles and other sauces, in stews, and in soups such as pozole, and it may be added to long-simmered bean dishes. It can also be used to season Tex-Mex dishes such as chili, and is commonly found in the brine of pickled jalapeños.

MEDICINAL USES: Mediterranean oregano is high in antioxidants and in vitamins A, C, and K. Essential oregano oil is prescribed for a variety of ailments, and oregano can be brewed into a tea to soothe coughs or an upset stomach.

ORRIS ROOT

BOTANICAL NAME: Iris germanica L. v. florentina, I. pallida

OTHER NAMES: Florentine iris

FORMS: coarsely chopped and ground dried rhizomes

Orris root comes come from the underground rhizome of the flowering Florentine iris. The varieties most often used for culinary orris root are indigenous to the countries of the eastern Mediterranean.

Once the plants have matured, the rhizomes are harvested, peeled, and dried, then finely chopped or, more often, finely ground. Orris root is very aromatic, and the flavor is bittersweet and pungent, even peppery. The fine powder is pale yellow; chopped bits of dried orris root are a mix of light brown and white.

Orris root was widely used in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century kitchens, but its popularity as a cooking ingredient has dwindled since then, and today its main role is in the perfumery industry or for spice sachets and the like. As such, it is now more of a culinary curiosity, but it remains a defining ingredient in the Moroccan spice blend ras el hanout. It is still used in some regional dishes in other southern Mediterranean countries and for some liqueurs, including a type of Spanish bitters.

MEDICINAL USES: Orris root has various folk medicine applications and is sometimes used for “detoxes,” infused into a tea.