Ingredients
Savory
Other Names: Bohnenkraut, kölle, pfefferkraut, or saturei (German); chabyor (Russian); herbe de Saint-Julien or poivrette (French); khondari (Georgian); marzeh (Farsi); nadgh (Arabic); santoreggia (Italian); throubi or tragorigani (Greek); za’atar (Hebrew). Summer savory: Dağ reyhani (Turkish); garden savory; sadrèio (Spanish); sarriette des champs (French); segurelha das hortas (Portuguese). Winter savory: Ajedrea or sabroso (Spanish); dağ sateri (Turkish); mountain savory; pebre d’asé (Provençal French); sajolida (Catalan); sarriette de montagne (French); segurelha das montanhas (Portuguese); winterbergminze (German). Pink savory: Barrel sweetener; kara kekik (Turkish); Roman hyssop; satra vruda (Hebrew); thryba; za’atar rumi (Arabic).
General Description: Savory comes in two main types: annual summer savory (Satureja hortensis_), with fragrant, tiny, pink or white blossoms and sparse large, oval, bronze green leaves, and perennial winter savory (_S. Montana), with lavender or white flowers and small, spiky, dark green leaves. The two types of savory share an intense flavor and a resinous aroma reminiscent of thyme, though summer savory is milder and more tender. Until world exploration made spices like black pepper more common, savory was the strongest seasoning available in Europe. So for more than two thousand years, this versatile herb has been one of the underlying flavors of European cuisine. The Saxons bestowed the name savory upon this herb because of the spicy, piquant potency it gave their food, and even today we use the word savory to denote robust and flavorful nonsweet foods. Savory’s Latin name, satureja, is said to derive from satyr, the mythological half man, half goat with a legendary libido. Indeed, summer savory has a long-standing reputation as an aphrodisiac, while winter savory supposedly decreases desire. Take your pick.
In Germany and Switzerland, cooks use savory (bohnenkraut or “bean herb”) when cooking beans or lentils, and the Italians, who were probably the first to raise savory as a kitchen herb, use it similarly. In the south of France, savory goes into slow-cooked lamb and daube of beef. Central European cooks season trout, potatoes, and mushrooms with savory. In France, Italy, and the U.S., this spicy, peppery herb seasons sausages and pâtés and is ubiquitous in poultry seasonings.
Pink savory (S. thymbra) has small, fragrant, slightly fuzzy foliage with tiny pink flowers. It makes a delicious herbal tea widely consumed in Crete. It’s sometimes called barrel sweetener because it’s used, in a strong infusion, to clean wine barrels before adding the new vintage. Pink savory leaves season brine-cured olives, grilled meat, and braised vegetables, especially in the eastern Mediterranean.
Purchase and Avoid: Choose brightly colored, vigorous bunches. Refrigerate in the package and savory will keep well for 2 weeks.
Preparation:
- Hang savory sprigs to dry, then crumble the leaves into powder. This homemade dried savory will be fragrant and mellow, unlike commercial dried savory, which tends to be overpowering.
Note: Because both dried and fresh savory are so potent, it’s important to use them with a light hand.
Serving Suggestions: Add summer or winter savory sprigs to braised meats, beans or lentils, or venison or rabbit; remove before serving. Season omelets, scrambled eggs, and deviled eggs with finely chopped summer savory. Use powdered dried summer or winter savory to flavor crumbs for breading meat, fish, or vegetables.
Food Affinities: Beans, brussels sprouts, carrot, cheese, chicken, eggs, kale, lentils, mushroom, olive, turnip, venison.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
