Rosemary is a native of the Western Mediterranean. This powerful beautiful shrub with light blue flowers and a pleasant aroma has a whole range of valuable substances and is used in medicine, cooking and cosmetology.
Healing spice
Rosemary is one of the brightest seasonings, adding spicy pine notes to the taste of dishes. It improves the production of gastric juice and causes appetite. In addition, it enhances blood circulation, oxygenates tissues and prevents the formation of blood clots. Rosemary - seasoning, the use of which eliminates such annoying trouble as flatulence.
Dear Dr. Paracelsus, back in the 16th century, he recommended rosemary tea as a tonic for the heart, liver, and brain. This drink relieves depression, calms nerves, helps to overcome stress and improves memory.
The use of rosemary in cooking
Only needle leaves of the bush are added to food; other parts of the plant are not used. They are put into dishes fresh or dried. The best raw materials are collected before the budding of the plant, cutting off the tender young leaves from the top of the branches.
Drying is done only in the shade. This should be done quickly, but it is impossible to allow heating above +35 ° C, so as not to lose precious essential oils. Only with this method, spice will retain a special bitter taste and rich aroma.
Rosemary is a seasoning whose use has long been included in Mediterranean cuisine. It is widely used in the USA, England and in the Scandinavian countries. It has been used in Russian cooking since the beginning of the last century, but has not yet received widespread use.
It grows wild on the Black Sea coast, but in the Central regions in winter the bushes freeze. In order to use fresh leaves all year round, you can grow it as a houseplant.
Bright, spicy, bitter rosemary - seasoning, the use of which requires moderation and caution. If you add it too much, it will kill the main taste. One French chef advises to measure rosemary sparingly, but to put in food only half the norm.
Rosemary is a seasoning whose photo is much less expressive than its smell. It can be used alone or as part of spicy mixtures. A delicious dressing ideal for cooking poultry can be created by mixing finely chopped parsley leaves with butter and a small amount of crushed dry plant leaves. Instead of dried, you can add fresh rosemary.
Where to add aromatic spice?
Young shoots of a plant with a sweet pine smell and spicy taste are added to marinades, put in soups, meat and vegetable dishes. Cheeses, potatoes and unsweetened dough acquire a specific taste.
Rosemary has become part of many national cuisines. It is added to the Spanish paella, Georgian Satsivi, Italian focaccia. And in Greek cuisine, this is one of the main spices.
Rosemary is a seasoning, the use of which can give a special taste to fried sea fish. It also gives the taste of game to poultry (duck, chicken).
Spice, in moderation, added to mushroom and vegetable soups, enriches them with new notes.
The use of rosemary is similar to the use of bay leaf. They are never put in one dish, and at the end of cooking they are removed to avoid the appearance of bitterness.
It goes well with different types of cabbage and legumes, but does not harmonize with tomatoes and beets. They taste the taste of fruit salads and add to bread and pasta.
Rosemary has contraindications. Spice should not be used for hypertensive patients, children and expectant mothers, epileptics and people with a sick stomach.