ROSEMARY:MEDITERRANEAN LAMB RECIPE

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ROSEMARY
All the ancient writers wrote about rosemary: Pliny the Elder (23-79AD) in his Natural History, and Dioscorides in his De Materia Medica, who said that it has “warming” qualities; and Hippocrates, the father of medicine. Its name comes from the Latin, ros meaning dew, and marinus meaning of the sea.
In ancient times and in the Language of Flowers and Herbs, it symbolizes fidelity, abiding friendship and remembrance. Brides used to wear garlands of it on their heads at their weddings, and in ancient Greece, young men would wear sprigs in their hair when they sat examinations to help their memory.
A gilded sprig of rosemary would be given to guests at the marriages of the rich in the Middle Ages.
It was reputed to keep away evil spirits and if you slept with a fresh sprig under your pillow you were supposed to have a good night’s sleep, and no nightmares. John Gerard, in his Herball, says that it wards off colds if worn on the head.
It has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities so is good for wounds, and stomach disorders. It is also good to put in the water you use to rinse your hair, and when mixed with borax, it will get rid of dandruff, due to its astringency.
We think it’s good to put sprigs on BBQ coals as it flavours the grilled meat, and you can use its sprigs as skewers for shish kebabs.
If you boil half a pint of water and add 1tsp of the dried herb, this tea will calm you down and sort out any stomach problems you may have.
Try the recipe below for a taste of the Mediterranean, where it comes from originally.



Mediterranean Lamb


ingredients


1 shoulder of lamb
oil
2-3 large onions, sliced
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
8 oz peeled and chopped tomatoes
12-14 pimento-stuffed green olives
4 oz. mushrooms thickly sliced
2 large sprigs of both rosemary and thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
half a bottle of red wine
1 tbsp tomato puree
½ pint water
salt and pepper

method


Fry meat in hot oil to seal it completely, then put in a covered roasting tin.
Pre-heat the oven to a low temperature.
Fry the onions, garlic and mushrooms and add to the meat. Pour the water, tomatoes and red wine into the frying pan and add the herbs. Stir until it boils and allow to simmer for 5 mins. Add the tomato puree, stir and simmer for a further 5 mins, then add to the meat with seasoning. Cover, put in the oven and cook for 3 hours.
This has Taste and is a Treat!

OREGANO,HISTORY OF OREGANO,GREEK SALAD

OREGANO
This plant originated in Greece, and is a member of the mint family of herbs. Its name comes from the Greek, oros meaning mountain, and ganos meaning joy. Greek mythology says that the plant was created by the goddess of love, Aphrodite, who tended it in her garden on Mount Olympus. She gave it to mortals to make their lives more joyful.
In Greece, the bride and groom would wear garlands of it in their hair at their wedding and it was put on graves so that the dead would rest in peace.
Hippocrates used it as an antiseptic and for stomach pains. It is known nowadays a powerful natural antibiotic, and oregano tea is taken for indigestion and to ease coughs.
It was one of the few flavourings for meat used in the dark ages.
You need to be careful with this herb, do not put too much of it into food when it’s dried, as it can make you vomit. A teaspoon is fine!
This is the herb which is normally found on the top of pizzas. It’s one of our favourite herbs, but we were used to the fresh herb or sun-dried herbs.
Try the simple recipe below for the real taste of oregano and Greece.

Greek Salad

ingredients


4oz feta cheese, sliced
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thickly
1 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
1 green pepper (capsicum), cut into slices
4-6 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp oregano (dried)
olive oil
salt and black pepper

method


Put the feta on top of the salad vegetables, sprinkle the dried oregano over it, and drizzle olive oil over that and the salad vegetables.

What could be simpler?
It has Taste and is a Treat.

ONION,HISTORY,USES AND RECIPE:onion in cheese sauce

ONIONS
The onion is a staple in most cultures; it has a long history, just like garlic. There are different types of onions, e.g. shallots, spring onions, pearl onions the wild onions and many more. Most people have cried while peeling onions and have their own remedies against this phenomenon.
In Mesopotamia the laws of Hammurabi stated that the poor should be given a monthly ration of bread and onions, showing that they were considered a staple at that time.

The onion originated in Central Asia, some say in Pakistan and Iran. It was growing wild in North America when the Pilgrim Fathers landed.
The ancient Egyptians revered the onion and small ones were found in the eye sockets of King Ramses IV, and because of the concentric layers of the onion, it was seen as a symbol of eternal life, and so it was found in the tombs of other pharaohs.
Both Dioscorides and Hippocrates waxed lyrical about the efficacy of the onion as a cure for diseases. Dioscorides recommended it as a cure for the hard of hearing.
Modern medical studies have shown that it can prevent some cancers; lower cholesterol levels kill infectious bacteria and help dissolve blood clots.
If you mix onion juice with honey, and take 3-4 tsps a day you may be able to protect yourself from the common cold. If you have a cold then this will help you get over it, and it works well to stop coughs, bronchitis and flu.
Because of its astringent and antiseptic qualities, it’s good to put on wounds and snake bites.
We use onions almost every day, in sauces, raw in salads and in the recipe below to which we add spices or herbs or both, depending on the time of year and how we feel.

Onions in Cheese Sauce


ingredients
1 1/2 oz plain flour
1 ½ oz butter
1 pint milk
4-6 oz grated cheese
seasonings to taste
2 – 3 large onions


Method
Peel and clean onions, then boil them in salted water for 20 minutes.
Make the cheese sauce; melt butter and remove from heat, add flour and stir to a smooth paste, add milk slowly continuing to stir till the mixture is smooth. When it boils, remove from the heat and add half the cheese, stirring until it melts.
Slice onions and arrange in an oven proof dish that has been greased with butter. Pour the sauce over them, top with the rest of the grated cheese and put in a preheated medium oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
Serve with baked potatoes.
This is a Treat and has Taste.

CORIANDER HISTORY,USES AND SIMPLE SIDE SALAD

CORIANDER
Firstly, let me point out that here we are describing the coriander leaves, or fresh coriander and not the seeds. In US English it is known as cilantro.
This herb has had a bad press over the centuries, with Pliny the Elder calling it the “bug-smelling plant”. He called it Coriandrum, meaning just that; koros in ancient Greek means bug, or insect. In the 17th century, John Gerard called it the “stinking herbe”.

It has been known for centuries, and is referred to in an ancient Sanskrit text written over 7000 years ago. At least 3000 years ago it was used by the ancient Egyptians both in cooking and medicines. In Ayurvedic medicine it is used as an anti-inflammatory to aid digestion and relieve indigestion, heartburn and diarrhoea. Coriander leaf juice or tea is good to drink and also to put on the skin to relieve an itchy rash.
Women on the subcontinent add the leaves to sesame oil and let them steep in it for several days, then use it on their hair to give it body, and shine. It is said that it also prevents hair loss.
Its leaves are added to dishes such as potato soup to improve the flavour, to just about every dish in our cooking, and to salads.
We believe that it’s good for the blood and has soothing qualities.



Simple coriander side salad
1 bunch coriander leaves and a few stalks chopped
1 lemon squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

Pour lemon juice over the coriander leaves, add salt and pepper to taste and serve as a side salad to fish, or chicken dishes.
It is a Treat and has Taste!