Oregano, marjoram commonly confused

Press, 18 February 1989, Page 14

Oregano, marjoram commonly confused

Food & Fable by

David Burton

Of all the world’s herbs, the two most commonly confused are oregano and marjoram. While they are both closely related (they both belong to the genus origanum) and are used more or less interchangeably, there is in fact a difference between them.

Marjoram tends to be mild and sweet, rather like thyme, and should only be added to a dish near the end of cooking to prevent its scent being dissipated. Oregano on the other hand, being its wild cousin, is more pungent in flavour. However, both marjoram and oregano seem to lose little of their potency with drying, which is a huge convenience to the cook who is not also a herb gardener. Marjoram thrives in the mild climate of the Mediterranean, but the people there have a penchant for strongly flavoured food and prefer the untamed vigour of oregano. In Greek mythology, Aphrodite took the herb from the depths of the ocean to the top of Mount Ida where it would be closer to the sun (which is good advice for modern growers) and it was with her handling that the herb gained its sweet perfume. This story explains the origin of the name oregano, derived from the ancient Greek words oros, mountain, and gamos, brightness. In Greece, oregano is rivalled only by mint as the most popular herb.

The lamb kebabs known as souvlakia owe their character to the oregano, olive oil and lemon juice that they are marinated in, as do many fish dishes, and no traditional Greek “village salad” of cucumber, tomato, black olives and onion would be complete without a sprinkling of oregano. The Greek name rigani (with the accent on the last syllable) refers to no less than 10 varieties of oregano, among the best known of which are origanum onites, or pot marjoram,o. pulchrum, 0. smymacium, 0. dubium, O. paniflorum and O. heraclesticum (which is sometimes cultivated in gardens). In one of history’s earliest cookery books, written by a second-century librarian by the name of Athenaeus, it is claimed the finest rigani came from Tenedos, a Small island in the Aegean Sea near the mouth of the Hellespont.

Crete has its own variety known as dictamo or maliarahorta (hairy herb), the Cretan dittany (O. dictamnus) which is, however, mostly used for traditional medicine rather than cookery. With a few exceptions, most varieties of rigani are very strongly flavoured and it is this which adds the authentic Greek character to their national dishes.

In Greece, rigani grows wild on the mountains and hillsides and each May the sprigs are gathered while in full purple

bloom, and dried for sale. Retaining the flower head seems to add both to the scent and the keeping quality. Here in New Zealand, rigani is grown commercially by Awhiti Herbs (RD4, Waiuku). POTATO AND YOGHURT SALAD This unusual and little known Greek dip is excellent with triangles ol wholemeal toast or pieces of pitta bread as a meze, or appetiser. While it can be made in a food processor, the results will be rather more glutinous than that produced by hand. Peel Ikg potatoes and boil or steam until cooked. Mash, then stir in 2 cups yoghurt, 4 crushed cloves garlic, 2 t dried rigani or oregano, iy 2 tsp salt and t/ 2 tsp pepper. Finally, stir in 3 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs lemon juice. Sprinkle with 3 - 4 finely sliced spring onions and 10 - 12 black olives.