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Lovage - The Oldest Known "Salad Herb"
• by Sharon Arnot
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I know there is a popular belief here in the Midwest that one shouldn’t plant a garden until Mother’s Day. I know this and yet every year as soon as the first string of hot, sunny days arrives, I’m itching to get out and plant something. This year, I’m planting an herb garden and I probably won’t wait until Mother’s Day. I think I’ll plant some basil, dill, oregano, thyme, chives and maybe some lovage. Lovage? Yes, lovage.
Lovage is probably one of the oldest known cultivated ‘salad herbs’ and has been used since Greek and Roman times as a seasoning in food. It is a native of the mountainous areas of the Mediterranean. It is still common in Southern and Central Europe and gaining popularity here in America. Lovage was a required plant in Emperor Charlemagne’s gardens and it is widely cultivated in Liguria, a region of Italy. In early times, the stalks were candied and used as a confection, and the leaves and seeds were used in salads and soups.
A hardy perennial of the carrot family, lovage, also known as false celery, has a strong flavor of celery with a hint of anise. The plant looks and smells like celery but grows much larger, at times more than 6 feet tall. The stems are thick and hollow and the plant has dark green toothy leaves. Tiny yellow-green clusters of flowers appear in the summer. Because of its size, lovage works well as a border in the garden.
Although it is hard to find fresh lovage in any store, it is very easy to grow and the seeds can be found at any specialty herb nursery. Lovage grows well in the shade and in the sun. It will do best in well drained, rich soil but isn’t too picky. Pale leaves are the plant’s way of telling you it needs more fertilizer. One or two plants will provide as much lovage as one can use and can easily be divided and propagated to share with neighbors. The plant will die back in the winter and come back up in early spring and will return for many years if well cared for.
Lovage can be used in any dish that calls for celery or parsley. It gives an extra kick to green salads, potato dishes, rice and tomato dishes, as well as soups and stews. Herb pastas can also benefit from the addition of lovage. All parts of the plant can be used. The hollow stalks have even been used as straws in Bloody Mary drinks. Fresh leaves are used in salads, and dry leaves and stalks can be chopped and used in soups, stews and sauces, and seeds can be used in breads, pickling brines, cheeses and spreads. To save the seeds off of a flowering plant, cut off the flowering stalks when the seeds are ripe and dry them by hanging upside down by the base of the stem. Lovage is far more concentrated than celery, so a little goes a long way. One of the best uses for lovage is as a substitute for salt. Its strong flavor heightens the taste without adding sodium to your diet.
Lovage not only tastes good, but is good for you as well. It is high in vitamin C and has been used as a diuretic and as treatment for rheumatism, jaundice, sore throats and stomach ailments. Lovage has been thought to clear up skin problems and the leaves were once placed in travelers’ shoes to soothe weary feet. So add some lovage to your garden this spring. It tastes good, it’s good for you, and you can even use its hollow stem as a straw in your cold beverage when you sit back and admire your beautiful garden this summer.
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Lobster and Potato Salad with Lovage
Ingredients:
* 2 1/2 pounds live lobsters, cooked and meat removed, or 8 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into one-half inch chunks
* 1 pound red bliss potatoes, cooked and cut into one-half inch dice
* One-half cup mayonnaise
* One-half cup sour cream
* 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
* One-half cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* One-half cup chopped lovage leaves
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* Red leaf lettuce for garnish
* Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Method of Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, combine the lobster and potatoes. Toss gently, to keep the potatoes from breaking up.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, shallots, parsley, and lovage leaves. Combine well. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the lobster and potato mixture and toss gently until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Line 4 salad plates with the lettuce and mound the salad on top. Sprinkle with chives. Serves 4 as a main course.
Recipe from Michael Weishan’s World of Gardening at www.gardenworksonline.com
Corn Chowder with Lovage
Ingredients:
* One-half cup bacon, diced
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 6 cups chicken broth
* 1 and one-half pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into one-half inch dice
* 3 cups fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob
* 2 cups half and half
* One-third cup chopped lovage leaves
* Salt and pepper to taste
Method of Preparation:
1. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until crisp. Add butter and melt. Add the onions to the pot and sauté until wilted. About 7 minutes. Add the broth, and the potatoes. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
2. Add the corn, the lovage, and the half and half and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6. *Note: Do not allow the chowder to boil after adding the half and half or the soup will curdle.
Recipe from Michael Weishan’s World of Gardening at www.gardenworksonline.com
Halibut Baked with Leeks, Apple and Lovage
Ingredients:
* 3 medium leeks
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* Three-fourths cup dry white wine
* One and one-half cups unfiltered apple cider or apple juice
* Three-fourths teaspoon salt
* 1 large tart apple, such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, or Braeburn
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh lovage
* 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 and one-half to 2 pounds skinless halibut fillet or other medium-firm flaky fish fillet, such as salmon, sea bass, or snapper
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
Method of Preparation:
1. The Ragout. Cut off and discard the tops of the leeks at the point they turn from light to dark green. Split the bottom portion lengthwise in half, keeping the roots attached so that the layers will not fall apart. Rinse thoroughly. Cut the leeks into 3-inch lengths, discard the roots, and then slice each section into one-eighth-inch thick matchstick. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until they are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until most of the liquid evaporates. Add the apple cider and salt and gently boil uncovered until the leeks cook down further and the liquid evaporates down to below the level of the leeks in the pan, about 10 minutes. Peel, core, and cut the apple into one-fourth-inch cubes and stir it into the leek mixture along with the lovage. Stir in the vinegar, taste, and season with pepper, and additional salt if necessary. (The ragout can be made ahead up to this point. Let it sit on the back of the stove for up to 2 hours or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
2. Fish. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Trim any dark gray flesh from the skin side of the halibut fillets and check for and remove any stray bones. Cut the fillet into 4 equal pieces and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Reheat the leek ragout on the stove until it simmers, and then pour it into an ungreased 12 x 9-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange the fish fillets on top of the hot ragout and press them down so that their sides are submerged in the mixture but their tops are not covered by it. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than the baking dish and smear it with the softened butter. Press it; butter side down, directly on the fish. Bake the fish until it is milky, firm, and just barely translucent at the inside center, 10 to 15 minutes. It’s best to underbake the fish slightly because it will continue to cook once the dish is removed from the oven. Bring the dish to the table. Use a spatula to serve the fish fillets and then spoon some of the ragout and the sauce over each piece. Serves 4.
Recipe from "The Herbfarm Cookbook" by Jerry Traunfeld
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