Nature has to offer us some aromatic and delicious spice plants and herbs. But while basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme and the like are known to everyone and are used regularly, there are also one or two varieties that are not known or that simply receive far too little attention. The lovage, also colloquially known as maggi herb (although it has nothing to do with the spice mixture), is one such herb plant that can easily find a suitable place in your garden and is also easy to care for. What is lovage? We will introduce you to the herb for the garden.
Planting and caring for maggi herb
This plant is a perennial. The above-ground parts of the plant die at the end of the season, after which the perennial sprouts again in spring. So lovage is hardy. Under certain circumstances it can grow to an impressive 2 meters tall, but you should prune it regularly to not only preserve the spice but also to prevent flowering if necessary.
Cultivate lovage through cuttings
Seeds are readily available commercially and you can also cultivate them at home by sowing them. However, it makes little sense because, as already mentioned, the plant grows to an impressive size and therefore produces sufficient material for the harvest. So instead of filling the garden with several plants at once, it's better to use cuttings. In this way you can also propagate lovage in the future. If you do want to plant more than one seedling, make sure there is a sufficiently large distance between them. There should be at least 30 centimeters between two plants.
The Maggikraut is happy about this location
The perennial can not only grow quite high, but also quite wide, so you should also take this into account when choosing a location. After all, you don't want them and other garden plants to disturb each other. Otherwise, the plant is particularly happy in a sunny location, but it also does well in partial shade. Furthermore, pay attention to soil that is nutrient-rich (fertilize at intervals) and always well watered, i.e. moist. The maggi herb also likes lime very much, so acalcareous soilis advantageous.
Tipp:If you wish, you can also plant the lovage in a pot. For this purpose, the bucket should be large and filled with special soil for herb plants or tomato plants or vegetable soil. These are not only enriched with humus, which allows water to be stored, but also do not contain any artificial fertilizers, as is often found in potting soil, for example.
Harvesting and preserving lovage – herb and seeds for seasoning dishes
Leaves all season long
You should harvest regularly because this is the only way new shoots can continue to form and provide you with leaves throughout the season. All you have to do is pick off the leaves. Only cut the maggi herb if you want to avoid flowering.
The seeds are edible
After flowering, the lovage produces seeds that you can also harvest. But you have to wait until they are really ripe. You can tell this because they turn brown in color. This usually happens in late summer.
And what about the roots?
You can probably already guess: It's not just the lovage leaves and seeds that are suitable for consumption. You can also dig up the lovage root either in autumn or after winter in spring. However, it is important that the plant is old enough. She should be at least 3 years old at this point.
- You can use the leaves fresh to season your food, or dry them and store them dry for later.
- You can also use the lovage seeds immediately as you wish or store them in an airtight and dry place. It is important that you crush them before use. Bread is particularly popular with lovage seeds. But the spice also tastes good with rice.
- To use Maggikraut roots, you need to prepare them properly. First, clean them thoroughly, then cut them into smaller pieces that you can either use directly for cooking or dry.
How to process the Maggi herb – a few recipes
The Maggi herb can develop its healing effects as a tea, among other things. The so-called lovage salt is also often used for seasoning. You can also use it to make pesto for a healthy dip. See for yourself:
Maggi herb use as tea
You use the leaves to make oneMaking aromatic tea, which has a draining and detoxifying effect. These properties mean it can help with urinary tract infections, but also promote digestion. Lovage tea can even have a soothing effect on problems during menstruation and respiratory problems. Since Maggi herb tea is healthy, you should enjoy it every now and then. How to prepare it:
- Pour water over 1 teaspoon of dry leaves or 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves in a cup.
- Let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Strain the leaves.
- Drink.
Caution! Pregnant women and people with kidney disease are not allowed to consume the tea!
Prepare lovage salt for a delicious spice mixture
The spice mixture basically contains the same thing as the word itself, namely lovage and salt. You just need to mix in the right proportions.
- Shred the leaves. Ideally, you should process them into powder using a blender or an electric coffee grinder. You can decide for yourself how coarse you leave the spice.
- Now weigh the powder you received to determine the amount of salt required.
- The ideal ratio is 1:10. So if you have ground 10g of maggi herb, add 100g of salt and mix well.
Store the spice in an airtight container and, above all, in a dry place. Then it will last for a year.
How to dry herbs properlyfind out here.
Use the herb plant for pesto
Everyone knowsBasil pesto, but you can also process lovage for this purpose. You can use the following recipe as a basis and modify or add to it as you wish:
- 1 bunch of fresh maggi herb
- ½ bunch of fresh parsley
- 150 ml olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
- 50 g of any nuts or seeds (e.g. pine nuts, walnuts or pumpkin seeds)
- 70 g grated Parmesan
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 chopped red onion
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
You need the leaves and the thinner stems of the two herbs. Pluck these off after you have washed them and patted them dry. Then put them in a blender with all the other ingredients and puree them. If the pesto becomes too thick, you can gradually add a little more olive oil until you get the desired consistency.
In addition to olive oil, other vegetable oils can also be used. Very popular lovage pesto recipes include pumpkin seed oil, sunflower oil or walnut oil, but in principle you have a free choice here. You can also vary or combine the nuts as you wish.
Have you ever tried wild garlic pesto?This recipeis definitely worth a try!
