Part mint, part thyme in taste, savory has been inspiring cooks since the days of the Saxons, when its name came to represent not only an herb, but a style of cooking revolving around rich flavors and aromas, according to Linda Gilbert, a San Francisco Bay Area writer and owner of the Sonoma-based catering company Broadway Catering and Events.
Though several varieties of the plant exist, the most common types incorporated into cooking are summer and winter savory. Just like the seasons that lend them their names, these plants vary in taste. Summer provides a light and airy flavor when added to summer beans and vegetables, according to Sallys-Place.com, an online culinary guide. But unlike its name would suggest, the plant fares better in an indoor setting, since it prefers rich soil high in organic matter, said Mary Keith, a member of the Santa Clara County Master Gardeners.
Winter savory is better for growing outside since it likes full sun and moderate weather, said Keith. Known for its coarser flavor, it’s best to cut fresh winter savory for drying just as its shrub begins to flower. The dried leaves make an excellent addition to stews and heavier dishes in the winter, according to Sallys-Place.com.
The herb, first introduced to the Americas by European settlers, also comes in a local flavor, noted Gilbert.
“In California, most people have heard of Yerba Buena, the original name for the city of San Francisco,” writes Gilbert. “Few probably realize that the ‘good herb’ (as the name translates to) is actually a variety of savory: Satureja douglasii.”
Today, Yerba Buena savory is grown in many parts of the South Valley as ground cover, according to Keith.
“It grows to be about six inches high and three feet wide with slender stems, and its leaves have a strong, minty scent with smaller, white-lavender flowers,” she said. “Dried, its leaves can make a pleasant tea that the early settlers in the area drank.”
With a distinctive and appealing flavor, savory is a recommended herb for flavoring no-salt diets, but it can do more, writes Gilbert. The plant is also held to assist with digestion, promote passion and act as a strong disinfectant.
To add a bit of spice to your kitchen, check out these recipes featuring savory, our spice of the month:
Asian Bean Salad
by Linda Gilbert for Sallys-Place.com
Serves 4
1/2 cup Adzuki Beans
4 sprigs winter savory
1/4 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. Asian chile sauce
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs. celery, chopped
4 Tbs. red onion, chopped
3 Tbs. red bell peppers, chopped
3 Tbs. snow peas, blanched and chopped
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
Step 1: Cover the beans in four times the volume of water and let soak overnight.
Step 2: Drain off the water and place the beans in a pot. Cover with five cups of water, add the salt and garlic. Bring to a boil and cook until the beans are soft but still retain their shape.
Step 3: Remove from heat, drain and rinse briefly with warm water. When drained, place in a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and toss gently until everything is evenly blended.
Summer Savory Chicken
from Foodgeek.com
Serves 4 to 6
3 1/2 lb. chicken
3 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. dried summer savory, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 lemon, cut in half
Step 1: Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse under cold running water; drain well and pat dry. Place breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
Step 2: Blend soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, summer savory and garlic. Brush chicken cavity and skin thoroughly with mixture, then place lemon wedges in cavity.
Step 3: Roast at 350°F for one hour and 45 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 185°F. Brush with soy-lemon mixture every 30 minutes.
Step 4: Remove chicken from oven and let stand 10 minutes before carving.
