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| Marjoram plant (sterile) |
Dried marjoram is extremely important in industrial food processing and is much used, together with thyme, in spice mixtures for the production of sausages; in Germany, where a great variety of sausages is produced, it is thus called Wurstkraut “sausage herb”. Furthermore, application of marjoram to boiled or fried liver is somewhat classical. Marjoram may be effectively combined with bay leaves; furthermore, it goes well with small amounts of black pepper or juniper. Combinations of the last type are well suited to ragouts, particularly venison.
Yet marjoram also has its place in vegetable dishes; it is mostly recommended for rather heavy vegetables like legumes or cabbage. Fried potatoes spiced with liberal amounts of marjoram are delicious.
Fresh marjoram, on the other side, is more popular in South European cooking styles. Because of its lesser fragrance in cold climate, its usage in other regions may end in serious disappointment. Fresh marjoram may add new accents to the French fines herbes (see chives) and is frequently suggested for delicate fish dishes; it should be added shortly before serving. Only in less subtly flavoured dishes (like Italian tomato sauces spiced with garlic), fresh marjoram may be substituted by fresh oregano. Although this usage is not mentioned in cookbooks, fresh marjoram is well suited for the French bouquet garni (see parsley).
In Western Asia, particularly in Jordan, Lebanon and Israel, a local marjoram relative (Majorana syriaca) is a common flavouring for grilled mutton and also used to flavour breads. This special marjoram is more aromatic than the European variant and ranges in flavour somewhere between marjoram and oregano. Throughout the region, this powerful herb is known as zahtar [زعتر], also transcribed zaatar or za'tar; yet in regions devoid of this particular marjoram, the same name or similar names are often employed for other related herbs. In Jordan, the zahtar herb is used to prepare a spice mixture known by the same name (see sumac); a similar zahtar blend [זעתר] is also popular in Israel. If unavailable, the West Asian marjoram is best substituted not by European “sweet” marjoram, but by a preferably mild type of thyme.
Marjoram is also popular further North, around the Caucasus Mountains. The cuisine of Georgia is particularly known for its subtle blends of herbs, and for its pleasantly fruity, acidic-sweet, well-spiced sauces. Herbs are usually employed in form of khmeli-suneli (“dried herbs”, also written chmeli-suneli and hmeli-suneli [ხმელი-სუნელი]). That mixture may contain various herbs, e.g., marjoram, savory, dill and basil plus a smaller amount of black pepper and a pinch of Imeretian saffron (see safflower). Optional herbs are parsley, mint and coriander leaves; I have even seen a recipe calling for blue fenugreek, but think this must have been a confusion with regular fenugreek.
Khmeli-suneli is used for various Georgian meat and vegetable stews and also for the many sauces Georgian cuisine is so famous for. These sauces typically consist of dried herbs, sour fruits and nuts. Best known in the West is tkemali sauce made from a local wild plum variety (cherry plum, Prunus cerasifera called tkemali [ტყემალი] in Georgia). It is prepared simply by boiling and puréeing ripe or unripe plums; as flavourings, khmeli-suneli (or, according to some recipes, dill alone), lemon juice and garlic are used.
The west of Georgia shows somewhat Turkish influence, and people prefer a
more pungent style of food. In Abkhasia, the spice paste
adzhika (adshika, ajika [аджика])
is made from fresh chiles and paprika, aromatic fresh leaves
(celery, coriander),
garlic and khmeli-suneli.
Adzhika is typically served to go with grilled meats.
