Lovage is still often found in monastery, farm and herb gardens. In order to be able to use the herb in the kitchen for as long as possible after harvesting, it must first be preserved.
The scent of lovage alone (Levisticum officinale) enriches a walk through the garden. But if you also want to eat the Maggi herb, you have to know which parts of it to harvest and when. In this article you will learn details about harvesting and how to preserve and use lovage.
Harvest lovage
Almost all parts of the lovage plant can be used in the kitchen. Lovage leaves are harvested continuously from spring to autumn, with the younger shoots having a more intense aroma and the older leaves often becoming tough and bitter. To get the most flavor, harvest the young greens before they bloom. To do this, always cut off the entire shoot close to the ground. Regular harvesting is recommended so that fresh young leaves sprout. With older, well cared for plants, 3 to 4 cuts per year are possible, during which the entire lovage is harvested. In order to give the plant the possibility of normal development and storage of nutrients in the rhizome, which is essential for survival, the harvest of fresh lovage shoots should be reduced somewhat in summer from around July.
The seeds of Maggi herb are also used. You can harvest them in late summer, when the pods have turned brown.
Tip: Lovage only flowers from the second year, so no seeds are ready for harvest in the first year.
From a certain size, which is reached after about the third year, even the rhizome can be harvested. This should happen after the above-ground parts of the plant have died off in late autumn. All you have to do is dig up and clean the rhizome, then use it in the kitchen like any other root vegetable.
Harvesting lovage made easy:
- Root, shoot andSeeds can be harvested.
- Harvest young shoots from spring to autumn.
- Lovage seeds are harvested in late summer when the infructescence has turned brown.
- The roots are harvested from about the third year in late autumn.
Preserving lovage
For most lovage recipes, it is advisable to harvest the leaves just before preparation. As a result, fewer flavors and vitamins are lost. Nevertheless, it is worth preserving lovage, for example to season a stew or soup with it in winter.
Drying Lovage
For the lovage leaves, drying them in the air in a place with little light has proven to extend their usability. Lovage drying is quite easy. Tie several shoots into bundles with string and hang them up in a dry, moderately warm place. Alternatively, dry the shoots in the oven at less than 40 °C. You can also dry the lovage seeds and roots and thus preserve them. When the maggi herb has dried, chop it up and put it in an airtight container such as a glass. Always store dried lovage in a dark and dry place.
Tip: When drying lovage, make sure that you do not expose the shoots to direct sunlight, otherwise valuable aromas will be lost in the form of essential oils.
Freeze Lovage
Another way to preserve lovage is to freeze the maggi herb. However, you should not wait long after the harvest before freezing, so as not to lose any aroma. You can either freeze whole sprouts or cut the herb beforehand to use directly in cooking. What you should definitely pay attention to when freezing lovage is airtight packaging. Thus, Maggi herb keeps and tastes frozen for up to a year.
Tip: Use frozen lovage and do not thaw. This saves you time and the maggi herb doesn't get so mushy.
Insert
You can also preserve the aroma of lovage in vinegar or oil. The characteristic essential oils, which cause the confusion with the taste of the liquid Maggi seasoning, are transferred to the liquid. ItHowever, care should be taken to ensure that all parts of the plant are surrounded by the oil or vinegar. Otherwise mold will quickly form.
Use of lovage
Lovage is certainly used most frequently in the kitchen as a spice, and there are a number of lovage recipes for soups, stews or with meat and fish. The perennial is also known as maggi herb because of the characteristic aroma that hits the nose when the leaves are crushed.
Leaves: The leaves of the lovage are suitable for seasoning or alternatively processed as leafy vegetables. They are often found as an ingredient in soups and stews, finely chopped on bread, in salads or in herbal dips. Leaves and stems can even be bleached by covering them with an opaque cover - the flavor is then much milder and the whole plant is used much like chicory.
Seeds: The dried seeds are wonderful to grind and use as a spice, for example in bread dough.
Rhizome: Either fresh as a root vegetable or dried as a lovage tea, the rhizome of the lovage is mainly used in naturopathy, but also for the preparation of bouillons and cream soups.
Did you know that the rhizome plays a major role in the overwintering of Maggi herb? In our special article you can read what you need to look out for when caring for and overwintering lovage.
Lovage: effects and he alth benefits
The species epithet - i.e. the second Latin name - officinale interprets as with sage (Salvia officinalis), ginger ( Zingiber officinale), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and numerous other plants for their use in the manufacture of medicines or cosmetics.
In naturopathy, lovage is said to have the ability to help against heartburn, urinary tract infections, digestive problems and menstrual cramps. The dried leaves or pieces of root are often used as tea infusions or eaten directly.
In addition to iron, calcium and potassium, lovage also contains important vitamins such as vitamins B, C and E. Calculated per 100 grams, it contains three times as much vitamin C as an apple. Lovage not only tastes good, it is also very he althy.
How does Maggi herb taste?
The foliage of lovage is confusingly similar to that of flat-leaf parsley. The taste of the perennial is more reminiscent of celery - with the difference that lovage is even spicier and a little bitter. The bitter note increases over the course of the year - after flowering, the herb can hardly be used. Late in the summer, it is better to use lovage that has dried earlier in the season for use in the kitchen, or keep the vine young by regularly pruning it back.
Is lovage poisonous?
Lovage is not toxic, but should be consumed with caution during pregnancy or if you have kidney problems, as it has an anticonvulsant effect and can inflame kidney tissue if it is impaired. Like other umbellifers, for example Angelica (Angelica archangelica var. sativa) and Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) , lovage contains furocoumarins, which can cause phototoxic skin reactions. Therefore, gloves should be worn when working in strong sunshine.
Are maggiweed flowers edible?
Due to the high proportion of bitter substances, the flowers of lovage are not suitable for consumption. Here you better wait a little and harvest the seeds.
Would you also like to plant lovage? In our article you will find all the important information about the location and more.