- It is a perennial plant that can grow up to six feet in height, with roots, leaves, and seeds that are all useful in cooking.
- The fresh young leaves are a versatile ingredient in the kitchen and can be added to stuffing, soups, salads, stews, and used as a flavorsome garnish.
- Use the fresh leaves in moderation as they can easily overpower recipes. ...
What are the benefits and uses of lovage?
What are the health benefits of lovage?
- Relieves stomach gas and bloating. ...
- Calms stomach upset and is helpful for indigestion. ...
- Natural expectorant and aquaretic. ...
- Reduces inflammation and relieves pain. ...
- Strong antioxidant activity and anticancer effects. ...
- Rich in vitamin K. ...
- Important source of calcium, magnesium and potassium. ...
- Natural tonic properties. ...
How to grow and use lovage, an uncommon herb?
Lovage in the Kitchen
- Flavor and aroma: Lovage leaves, stems, and seeds have a strong celery-like flavor.
- Leaves: Use celery-flavored lovage leaves, fresh, frozen, or dried, anywhere you would use celery. ...
- Stems: Blanch the stems and eat them like celery or slice them into salads, stews, and soups.
What's a good lovage substitute?
What's A Good Lovage Substitute?
- Your best bet: Celery. Not only are lovage and celery related, they look a lot like each other. ...
- A decent second choice: Lovage seeds. Lovage seeds can provide dishes with much of the flavor that you want from lovage or from celery. ...
- In a pinch: Fennel. Fennel can be an effective lovage substitute. ...
- Other alternatives. ...
How to plant, grow, and harvest lovage?
Planting Lovage:
- Plant seeds in good quality, well draining soil.
- Soil should be sandy and loamy with a pH of 6.5
- Lovage plants are hardy to USDA zone 4.
- Sow indoors 5-6 weeks before the date of the last frost and do so in pots.
- Sow the seeds on the surface of the soil and dust with sand.
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Can you eat lovage leaves Raw?
The young leaves of this perennial herb are ideal for adding to salads, soups, stews and potato dishes, while blanched shoots can be eaten as a vegetable, and the roots are edible as a cooked vegetable or raw in salads. The stalks can be candied like angelica, while dried leaves can be used to make a tea.
What does lovage taste like?
Recipes and Cooking Ideas Lovage tastes like celery, a bit sweeter with a stronger flavor. It has hints of anise and parsley, too. The leaves are a bit milder than the stems. While lots of people recommend using it as a substitute for celery, I find that this herb has a flavor all its own.
How do you preserve lovage?
Lovage does not dry well and the leaves are best stored by freezing. Harvest the leaves, rinse with cold water and shake dry. Bunches of leaves can be frozen individually in plastic bags. Another way to freeze herbs is to fill ice cube trays with the chopped leaves, cover with a little water, then freeze.
Can you freeze lovage leaves?
Herbs with high water content, such as basil, lovage, mint, lemon balm, and tarragon can also be frozen. Freezing preserves herbs in a bright green state and makes them available for adding to soups and stews in winter. Wash herb stems and remove the leaves.
What part of lovage do you eat?
All parts of the plant can be used. The leaves can be chopped up and added to any dish you would use celery in including salads, soups, stews, frittatas, egg salad, and potato salad. The flavor is stronger than celery, so use it accordingly. If you like bloody Mary's, the hollow stalk of the lovage is for you!
Is lovage poisonous to dogs?
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Lovage has volatile oils, including phthalide lactones, and it's a diuretic.
Should I let lovage flower?
Remove flowers should lovage produce too many unwanted seedlings. Or, gather lovage seeds and use them in cooking as a substitute for celery seeds.
Does lovage grow back every year?
Two perennial herbs that I wouldn't be without are lovage and sorrel. They come up every year, survive on little attention, and are among the first plants to provide fresh green leaves in spring. They also pack powerful flavours. Lovage is tangy and pungent, like celery but richer and stronger.
How do you harvest and store lovage?
Lovage can be used fresh or stored frozen in sealed bags or dried. To dry lovage, tie cuttings in small bunches and hang them upside down in a dark, well aerated room. Store dried herbs in a sealed glass jar in a cool, dark area. Use dried lovage within a year.
Does lovage come back?
They come up every year, survive on little attention, and are among the first plants to provide fresh green leaves in spring. They also pack powerful flavors. Lovage is tangy and pungent, like celery but richer and stronger.
How do you freeze fresh lovage?
Lovage leaves and stems can also be frozen, to be added to soups and stews. Freeze entire stems and leaves to toss into a soup stock. Or chop up the leaves and/or stems, and freeze in ice cube trays to add to any cooked dish as needed. Some sources suggest to blanch lovage leaves before freezing.
Do butterflies like lovage?
It turns out that swallowtails like lovage even more than they like parsley. Lovage is a perennial herb with big celery-like leaves and a strong celery flavor. The leaves are used for teas and seasoning soups.
What herb is similar to lovage?
If you've got no lovage in the kitchen then you can use celery leaves, lovage seeds, celeriac, or flat-leaf parsley. Although they aren't an exact match, you'll find they still make an excellent substitute. If you're in a pinch then you could also try Chinese celery, fennel, or Maggi seasoning.
What is lovage called in the US?
Lovage Basics The beautifully pointy leaves omit a fresh, celery-like scent, which explains why the herb earned the nickname "false celery." And that's not its only relation to the crisp, green veggie. The seeds of the lovage plant are known as celery seed.
What is another name for lovage?
Lovage (scientific name: Lecisticum Officinale) is a member of the parsley/carrot/celery families. It is grown widely in Europe, and used most frequently in the cuisines of Southern Europe, Germany, England, and in some Eastern European countries.
Is lovage the same as cutting celery?
In case you are wondering, cutting celery has the common name “smallage” to differentiate from lovage, which is a much larger, but similar celery-flavored herb.
Traditional Lovage Health Benefits
Lovage herbal remedies have been around for centuries. The plant probably originated in the Mediterranean but has a widespread use in alcoholic beverages and common recipes across the globe. Much of its use was also as an anti-inflammatory, skin conditioner, menstrual support, gastric balm and much more.
Modern Benefits of Lovage
Lovage is high in many nutrients and minerals. It has loads of Vitamin C and B complex. The plant also has Quercetin, which inhibits histamine and helps with allergy symptoms. Many women also find relief from menstrual symptoms with lovage supplements.
What to Do With Lovage
Lovage is a cousin of parsley but tastes closer to celery. Use it in soups and stews or anywhere else you would use celery. It has a bright flavor that makes it perfect in a summer salad. All parts of the plant are useful, including the roots.
How to Grow Lovage
Like celery and parsley, lovage has a long germination period with a preference for cool conditions. To increase germination rates, plant only the freshest seeds and soak them in water for overnight prior to sowing.
How to Harvest Lovage
Harvest lovage leaves and stems often throughout the growing season to encourage new growth. Flavor is best when leaves and young and tender, and before the plant begins to flower.
How to Preserve and Store Lovage
Although lovage is best when used immediately after harvest, there are a number of ways to enjoy them outside of the growing season.
Common Issues
Lovage is a pretty robust plant that is rarely troubled by fungus or disease.
Where to Purchase Lovage Seeds
If you can’t find lovage seeds at the garden store, seed packets can be purchased online:
12 Lovage Recipes
Lovage packs quite a zing – use it whenever you want a fresh, deeply aromatic, and savory punch.
About Lovage
Levisticum officinale, from the Apiaceae (carrot/parsley) family, is native to Southern Europe and the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean.
The History of Lovage
The history of lovage goes back to the ancient Greeks who chewed the leaves for digestion and gas. The leaves were placed in the shoes to relieve weary feet (McVicar, 1997).
Culinary Uses of Lovage
What makes lovage so special to those of us who appreciate it is that it tastes like celery. It was originally popular as a salad green before celery was as common as it is today.
Therapeutic Uses of Lovage
Lovage has been used in infusions, tinctures, decoctions, vinegars, elixirs, lozenges, and bath and foot soaks.
What does lovage taste like?
And she’s right about lovage, it’s a wonderful herb, a sort of cynical, not-to-be-messed with elder brother to celery with a strong, spicy, bitter flavour of its own, slightly curry, slightly parsley, perhaps a touch of aniseed.
What can you substitute for lovage?
If you can’t find lovage, you can substitute with a mix of parsley and celery. Or, if you want a more definite taste, you could try coriander.
How to Harvest Lovage Leaves
Harvest the stalks before the plant flowers. Cut the stalks about an inch from the ground. Most climates will be able to have multiple harvests per season.
Save Some Seed
Leave some to flower and go to seed. The flowers are loved by pollinators of all types. After the flowers go to seed. Gather the seed heads an use the seeds as you would celery seed. I use it pickles most often.
Dry Lovage
Once harvested, wash the herb. Then gather into bunches and tie to hang. Let hang until the leaves are crispy dry. An electric dehydrator can be used as well, but isn’t necessary.
Infused Lovage Vinegar
This is a simple lovage recipe that can serve a multitude of purposes in your kitchen.
Lovage Salt
Take that dried lovage and make some lovage salt to season cooked dishes.
What Is Lovage?
Lovage (scientific name: Lecisticum Officinale) is a member of the parsley/carrot/celery families. It is grown widely in Europe, and used most frequently in the cuisines of Southern Europe, Germany, England, and in some Eastern European countries.
What Does Lovage Taste Like?
Imagine a combination of celery with a bit of parsley...but on steroids. This is not a shy herb by any stretch. In addition to the predominant celery bite, lovage also offers a bit of a citrusy zing.
How to Use Lovage
Lovage gets along beautifully with a large number of foods. The leaves can be used in salads, soups, and anything containing pork, poultry, and strongly flavored fish. But a word of caution: Lovage is strong. So I'd advise starting with just one or two chopped leaves in a dish.
Fresh vs. Dry Lovage
I have never encountered dried lovage in a store, but I do know that it is used in many cuisines, and that, unlike dried parsley, it DOES retain a strong bite. So, if you do grow it, dry some and try it for yourself.
Substitutions for Lovage
While nothing will give you quite the same punch as lovage, a combination of celery, parsley, and celery seed (perhaps with a bit of lemon zest) will put you in the same ballpark. You might also try a bit of celeriac (another woefully underused root) to achieve that intense celery flavor.
About Lovage
The History of Lovage
- The history of lovage goes back to the ancient Greeks who chewed the leaves for digestion and gas. The leaves were placed in the shoes to relieve weary feet (McVicar, 1997). The seeds were nearly as expensive as black pepper at one time. Hildegard of Bingen used lovage in her cooking. John Gerard believed lovage was one of the best remedies of his time (mid 1500s). Culpepper cl…
Culinary Uses of Lovage
- What makes lovage so special to those of us who appreciate it is that it tastes like celery. It was originally popular as a salad green before celery was as common as it is today. All parts of the plant can be used. The leaves can be chopped up and added to any dish you would use celery in including salads, soups, stews, frittatas, egg salad, and p...
Therapeutic Uses of Lovage
- Lovage has been used in infusions, tinctures, decoctions, vinegars, elixirs, lozenges, and bath and foot soaks. All parts of the lovage plant have been used therapeutically (and culinarily). Teas of the leaf and stalk were common and used for sore throats and tonsil problems, rheumatism/arthritis, jaundice, and for digestion. Lovage is known to be a diuretic and was consi…