Dill The Meeting House Herb by Judi Singleton

For a continuous crop, sow repeatedly from mid spring to early summer.

Don't plant near caraway, fennel or angelica.

Caterpillars are fond of dill, and can be handpicked if they become a

nuisance.

Harvesting and Preserving

Dill is a lovely herb that adds a refreshing flavor to any recipe. Try

adding a little dill to a ho-hum recipe, and watch what happens. It’s

almost magic! This booklet starts with tips on growing, harvesting and

preserving dill, and then turns to cooking with dill. These are without

a doubt the best dill recipes you’ll ever taste!

More...

The best way to use dill is fresh from the garden, so during the

growing season, cut your dill to use fresh as you need it. If not kept

cut, your dill will go to seed, so cut often until you are ready to

switch to seed production.

If you find that you have cut more than you can use, dry the excess in

the microwave. Spread the dill in a single layer on a paper towel and

microwave on high for 3 minutes. The result is beautiful and tasty -

much better than dried dill you buy in the grocery store. After

microwaving, remove and discard the hard stems, crumble the leaves, and

store in an airtight container protected from light.

Once seedheads begin to form, it's time to stop cutting dill for fresh

use. Allow the seedheads to develop and dry completely, then cut them.

You'll be able to remove the seeds easily with your fingers.

Medicinal Uses:

To brew a stomach-soothing tea, use two teaspoons of mashed seeds per

cup of boiling water. Steep for ten minutes. Drink up to three cups a

day. In a tincture, take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon up to three times a day. To

treat colic or gas in children under two, give small amounts of a weak

tea. Many herbalists recommend combining dill and fennel to ease colic

in infants.`

Culinary Uses

The taste of dill leaves resembles that of caraway, while the seeds are

pungent and aromatic. Freshly cut, chopped leaves enhance the flavor of

dips, herb butter, soups, salads, fish dishes, and salads. The seeds

are used in pickling and can also improve the taste of roasts, stews

and vegetables. Try grinding the seeds to use as a salt substitute.

Both the flowering heads and

Pick leaves fresh for eating at any time after the plant has reached

maturity. Although leaves can be dried, great care is needed and it is

better to concentrate on drying the seed for storage.

Put the flower head upside down in a paper bag and tie the top of the

bag. Put in a warm place for a week. The seeds should then separate

easily from the husk. Store in an airtight container. The seeds will

keep their flavor very well.

Dill is a culinary herb that improves the appetite and digestion. The

difference between dill leaf and dill seed lies in the degree of

pungency. There are occasions when the seed is better because of its

sharper flavor.

Dill doesn’t mean pickles but “dill pickles” is so common it seems like

one word. Don’t confine this versatile herb! A few sprigs work wonders

for potato salad and try the yellow flowers in green salads. It is used

as a flavoring for soup, lamb stews and grilled or broiled fish. It can

also add spiciness to rice dishes and be combined with white wine

vinegar to make tasty dill vinegar.

Dill leaf can be used generously in many dishes, as it enhances rather

than dominates the flavor of food.

For dill pickles, before it sets seed, add one flower head to a jar of

pickled gherkins, cucumbers or cauliflower for a flavor stronger than

dill leaves but fresher than seeds. Where a salt-free diet must be

followed, the seed, whole or ground, is a valuable replacement because

of its high mineral content.

Truly a great herb and certainly not a weed!

Source:

Your Backyard Herb Garden

by Miranda Smith

Complete Herb Encyclopedia

by Nico Vermeulen

Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine

by Andrew Chevallier

The Herbfarm Cookbook

by Jerry Traunfeld

All About Herbs, Avery's FAQs Series

Go to Page 1

BIO:

about the author Judi Singleton is the publisher of Jassmine's Journal
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