Tutto Calabria Calabrian Dried Oregano on the Stem, 40g

Tutto Calabria’s Dried Oregano on the Stem is wild Calabrian oregano, harvested from the hillsides of Southern Italy as the flower buds form, then rapidly dried while still on the branch. Tutto Calabria has grown and processed Calabrian chillies and herbs as a family business since 1970, and this oregano follows the same principle as their peperoncini: pick at peak flavour, then dry quickly to lock it in. Sold whole rather than pre-crumbled, it fills the kitchen with a warm, sun-baked aroma the moment you break off the first sprig.

This is where the on-the-stem format earns its keep: crumble the leaves straight from the branch over a bubbling tomato sauce, a tray of roasted vegetables or a garlic and olive oil bruschetta, and the difference in aroma compared with a jar that has been sitting on a shelf for months is obvious. It is just as good rubbed into lamb or pork before roasting, scattered over a finished margherita, or stirred through a Mediterranean-style baked rice with plenty of olive oil and lemon.

Recipes to try using this ingredient:

• Mediterranean Lamb with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Oregano
  
• Spanish Arroz al Horno with Pork Ribs
  

Why we love it:

• Sold whole on the stem rather than pre-crumbled, so the leaves keep their volatile oils intact until you crush them yourself just before cooking - most jarred oregano loses a significant share of its aroma within months of being ground
• Dried oregano is one of the herbs most commonly bulked out with cheaper leaves such as olive or myrtle; buying it whole on the stem removes any doubt about what’s in the packet – this is 100% Calabrian oregano, nothing else
• Harvested as the flower buds form, which is when the essential oil content - and the flavour - is at its highest
• Grown on Calabria’s hot, dry hillsides, giving a more intense, peppery flavour than the milder oregano typically used in mass-market supermarket jars
• Made by Tutto Calabria, a family producer that has worked with Calabrian herbs and chillies since 1970

How to use:

• Crumble 1-2 sprigs directly into a simmering tomato sauce for pasta or pizza, stirring in for the final 5 minutes of cooking so the oils infuse without cooking off
• Rub 1 tablespoon of crumbled leaves into 1kg of lamb or pork shoulder with olive oil, garlic and lemon zest before roasting
• Scatter over a finished margherita pizza or bruschetta rather than adding before baking, so the aroma stays fresh
• Store any unused sprigs in the packet and only crumble what you need each time – left whole, the rest will keep its flavour for far longer

More information:

• 40g pack, sold whole on the stem - a little goes a long way, so this typically lasts several months of regular use
• Naturally gluten-free,...