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It
is one of the easiest herbs to grow in containers on an apartment
balcony, but is quite susceptible to root rot and fungal disease
if grown in soil that is too moist or heavy.
Thyme
does not require fertilizer and grows well with lavender and
sage. This herb will attract bees to your garden and it will
repel cabbageworms. Thyme can be propagated by seed, cuttings,
root division or layering. Its fine root system makes it more
difficult to transplant than most herbs. It should be moved
well in advance of any risk of freezing. A layer of sand applied
on the soil will help protect the delicate roots from frost.
Common thyme (T. Vulgaris), is the most preferred species
for use in the kitchen and in the essential oil industry.
Common thyme includes both English - or German or winter thyme
- and the narrower leafed French thyme. The latter is the
sweeter of the two and certainly preferred in French cuisine.
Both are perennials, but the French thyme is less robust than
the English variety and may require some winter protection.
Thyme has inspired poets from Virgil to A.E. Housman, who
wrote in A Shropshire Lad, "... Among the springing
thyme,/Oh, peal upon our wedding,/And we will hear the chime."
The word thyme may be derived from the Greek word thymon,
meaning courage. To the Greeks, thyme exemplified graceful
elegance and "to smell of thyme" was an expression
of urbane tribute. After bathing, the Greeks would use the
essential oil of thyme for massage.
The Romans bathed in thyme water to energize themselves and
during the Middle Ages, knights were given sprigs of thyme
by their ladies as tokens of courage before they went into
battle.
Sumerian cuneiform tablets dating back to 2750BC mention thyme
mixed with pears and figs as a medicinal poultice. The ancient
Egyptians used thyme for embalming and St. Hildegard recommended
the herb as a treatment for leprosy, paralysis and "excessive"
body lice. A moderate number of body lice were perfectly acceptable
we presume.
An old Irish legend claims that if you wash your eyes with
the dew from thyme on the morning of May 1st then you will
be able to see the fairies.
Today, thyme's well documented antiseptic and tonic qualities
make it the ideal immune system booster. It is particularly
effective for chest infections such as bronchitis, whooping
cough and pleurisy. Thyme may be taken as a tea or check with
your local health food store to see if they stock a natural
cough syrup using thyme. The essential oil of thyme must not
be taken internally. Some herbalists recommend a handful of
dried thyme - in a porous bag or cheesecloth - added to bath
water to ease back spasms.
Thyme is indispensable in French cuisine and in bouquet
garni. The best cooks prefer to work with fresh herbs,
but of course this is not always possible. When working from
a recipe, remember that one tablespoon of a fresh herb translates
into one teaspoon of the dried variety.
Thyme enhances wonderfully the flavor of beta-carotene vegetables
such as carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. Boost your immune
system with this
Herbed Carrot Soup
· 2 lbs. of carrots, chopped
· 1 large onion, diced
· A bouquet garni consisting of 6 sprigs of fresh parsley,
3 thyme sprigs or 1 tsp. of dried thyme and 6 black peppercorns
· 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
· 4 Tbsp. butter
· 6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
· Freshly grated mace or nutmeg and salt and pepper
to taste.
In
a good-sized soup pot, sauté the onion and garlic in
the butter until soft. Start with the onion and add the garlic
after a couple of minutes. Add the stock and the carrots and
simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bouquet garni and continue
to simmer for another 20 minutes. Carrots are the one vegetable
that becomes more nutritious with cooking as the vitamin A
rich fibre is thus broken down and more easily absorbed by
the body. Remove the bouquet garni, allow the soup to cool
and put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup
over a low heat while adding the nutmeg and salt and pepper
to taste. Serve with some fresh, home-made bread and garnish
with some fresh parsley and a little chopped fresh thyme.
Thyme is the best herb for flavoring pork. The following recipe
will serve two. Double the ingredients for four etc.
Pork Tenderloin in Puff Pastry
· 2 large pork tenderloins
· 1 package of frozen puff pastry
· 4 slices of lean bacon
· ½ cup of Dijon mustard
· 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
· Juice of ½ lemon
· 2 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves
· 2 tsp. fresh winter savory, chopped
· 1 tsp. of olive oil
· ½ tsp. of salt
· 1egg yolk, beaten
· Freshly ground black pepper to taste
· Fresh parsley for garnish
Thaw
the puff pastry in the refrigerator and role out sufficient
sheets to totally enclose each pork tenderloin. Look for frozen
puff pastry packaged in two blocks. Roll out each block to
a 12-inch square for each tenderloin. In a bowl mix together
the mustard, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, olive oil and salt
and pepper. Coat the pork tenderloin with this mixture and
set aside. Lay one slice of bacon as a base on the puff pastry.
Coat this bacon with a layer of the mustard/thyme mix and
lay the tenderloin on top. Cover the tenderloin first with
the mustard/thyme mix and then place the other bacon slices
on the sides and on top of the tenderloin. Wrap the puff pastry
around the tenderloin and bacon, ensuring that the seal overlaps.
Seal it well along the seam and at both ends with a little
water. You can get creative with left over pieces of puff
pastry by using them as raised relief designs. Brush with
the beaten egg yolk, adding a little milk if necessary to
increase quantity. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet
in a preheated 350F oven for one hour.
Chicken is also complemented wonderfully by thyme.
Sherried Kiwi Chicken (whose thyme has come)
· 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
· 1 cup of chicken stock
· ¼ cup of medium dry sherry
· 1 onion, chopped
· 3 cloves of garlic, minced
· 3 Tbsp. of butter
· 1 Tbsp. of unbleached white flour
· Freshly ground black pepper to taste
· 5-6 fresh, ripe kiwis, peeled and chopped
· 2 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 1 tsp.
of dried).
Sauté the chicken breasts in the butter until lightly
browned on both sides. Remove from pan and place into a lidded
casserole. In the same pan sauté the onion until translucent
and then add the garlic. Then add the flour, continually stirring
while you make a roux. Turn down the heat and slowly add the
chicken stock until a nice thickened sauce has formed. Then
add the sherry, the thyme and the freshly ground black pepper.
Salt should not be necessary unless you have used unsalted
chicken stock. Pour the sauce over the chicken and then pack
the kiwis around and on top of the chicken. Cover and bake
in a preheated 375F oven for about 30 minutes or until the
chicken is well-cooked. Serve with rice. Serves four.
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