The Green Grub: Dill

Dill

(Anethum graveolens) Umbelliferae, Annual

Propogation: seeds, Spring, Autumn

Position: sunny, sheltered

Soil: light, well drained

Height: 90cm

Part Used: seeds, leaves

Dill is a very aromatic spice and gives a distinct flavor to pickles and salads.

Dill is a good spice for baking cakes, pies and pastries.

A few sprigs of Dill sprinkled in any soup make a refreshing and delicious soup.

Chewing a few Dill seeds can keep bad breath away.

Dips made with cheese and a few leaves of Dill are great with vegetable sticks or sandwiches.

A concoction made with a few seeds of Dill in water is good for digestion, cold and cough.

Description:

Dill is similar to fennel in appearance, though a smaller plant. It has plumes of dark green leaves & pale yellow flowers which form oval, flat seeds in abundance in Summer & Autumn.

History:

Dill is native to the Mediterranean countries & southern Russia. Once, it was known to ward of evil spells.

Cultivation:

As dill seeds are soft & delicate, they do not transplant easily, so sow in Spring & Autumn in a prepared bed. The slender stems are easily flattened by wind, so it is best to grow in a sheltered position, with as much sun as possible. If the soil is sour, apply lime well before the seeds are sown. Sow the seeds in shallow holes 25cms apart. Firm down the soil after covering & water well. For a continuing supply, keep sowing seeds through Summer. If leaves are picked from the centre, the setting of flowers will be delayed.

Harvesting & processing:

The seeds ripen in Autumn & can be collected as the 1st few fall. Snip off the heads & dry on a tray in the sun for a few days. When dry, the seeds can be easily shook from the heads. Store in a airtight container.

To keep the leaves, cut them before the flower heads appear. Spread out on a wire rack in a shady cool place. For freezing, chop the leaves finely, & mix with water & put in icecube trays in the freezer. Sprays of Dill can be wrapped in foil, sealed & kept in the deep freeze for some weeks.

Culinary:

Dill seeds flavours & helps the digestion of steamed cabbage, coleslaw, sauerkraut, cucumbers, onions, various chutneys & pickles, pastries, bread, sauces & cooked root vegies.

The leaves go with most foods. try mixing Dill with cottage or cream cheese. Sprinkle on your eggs, or into white sauce or salad dressings. use lavishly in green salads, potato salad, or sliced cucumber. Spread thickly over lamb, veal, or chicken while roasting. Add to fish, shellfish, rice or eggs. Dill soup is delicious. You can also use it as a garnish instead of parsley.

Medicinal: Dill is known as the soothing herb. The medicinal value is in the seeds, which are rich in oils which aid digestion - helping with flatulence. Dill seeds, together with fennel & Caraway seeds, as a feed supplement, helps increase the milk supply in cows & goats.

Cosmetic:

Dill is said to strengthen the fingernails.

Companion planting dill will help help asparagus, the Brassicas (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi), chervil, corn, cucumber, lettuce and onion. Conversely, planting beans near dill will be beneficial to the growth of your dill plants. One source identified lettuce as the best dill companion plant.

Companion planting dill with angelica, cabbage, caraway, carrots, chili and bell peppers, eggplant, fennel, lavender or potatoes is not recommended as they are all poor companions for dill.

Dill, Carrots & Cross Fertilization. Dill and carrots are both in the Umbelliferae family. If dill is allowed to flower, it can cross pollinate with carrots which is why the two should not be planted together. Dill can also cross-pollinate fennel but is one of the few good companion plants for fennel.

Companion Planting Tomatoes & Dill
Obtaining the benefits of companion planting dill with tomatoes requires a bit of vigilance. The growth and health of tomatoes will improve from being planted near young dill. However, once the dill matures it will stunt the growth of your tomatoes and should be moved. Dill also attracts tomato horn worms which will make it easier for the pests to find your tomato plants if the dill plants are left to mature.

Dill & Insects. Dill attracts a number of beneficial insects to your garden. Those insects include honeybees, hoverflies, Ichneumonid wasps and other wasps. Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars particularly enjoy dill.

Lemon-Dill Green Beans

1 lb green beans, trimmed
2 tbsp good-quality olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 spring onion, finely minced
Salt to taste
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced red capsicum
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the beans for about 5 minutes, or until just barely tender-crisp. Immediately plunge into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spring onions in a small bowl until combined. Add salt to taste.

In a large bowl, combine the beans with red onion, capsicum and dill. Pour the prepared dressing in, and toss to coat. Let stand for at least 20 minutes before serving (but preferably overnight) so that the flavours have some time to mellow and combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Chicken & Dill Soup:

INGREDIENTS

10 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 medium carrots, diced

1 large stalk celery, diced

3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces whole-wheat egg noodles, (3 cups)

4 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken breast,

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

PREPARATION

Bring broth to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, ginger and garlic; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Add noodles and chicken; simmer until the noodles are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in dill and lemon juice.

Zucchini Fritters

600 g zucchini

sea salt

1 small onion, grated

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

100 g fetta, crumbled

¼ cup finely chopped dill

2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 eggs, well beaten

75g (½ cup) plain flour

2 tbsp rice flour

freshly ground black pepper

olive oil

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions:

Coarsely grate the zucchini and put into a colander. Sprinkle lightly with salt and toss, then stand for 20 minutes to drain. Rinse the zucchini briefly, then squeeze it to extract as much liquid as you can. Pat dry with paper towel.

Mix the zucchini with the onion, garlic, fetta, herbs and egg in a large bowl. Sift on the flours, then season with pepper and stir to combine.

Heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat until sizzling. Drop small tablespoons of batter into the hot oil and flatten gently. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve piping hot.

Happy Grubbing

Gardenia Trellis