What can I do with Lovage?

[CotswoldLass]

Have it growing in the garden, thriving, but haven't the foggiest what to do with it? Any ideas welcome!

CLx

[CotswoldLass]

[caroline7758]

According to my Jekka McVicar book, you can add young leaves to salads, use crushed seeds in bread or on salad or rice, use the root as a vegetable but peel first, leaf and seed can be used as a celery salt, and an infusion of the seed or leaf reduces water retention.

She says it's a forgotten culinary delight which adds a meaty taste to dishes and makes a wonderful soup.

So now you know! :D

[Tin Shed]

I may have dreamt this but lovage pesto comes to mind!

[Duke Ellington]

Lovage has a flavour similar to celery only milder. I hate celery but can tolerate lovage in stocks or soup. It adds flavour...like a secret ingredient ;)
I sometimes add it to pasta sauces. I use the stems (then discard) to flavour my stock or pasta sauces but you can use the leaves as you would use any herb.
My lovage thrives in my garden too.  I cut it back every year and then forget about it until it appears again in spring.

Duke ;D

[Bugloss2009]

or you can bung a handful in, when you're having a bath

[grannyjanny]

Something else for my list when I next go to buy herbs then ;).

[CotswoldLass]

oooh...am excited to try things now....keep the ideas coming!
Bath though? Won't it end up with green soggy bits LOL
CLx

[PurpleHeather]

I have had a lovage plant for a few decades.

I found the flavour dominated soups stews stock and salads

It is not an unattractive plant and a leaf or two in  stock will add the 'celery' taste but don't over do it.

Cut hard back in June and use it for compost.

[Bugloss2009]

oooh...am excited to try things now....keep the ideas coming!
Bath though? Won't it end up with green soggy bits LOL
CLx

tie it up with string, bit like a bouquet garni  :)

[artichoke]

My children, now in their 40s, still remember their lovage baths - all three sat together in swirling green seaweed; supposed to be good for the skin.

I find it a rather overpowering flavour, too. Sometimes add it to pasta sauces. It's a pity I can't think of more uses as it is enormous and healthy. For some reason, it does not set seed and self sow, or it could become a terrible nuisance.

I dug mine up (roots go down to Australia, thick and strong) and put it under a big old apple tree to slow it down, but it is already above head height, seems to like it there.

[calendula]

can't stand the stuff myself, something about the smell but I have a huge clump and use it to mulch a fruit bed - you might find the links here useful

http://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Lovage

[euronerd]

Goes well in a white sauce too, à la cauli cheese but you don't need much

[suncekoret]

Lovage is so under-rated maybe because it's not available as a dried herb.
The flavour is more than celery it has a general savouriness ( if there is such a word)
One of it's many virtues is that it produces so much, you can afford to be generous with it.

We use it chopped in salads of all kinds, especially wonderful in a potato salad.
As mentioned whole stems can be used in casseroles and fished out before serving. We use handfulls in soups - lettuce & lovage or kohl-rabi & lovage are great. We dry and use the seeds in curries and have cooked fish on the stems instead of fennel. 
The dried stems by the way are great for insect hotels instead of canes.


Must try the lovage pesto, should I still use nuts and cheese?