Lovage
Levisticum officinale
Similar veggies:
Celery, parsley
A quick introduction
Lovage can be identified by its hollow stem, the top of which is green while turning a gray-reddish colour towards the base. The leaves are divided, flat and light green. When bruised, they produce a strong celery-like scent. We often only include a sprig or two to the veggie box because a little lovage goes a long way.
Storage
In a closed container in the fridge.
Season
spring to fall
Suggestions for preparation
Lovage is quite similar to celery in taste, but it has more fresh citrus notes, with hints of aniseed. You can use lovage where you would use celery, as the stems contain a lot of flavour, even more than the leaves. Chop it together with other herbs for a pesto or a dip, mix it in salads, use it to dress roasted meat and vegetables or add it to a stock.
Recipes
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall gives a few recipe suggestions in this article about lovage (we are particularly intrigued by the mackerel and lovage tarts).