DILL - A BEWITCHING INGREDIENT

Dill is a self-seeding, bee-attracting annual. Each plant is a single stem, about three feet tall, with aromatic leaves and flavorful seeds. It makes an attractive backdrop along a garden perimeter. Sow the seeds in early spring directly into a sunny, well-drained spot as dill forms a taproot that does not transplant well.

Once the plant is established, harvest the leaves by snipping close to the stem. Harvested leaves lose their strong flavor after a couple of days. Dill can be dried. For a steady supply, freeze the stalk together with the leaves and snip the leaves as needed.

Dill vinegar, however, forms a popular household condiment. It is made by soaking the seeds in vinegar for a few days before using.

The French use Dill seeds for flavouring cakes and pastry, as well as for flavouring sauces.

Two or three weeks after the flowers blossom, harvest the light brown seeds in the same manner as caraway. Use seeds in vinegar's and as a pickling spice.

The name comes from the Norse dilla, which means to lull; dill was once used to induce relaxation and sleep. Some people hang branches of dill above doors as a charm against witches.

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Dill Pickle Relish - Great with chunks of hot fresh bread!

Ingredients:

• 1.8 kg pickling cucumbers
• 2 medium onions
• 1 small head of cabbage
• 1 tbsp mixed pickling spice
• 1 tbsp pickling salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 500 ml cider vinegar
• 125 g sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill plus a few whole sprigs

1. Chop the cucumbers and onions into small chunks and shred the cabbage. Finely chop the garlic. Tie the pickling spice in a muslin bag and place in a large pan with the cucumber, onion, cabbage and garlic and all the remaining ingredients except dill sprigs. Mix well.

2. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then reduce heat and cook for a further 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove spice bag.

3. Spoon into hot sterilized jars leaving 2 cm space at top of jar. Add a few sprigs of dill then seal firmly. If processing, do for 15 minutes.

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