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Angelica
By
Bruce Burnett |
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One competing legend about angelica claims that a monk named the herb during the Black Death after an angel appeared and showed him that it could cure the plague. Another maintains the herb is named after St. Michael the Archangel because it blooms on the saint’s feast day, May 8th.
Angelica has a longstanding reputation as a protector against evil. In Medieval Europe, peasant children wore angelica leaf necklaces to protect them from illness and witchcraft. The herb was also sprinkled around the house, inside and out, to ward off evil. Added to your bath water, angelica will reputedly remove any curses or spells that someone has placed on you.
In the garden angelica is a biennial, growing as high as eight feet, and hardy to Zone 3. In the first year the plant has no stem, but produces a cluster of divided leaves growing from a robust root. The herb is also known as wild parsnip because of this root and wild celery because of its bright green, celery-like foliage. The herb is best grown from seed and will thrive in rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
It grows well in full sun or dappled shade. The seed needs some light for germination, so it should be tamped into the soil rather than buried. Germination is from 21-28 days. Sow fresh seeds outdoors in autumn for exposure to frost, or pre-chill in a refrigerator for a few weeks before sowing in spring spacing 2½ -3 feet in a soil temperature of 60-70ºF. Angelica is subject to aphid attacks. Spray infested flower heads with a cup of water that has had six crushed cloves of garlic soaked in it. Young leaves can be gathered any time during the growing season, the stems in the summer of the second year. Cut seedheads and ripen until seeds are dry enough to store. Dig up the roots in the first fall or second spring then clean and dry slowly. Larger roots should be sliced into smaller pieces. Two-year-old roots are most desirable. Stinging nettle improves the oil content by up to 80% when planted nearby. Dried angelica is subject to insect infestations and should be stored in sealed containers. The root must be harvested soon after the seeds ripen, as it will quickly rot in the ground after the plant has matured. Do not wild craft angelica, as the wild herb is too easily confused with its deadly look-alike, water hemlock.
Medicinally, both Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine recommend angelica for arthritis and respiratory problems caused by colds and flu. It is a warming and tonic herb, useful for indigestion, gas and colic. An old remedy recommends slowly chewing the stalks until flatulence is relieved. Combine with coltsfoot and white horehound for bronchial problems and with chamomile for indigestion, flatulence and loss of appetite. The leaves are used in the bath to stimulate the skin.
Angelica salve is helpful in cases of allergic rhinitis and sinusitis because it is warming and it dissolves mucus. Apply it twice daily to the area of the para-nasal sinuses, forehead, root of the nose, nose, cheeks and angle of the jaw. It also improves circulation to peripheral parts of the body. Under no circumstances should angelica be taken during pregnancy.
For those subject to indigestion, the following makes a good homemade stomach bitters. Take 20-30 drops before meals.
Stomach Bitters
Take one handful each of the following herbs (preferably fresh):
· Angelica root
· Gentian root
· Wormwood herb
· Sweetflag root
· 1 cinnamon stick
· Grain alcohol, brandy or vodka
Fill a mason jar halfway with the finely chopped herbs. Add the cinnamon stick and pour in enough alcohol to fill the jar. Close it tightly and let the mixture steep for 2-3 weeks, shaking it occasionally. Strain the bitters and then place into dropper bottles.
Angelica’s unusual flavor is a musky, bittersweet mixture of celery and anise. The dried leaves make a fragrant addition to a potpourri. The fresh leaves may be added to salads, soups and stews. The dried, ground root has a stronger, earthier taste than the leaves and the Norwegians bake bread with it. However, the most common use of angelica in the kitchen involves the stem. In Iceland and Lapland the stems are eaten raw with butter. The young stalks can also be braised like celery and served with a white sauce.
Candied or crystallized angelica is a popular treat and cake decoration. Always use the young green stems from a plant in its second year of growth. Cut the required amount of stems into six-inch long pieces and soak overnight in cold water. Drain and blanch in a pan of boiling water for about two minutes. Drain and allow to cool. Peel off the outer skin. If it resists, it needs more blanching.
Make a syrup by boiling one cup of sugar with an equal amount of water until the sugar is well-dissolved (five to ten minutes). Simmer the peeled angelica stems in the syrup for 20 minutes. Remove the angelica from the syrup and refrigerate both separately and covered for four days. Reheat angelica in the syrup and cook at a minimum temperature of 238ºF for 20 minutes or until candied. Drain the angelica and dry on racks set over waxed paper. Store in airtight containers.
Angelica root and seeds are also used in the commercial preparation of certain liqueurs such as Benedictine and Chartreuse. You can make your own excellent and economical liqueur using angelica by following this recipe:
Angelica Liqueur:
· 1 lb. fresh angelica stalks
· 1 pint (four-fifths of a bottle) of brandy
· 1½ cups of sugar
Cut the young angelica stalks into small pieces and add to the brandy in a sealed bottle. Leave in a sunny spot for about two weeks. Dissolve the sugar in a small amount of water and add to the bottle. Leave to stand for a further four weeks, then filter and keep the liqueur in an airtight bottle.
Angelica-Wrapped Baked Halibut
· 2 medium halibut steaks
· ½ cup of basil pesto
· Enough angelica leaves to cover both steaks
Place one halibut steak on top of the other with a “sandwich” of pesto between them. Spread the rest of the pesto over the top and bottom of the steaks and wrap the steaks in the angelica leaves and secure with twine or toothpicks. Bake in a preheated oven at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Check for doneness by unwrapping some angelica leaves and cutting into the fish. If it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, it is done. Spread the pesto evenly over the steaks before serving.
Author's Bio
Bruce Burnett is an award-winning writer, a chartered herbalist and author of HerbWise: growing cooking wellbeing. Bruce and his wife Delaine own Olivia’s Fashion, Furnishings & Gifts at 411A – 1st Avenue, Ladysmith, BC CANADA. Website: www.olivias.ca/ Read more published articles by Bruce Burnett on his personal website: www.bruceburnett.ca/.
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