Recipe: 'Dill'icious Cream

Hi! I'm Dill!

"You're probably most familiar with me in cucumber pickles. My leaves are called "dill weed," but they're not a weed. That's just to tell them apart from my seeds. They're actually soft, feathery, almost fern-like leaves. My flavor has hints of the other herbs in my family: anise, celery, and parsley!"

History & Etymology

• Dill is most likely native to the Mediterranean region and has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes for thousands of years.
• Dill may have been used medicinally in Egypt 5,000 years ago. It was found in the tomb of Amenhotep II, an Egyptian pharaoh from about 1400 BCE.
• Later, dill was also found in Greece, from around the 7th century BCE in the city of Samos, and was referred to in the writings of the Greek philosopher and naturalist Theophrastus (371-287 BCE). 
• Dill was used to aid digestion and soothe stomach upsets, although no scientific studies support these uses. Due to its pleasant fragrance, dill has been added to soaps and cosmetics and used for aromatherapy. It has also been used to repel some insects.
• India produces the most dill worldwide. Other producers are in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Russia consumes the most dill.
• The word "dill" is from the Old English "dile" or "dyle," related to the Dutch "dille" and German "dill." The very beginning of the word is unknown.

Anatomy

• The dill plant (species Anethum graveolens) is an annual herb from the Apiaceae family, which includes anise, carrots, celery, and parsley. The plants can grow from 1 1/2 to 5 feet tall.
• The plant consists of thin, hollow stems and delicate, feathery leaves. Tiny yellow flowers appear in hot or dry weather as part of an umbel (inflorescence or flower cluster) at the end of a stem. The dried fruit (schizocarp) separates into mericarps containing one or more seeds.
• Dill seeds are very light; an ounce may contain up to 25,000!
• Dill flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. 

How to Pick, Buy & Use

• Dill leaves (dill weed), seeds, and flowers are all edible. Dill has a citrusy, grassy flavor with notes of anise. 
• To harvest the dill seeds for pickling or seasoning, wait for the plants to bloom. When the flowers start to brown and the seeds begin to dry out and turn pale brown, cut the flower clusters from the stem and put them upside down in a paper bag with holes in a warm, dry spot for one to two weeks until the seeds can be shaken from the flower heads. Store them in an airtight container. 
• To harvest the leaves, pinch or cut the outer leaves where they come out of the main stem. Avoid picking the center leaves so growth is not affected, and take no more than a third of the leaves at a time.
• Pinch off the flowers if you want to eat them or extend the dill harvest, but leave them on if you plan to use the seeds. 
• Fresh dill can be purchased in a grocery store's produce section. It comes in bunches or small, plastic clamshell containers. Look for bright green, feathery leaves on firm stems. Dried dill weed and seeds are found in the spice section. 
• Dill seeds are added to pickling spice and used in pickled vegetables and corned beef. They can be used whole or crushed in breads, dips, marinades, sauces, soup, and fish dishes. 
• Dill weed is also used in many of the same ways as listed above, including pickling, especially for dill pickles. It may be added to eggs, potatoes, salad dressings, and meat dishes. Dill is also used as a garnish.
• Some dishes with dill weed are egg salad, potato salad, and meat dishes, like hamburgers and meatballs.  
• Dishes with dill weed are seen in various cuisines from around the world, including "gravlax" (a Nordic dish of salmon cured with dill, salt, and sugar) and "tzatziki" sauce (a Turkish sauce commonly used with falafel, gyros, and grilled meats, like souvlaki), In Russia, dill weed is added to salads and soups and sprinkled atop "pelmeni" (dumplings).

Nutrition

• Dill is low-calorie and is a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, manganese, iron, potassium, and calcium. It contains flavonoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.