Hoja santa

[fifi]

My sister has about a 20 foot bed of Hoja santa that is reaching the eaves of the house. We had a mild winter last year and it never froze back. I am looking for some inspiration on using it.

Check it out here.

We have used this in a rough chiffonade to make a bed for baked chicken thighs and as a pan liner/wrapper for a tamale pie type thing that I got out of one of my Zarela Martinez books.

Zarela has a charming story about the plant... It seems that the Virgin Mary, being very poor, had very few diapers for the Baby Jesus. There was this big leafy bush growing in her yard and she would spread the washed diapers on the big leaves to dry. God blessed the bush and to thank it for helping the Virgin Mary in her time of need, he named it Hoja santa.

[shelora]

I am making a Oaxacan Yellow Mole this weekend, from D.K.'s book, The Art of. Using pork, I will flavour the mole with hoja santa. It permeates the mole with a lovely anise flavour.

I have used strips of it in appetizer sized tamales. I love it and am so pleased I am growing it in Canada.

I've seen it used wrapped around fish in Veracruz, where it is called acujo.

Cheers,

Shelora

My sister has about a 20 foot bed of Hoja santa that is reaching the eaves of the house. We had a mild winter last year and it never froze back. I am looking for some inspiration on using it.

Check it out here.

We have used is in a rough chiffonade to make a bed for baked chicken thighs and as a pan liner/wrapper for a tamale pie type thing that I got out of one of my Zarela Martinez books.

Zarela has a charming story about the plant... It seems that the Virgin Mary, being very poor, had very few diapers for the Baby Jesus. There was this big leafy bush growing in her yard and she would spread the washed diapers on the big leaves to dry. God blessed the bush and to thank it for helping the Virgin Mary in her time of need, he named it Hoja santa.

←

[caroline]

Have to try the yellow mole. Sounds great. And Fifi the plant is a damn trifid if you remember that classic science fiction story. I had mine trapped in a pot for some time where it behaved itself. Then I made the mistake of putting it in the garden. After sulking a while, it took off and I rather liked the tropical look it gave to my basically dry garden. Now it's on a rampage. I hacked it back today and have a huge number of leaves.

We not in an hoja santa part of Mexico. The best restaurant in town chops it finely and sprinkles it over a mixed salad. That takes care of of about half one of the leaves.

My guide in everything Mexican, Ricardo Muñoz, helpfully points out that it's used with iguana,

Rachel

[fifi]

Yes, it is the trifid of the garden. What I am laughing about is the reference to iguana. I am wondering if they feed it to the iguana to flavor the flesh. On the long running gardening thread, I once suggested to a member with a bountiful amount of basil to buy a lamb and feed the sucker up on the basil.

I suppose that with the concern about safrole, the flavor component of the herb, one should be prudent. After all, there isn't real sassafras in root beer any more. (Sassafras is the flavor component of root beer. While Hoja santa is said to have an anise flavor, that isn't quite right. The flavor is root beer or sassafras.)

[theabroma]

Zarela has a charming story about the plant... It seems that the Virgin Mary, being very poor, had very few diapers for the Baby Jesus. There was this big leafy bush growing in her yard and she would spread the washed diapers on the big leaves to dry. God blessed the bush and to thank it for helping the Virgin Mary in her time of need, he named it Hoja santa.

←

[caroline]

Great story. And the way it goes, there'd be room for the diapers!

Rachel

[chefsteban]

I have used Hoja Santa in cooking black beans...they impart a lovely anise-y flavor. I have also wrapped salmon fillets in the hoja and steamed them; plating the still wrapped salmon on a light chipolte sauce......my guests are awed by the resulting flavors.

Edited October 3, 2004 by chefsteban (log)

[caroline]

Sound like great ideas. And doable at home too.

What's your take on the flavor. You say anisey but others on this thread tend to root beer!

Rachel

[foodie52]

Paula Lambert (Mozzarella Company) wraps goat cheese in a leaf.