Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is the root of a perennial plant native to the northwestern parts of Asia and southern Europe that grows up one meter tall. The roots of three-four year old plants are used in the making of liquorice, harvested during the autumn season and then dried. These are cleaned and either left in whole sticks or chopped into coarse pieces, sometimes ground.
Use to flavour dairy-based desserts, fruit salads, cocktails and savoury items like roasted meat juices and vegetable purées. Liquirice enhances flavours, so a light sprinkling will add a note of aromatic and astonishing taste to recipes like saffron risotto, grilled red meat or game.
Licorice has been known for its properties in Chinese medicine for at least 5000 years and was also used by the ancient Greeks and Romans (the botanical name Glycyrrhiza comes from Greek and means "sweet root"). Greek heroes chewed on sticks of licorice to help them forget their thirst in battle, but apart from that, it is widely used in herbal medicine, as it has digestive, anti-inflammatory, liver purifying, diuretic, mucosal protective (antiulcer), expectorant (against cough) and anti-inflammatory properties.
Botanical Name: Glycyrrhiza glabra
