2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The dock is one of the natural gifts of spring, which grows freely in our country. The common dock is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Lapad family (Polygonaceae). Occurs with the Latin names Rumex crispus; Rumex aquaticus; Rumex acetosella (sorrel); Rumex alpinus; Rumex obtusifolius. It should be distinguished from the snake dock (Arum maculatum L), which has quite beneficial effects on health, as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, but it is still a poisonous herb and only the tuber is used.
The ordinary dock however, it is found both in Bulgaria and in most of Europe and is grown mainly as a leafy vegetable. It grows mainly in areas with temperate climates and is often found as wild. The dock is a close relative of the sorrel (Rumex acetosa) - they have a similar taste and great external resemblance.
History of the dock
The history of this useful plant can be traced back to antiquity, when for Roman troops it was a salvation against their burning thirst during military campaigns. Virgil himself announced that the dock is mandatory for the garden of the ordinary and decent peasant, and Horace used it quite often as a laxative. The Aztecs called the dock "atlinan", which means "its mother is water", which is associated with its growth around the streams. They also called it "axixpatlic ztic", which means "yellow urine", which refers to its use as a diuretic.
During the Middle Ages, the popularity of the plant grew and it was increasingly included in the preparation of dishes. Over the years, soups with dock began to be prepared in Western Europe, as well as exquisite sauces, which were served with well-cooked meats and fish specialties.
Types of dock
They differ between 150 and 200 kind of dock, but only 20 are known in our country. The most common species are common, deciduous, Maikop and Lyon.
Composition and useful substances of dock
The dock is one of the valuable foods during the spring season, which we should not deprive ourselves of and we should include regularly in our menu. It is undoubtedly one of the healthiest vegetables along with nettle, spinach because of its great variety of vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, the dock is free of any fat, which makes it excellent for dietary nutrition.
With its chemical composition, dock is regularly present in the menu of vegetarians because it successfully replaces meat. In the chemical composition of dock we can find vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, C, E and K. There are generous amounts of protein, carbohydrates, flavonoids, cellulose, tannins, essential oil, anthraquinone compounds, and many mineral salts of iron, potassium, calcium, sodium and phosphorus.
It also contains malic, oxalic and citric acid. If you regularly add dock, which you prepare soups, for example, you can be sure that you are getting enough protein. Half a cup of dock contains about 5 g of protein, iron, vitamin B2 and magnesium.
Selection and storage of dock
Fresh and fresh dock you can find in the spring. If you do not have the opportunity to pick it fresh from a meadow near a water channel, then in the markets you will always find dock connections at an affordable price. Carefully inspect the dock before buying it - whether the leaves are fresh and fragile and whether there are no rotten areas on them.
Only with fresh leaf dock you can be sure that the nutrients and especially vitamins are 100%. The older the green leafy vegetable, the lower the levels of vitamin C in it. Immediately after detachment, its quantities begin to decrease. Store the dock for a maximum of 24 hours before using it in the lower compartments of the refrigerator.
Culinary application of dock
After heavy food in winter, spring comes in handy with a dock to bring mood, color and freshness to our food. Use fresh leaves on the dock to prepare various soups, soups and cream soups, sarma with dock, sauces combined with fragrant cheeses for example or just a simple stew with dock. Both rice with dock and potatoes with dock in the oven are equally good. Popular in our country is the pie with dock, as well as its preparation with various meats.
Here is one of our favorite recipes:
Roast lamb with dock
lamb - about 1.3 kg; dock - 1.5 kg; fresh onions - 3 bunches; green garlic -1 connection; parsley - 1 bunch fresh; mint - 1/2 bunch fresh; oil - 50-60 ml.
Preparation: Marinate the chopped lamb in a mixture of 150 ml of vodka / brandy, 50 ml of soy sauce, 1 tsp. red pepper and salt to taste. Leave for 1-2 hours. In the pan in which you will bake put the chopped onion, garlic, dock with 300 ml of water, 50 ml of brandy or wine and add the lamb and a little oil. Cover with foil and bake in the oven first at 250 degrees until the water in the pan boils, then in a low oven for another 1.5 hours or more if the lamb is older.
Benefits of dock
Eating dock we give our body life-giving power and a palette of useful microelements. Iron in dock makes vegetables a good aid in the treatment of anemia, and anthraquinone compounds have a beneficial effect on lazy intestines. As a green leafy vegetable, dock is rich in chlorophyll, which has been shown to help fight cancer.
For centuries in folk medicine dock has been used as a treatment and prophylactic for diabetes, liver disease, bile and obesity. Although dock has the ability to increase appetite, it improves digestion and has a cleansing effect. In addition, it manages to lower blood pressure.
Like the snake dock and ordinary, applied with various decoctions, helps with inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. It has a good effect on colitis, and the crushed and applied to the problem area dock roots soothe and treat rashes, lymphedema and boils.
Damage from dock
Although useful, dock can also cause some problems in people who are prone to kidney and body stones.
Like everything else, overeating can lead to unpleasant consequences - inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and some of its side effects are mild diarrhea or loose stools in some cases.
