The story of thyme goes back to Sumerians some 5,500 years ago. As far as we know, they were the first to use it as a condiment and medicine. In ancient Egypt it was among the ingredients they used to mummify the dead.
In ancient Greece, since Homer years thyme apart from condiment it was a symbol of strength and bravery. The elderly were drinking a beverage made from thyme in order to maintain their spiritual vitality. Thyme was dedicated to Aphrodite and it was considered to be a last stimulant and great aphrodisiac.
Hippocrates that great ancient physician and father of contemporary medicine in one of his texts states that thyme is laxative, diuretic and warming. Today we know that thyme is helping anxiety, depression and migraine.
It helps digest grease and increases mental health. It helps asthma and is great natural expectorant. It stimulates our immune system and is great antiseptic for intestines and lungs.
In external use it helps soothing arthritis pains, rheumatism and joint pains. As an essence mixed with olive oil sooths insect bites. If you add it to your bath it relieves from tiredness. In contemporary medicine and cosmetics industry is used in soaps, creams lotions, shampoos, toothpastes, after shave lotions etc.
Apart from all these, uses thyme is a great Mediterranean condiment that gives a very special taste to everything that you put it in. Along with my other herbs and spices I always keep a portion of thyme in my kitchen counter and use it as often as I can.
Every Sunday when I have more time to cook, I experiment with new recipes and food. That past weekend I had some beef fillet, so I decided to cook it in the skillet and make a creamy sauce to pair it. We loved the juicy fillet and the creaminess of the sauce that gave it that special flavor.
- 6 medium beef fillets
- 1 onion, minced
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp dried tarragon
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ⅔ cup beef stock
- 1 ½ light cream
- A bunch of fresh parsley, minced
- Salt and pepper
- In a deep skillet pour couple of tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onion for a minute.
- Add the vinegar, thyme and tarragon and cook until the vinegar evaporates completely.
- Add the wine and stock and continue to cook until it remains about ⅔ of a cup.
- Add the cream and salt and pepper and let boil until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the parsley and cook for another minute.
- In the meantime, prepare the beef.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook them in medium/high heat in a skillet until medium about 3 minutes per side.
- Serve with the creamy sauce on top.
- 6 μέτρια μοσχαρίσια φιλέτα
- 1 κρεμμύδι ψιλοκομμένο
- ⅓ φλ. ξύδι ρυζιού
- 1 ½ κ.γ. ξερό εστραγκόν
- ½ κ.γ. ξερό θυμάρι
- ½ φλ. ξηρό λευκό κρασί
- ⅔ φλ. Μοσχαρίσιο ζωμό
- 1 ½ φλ. κρέμα light
- Ένα μάτσο φρέσκο μαϊντανό, ψιλοκομμένο
- Αλάτι και πιπέρι
- Σε ένα βαθύ τηγάνι ρίξτε δύο κουταλιές της σούπας ελαιόλαδο και σοτάρετε το κρεμμύδι για ένα λεπτό.
- Προσθέστε το ξύδι, το θυμάρι και το εστραγκόν και μαγειρέψτε μέχρι το ξύδι να εξατμιστεί εντελώς.
- Προσθέστε το κρασί και το ζωμό και συνεχίστε να μαγειρεύετε μέχρι να παραμείνει περίπου ⅔ του φλυτζανιού.
- Προσθέστε την κρέμα και το αλάτι και το πιπέρι και αφήστε να βράσει μέχρι η σάλτσα να αρχίσει να δένει.
- Προσθέστε το μαϊντανό και μαγειρέψτε για άλλο ένα λεπτό.
- Στο μεταξύ, ετοίμαστε το φιλέτο.
- Αλατοπιπερώστε και ψήστε σε ένα τηγάνι σε μέτρια/δυνατή φωτιά για περίπου 3 λεπτά ανά πλευρά.
- Αφήστε τα φιλέτα να ξεκουρατούν για τρία λεπτά.
- Σερβίρετε με την κρεμώδη σάλτσα από πάνω.
