From the Market: Oregano

The versatility of oregano is incredible - you can put it in just about any dish (savory or sweet) and it will enhance it enormously. Fresh oregano grows along delicate, green stalks and I usually just pull off all the leaves and discard the stalk part. [You can use whole oregano stalks along with other herbs in a bouquet garni if you choose to flavor stocks and broths.] 

I use fresh leaves in an endless variety of marinades. Any citrus combination will go perfectly with chopped fresh oregano; orange, lemon, or lime juice balances well with the delicate, earthy flavor. Chicken is the first meat to come to mind that goes the best with oregano, along with some hearty white fish varieties like halibut or cod. Sometimes I just mix some of the leaves (chopped or whole) with a bit of fresh chopped garlic and olive oil and toss some fingerling or red potatoes with the whole bit - roast it all together in the oven and you're good to go.

Dried oregano is almost a completely different herb to me. It's a woodsy, stronger flavor that is much more distinct the longer you keep it over the heat (whereas cooking the fresh oregano has the opposite effect). Because of this, dried oregano is amazing in homemade chicken noodle soup and pasta and pizza sauces - keep this on a low simmer with a great Italian sauce and you're in biz. Another trick I love to do with the dried version is to sprinkle a bit in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and use the concoction as a nice dipping sauce for some French bread.