Sage isn't a seasoning that you find in too many preparations. Its strong, distinct flavor easily dominates a dish and relegates it to the "occasional use" category. How do you use it?
From the Spice Cupboard: Sage
Sage is actually a member of the mint family, and it definitely shares a sharp aromatic potency with its mint cousins. Its spear-shaped leaves are soft and woolly, with a pebbled texture. The plants can range in color from gray-green to lime green.
To us, sage has a pine-like flavor and aroma. It's also often described as having eucalyptus and citrus notes. We think it's best fresh; the dried stuff often ends up tasting bitter and musty.
You'll find sage in a lot of northern Italian cooking - think of bean dishes, potato dishes, stuffed meats, savory breads, and pasta dishes.
It pairs very well with chicken and other poultry (as evidenced in many Thanksgiving recipes!), as well as pork and sausage. Sage and butternut squash are also a frequent combination, one of the few pairings of sage with a sweet ingredient.
Here are a few of our favorite recipes featuring sage:
• Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Pine Nuts
• DIY Sage Pesto
• Bacon-Sage Meatballs with Buttermilk Gravy
• Vanilla, Pear, and Sage Summer Cocktail
What are yours?
Related: Weekend Project: Stocking the Spice Cupboard
(Image: Flickr member suttonhoo22 licensed under Creative Commons)
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Ingredients - Pantry, Tips & Techniques, Recipe Roundup, spices, sage, seasoningsRelated Links
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We love frying it and eating it with pieces of cheese. It is so yummy.
view Benny's Dad's profile
I never cooked with sage until this recipe - Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage. It's fantastic, and quickly entered the rotation of recipes that get made at least twice a month!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pasta-with-pumpkin-and-sausage-recipe/index.html
The sage is the perfect compliment to the pumpkin and the sausage.
view brandemt's profile
It's really good in a simple white bean salad with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and maybe a little garlic. I make that a lot with the intention of putting the leftovers in the food processor to make a sort of white bean hummus, but usually I end up eating it before that happens.
view Tiny Banquet's profile
I use it as a Tisane when I have a cold. It's refreshing and therapeutic!
view miss_scarlett's profile
I like to use it in biscuits.
view lizaboo's profile
Here's something you really should try: scrambled eggs with feta and dried crushed sage. For reals. Start with a small pat of butter, add a couple eggs and some dried crushed sage and a small bit of feta (to taste). Salt and pepper. I like eating it open faced on an english muffin. SO GOOD.
view laetitiae's profile
My favorite recipe that incorporates sage is Saltimbocca, whether it's with veal or a modern version with chicken. I also love the earthy-sweet component it adds to my Bracciole.
view SpicySaltySweet's profile
I used it in the recipe I found here for Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin, which I thought was a great fall/winter dish.
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/side-dish/recipe-sweet-potato-and-sage-gratin-018999
view purplegold's profile
Sage is also good with offal. I use it most with roasted chicken or squash.
view angorian's profile
Sage always makes me think of sausage but the only thing I've ever cooked with it, myself, is poached eggs in spiced butter. It's quite nice over toast.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
i just started growing some pineapple sage, and it smells divine. can't wait to try it out in fruit salads and other desserts like sorbet- definitely a nice fruity savory touch to many summer dishes to come!
view veronicainla's profile
I've had this before and loved it:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/crisp-sage-tempura
view CultWifeNumeroUno's profile
Like many others use it mainly in poultry and with butternut squash. I'll have to try it with white beans as that sounds lovely. I also love it with browned butter and gnocchi or stuffed pasta.
view rosebud's profile
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pan-roasted-fingerling-potatoes-with-crispy-bacon-and-fried-sage-recipe/index.html
I made that over the weekend and it was delicious -- used the leftover fried sage and bacon and threw them into an omelet for breakfast the next day, it was wonderful.
view ELars's profile
i LOVE it when I make fried egg sandwiches... sooo good!
view mcsmashley's profile
Butternut soup is one use.
I also often make a simple pasta sauce out of melted butter and a load of fresh chopped sage, simmered in the melted butter on low for about 10 minutes.
view empresscallipygos's profile
http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2004/12/sauteedporkchop
About the best pork chop I ever ate and my first dish involving sage.
view _OxygeN_'s profile