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History
- Sage was a sacred
ceremonial herb of the Romans and was associated with
immortality. It was believed to increase mental acuity. Charlemagne had it grown in his royal gardens. The sage varieties
used as spice stem from the Mediterranean and Asia
Minor.
Although sage
is an ancient spice, its importance today is quite limited; usage
concentrates on the Mediterranean countries, where dishes spiced
with sage are found from Spain to Greece. Undoubtedly, the
country which uses sage most is Italy; in this respect, sage
resembles rosemary (which fragrance is remotely similar).
Italians most commonly use sage to
flavour meat and poultry dishes; especially veal, which is often
thought bland, can profit a lot from this herb.
Saltimbocca alla Romana is probably the most famous dish
owing its special character to sage: Very thin veal steaks are
fried together with raw salt-cured ham (prociutto
crudo) and fresh sage leaves and then deglazed with red wine
(some recipes used white wine).
Sage species from Central and
South America usually have a much sweeter and more fruity aroma.
They are no suitable substitute for Mediterranean sage, but they
might have same culinary value for themselves. Despite their
unique and most interesting fragrance, there are few uses
for these herbs except occasionally used to flavour
herbal infusions. They are more often grown as ornamentals for
their large and colourful flowers.
Growing
Sage & Varieties
- Sage has
leathery, gray-green leaves
on slightly woody stems up to 2 feet high. The stems won't always support the
plant; it can get floppy. It produces attractive spikes of blue-purple (only
occasionally white) flowers.
Growing Know-How: Plant sage in
well-drained soil and full sun. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. Cut back
old stems in spring to encourage strong new growth to emerge. Divide every
couple of years to rejuvenate plants.
Propagation: You can start the species
Salvia officinalis from seed fairly easily. Sow the seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks
before the last spring frost. You can also divide or take cuttings from
existing plants.
Cultivars: You can buy brightly colored,
but often less hardy sages. 'Tricolor' has white, rose, and green leaves. 'Purpurea'
is a purple-leaved form and 'Icterina' is a golden variegated form. You can
also grow dwarf, flop-resistant, silver-leaved sages. Or for a high-performance
garden sage, look for 'Berggarten', which has larger-than-average round leaves
and a bushy habit that stays full down to the base of the stems.
Potential Problems: Discourage rots and
slugs with well-drained soil. Encourage good air circulation to prevent mildew
and heat problems.
Harvesting and Using: Sage has the best
flavor when used fresh with cheese or chicken dishes and stuffings. Try rubbing
a fresh leaf on a pork chop before grilling it. You can also use sage for tea,
in limited quantities; it tastes better if mixed with peppermint.
Related Herbs: Purple sage (S. o. 'Purpurascens') is a
hardy cultivar that grows 18 inches tall. The purple leaves are strongly
flavored and can be used in stuffings, omelets, and soups. Purple sage is also
planted as an ornamental to complement yellow blossoms in the garden.
Pineapple sage (S. elegans)
is a perennial in zone 8; it is grown as an annual elsewhere. It has
pineapple-scented foliage and spikes of red flowers in late summer and fall.
Use its leaves for teas or potpourri, and in fruit salads.
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Medicinal
- Greeks and Romans used it to cure
snake bites and to invigorate the mind and body. In the Middle
Ages, people drank Sage in tea and used Sage to treat colds,
fevers, liver trouble, and epilepsy. memory loss, eye problems.
Cooking
- Sage is an herb with gray-green leaves
that have a slightly bitter flavor and a distinctive aroma. It is sold as fresh sprigs or dried
leaves. Store fresh sage in the refrigerator, wrapped in paper
towels and enclosed in a plastic bag. Dried sage, found with
other seasonings in all supermarkets, should be stored away from
light, heat, and moisture for up to 1 year. Crush dried sage in
the palm of the hand to release its flavor. Use ground Sage
sparingly; foods absorb its flavor more quickly than leaf Sage.
Sage enhances pork, lamb, meats,
and sausages. Chopped leaves flavor salads, pickles, and cheese.
It is one of the most popular herbs in the United States.
Sage is a wonderful flavor
enhancer for seafood, vegetables, breadsticks, cornbreads,
muffins, and other savory breads. Rub Sage, cracked pepper, and garlic into
pork tenderloin or chops before cooking.
Sage leaves fried in butter until
the butter turns brown make an easy and interesting, but not
exactly light, sauce to be eaten with Italian noodles (pasta),
preferably
gnocchi.
Sage is a very powerful
spice and tends to dominate; its slightly bitter taste is not
appreciated by many people. It is sometimes combined with
garlic and
pepper (preferably green pepper) for barbecued or fried meat.
Because of its strong taste, combination of sage with weakly
aromatic or delicate herbs does not make much sense.
Recipes
Alpine Baked Pasta
Angel Of Death Cheese Spread
Barbecued Turkey with Herbs
Beet Soup with Sage & Shallots
Breakfast Biscuits & Gravy
Chestnut Salad (Kastano Salata)
Chicken Breast with Sage & Nutmeg
Chicken In Phyllo
Easy Onion & Herb Focaccia
Garlicky Pasta with Fresh Green Herbs
Gnocchi Allo Safferano
Grilled Perch with Sage
Herb Onion Grill Bread
Herb Waffles
Meatless Sunday Roast
Pasta with Shell Beans & Greens
Sage Dressing
Sage Pork Tenderloin
Sausage and Sage Pizza
Shrimp In Beer Sauce
Simple Tofu Vegetables
White Beans with Sage
more recipes
with Sage
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