Lots of sage - any recipe ideas?

[Growem]

I gave my sage a trim a couple of months ago and it seemed to appreciate it, it's growing like crazy right now. That's just the regular sage, never mind the green sage and tricolour sage that are also very leafy.

I've made apple and sage jelly before and it's very tasty. However, since apples aren't really in season right now, that's not really the best use of sage I think right now. Does anyone have any other recipes that use up good amounts of sage?

[Alice]

Sage is quite a strong flavour Growem and I think best used in quite small quantities. I can't think of anything I would like that would use lots of sage.

To use a small amount, Sage and Gin sorbet is very nice with cheese - if you're feeling fancy. And you can freeze some sage for the winter.

[Flummery]

Chop a few leaves (2 or 3) quite finely and add to mashed potato. Form into patties and shallow fry - use it with sausages, roast pork etc. The flavours go really well together.

[Storm]

Sage dries well. What I do is harvest it in spring, dry it out, put it in a blender to shred it finely and then put it in old Marmite jars for use throughout the year. The brown glass protects the herb from light and thus helps it keep its colour and flavour.

The other thing I do is give packs of herbs away to friends who like to cook.

You can shred and store many other herbs in this way (e.g. rosemary, mint, tarragon etc.) and they make nice pressies

[Flummery]

Sage leaves also make a good hair rinse!

[pdblake]

Sage wine is fantastic Needs to be left a good 12 months though. Any less than that and it tastes a bit rough

[Nicos]

I've got loads of dried sage from last year- and given loads away- so this is an esp interesting thread to me!!!!

I've found a few bits and bobs on Google which are interesting...

Medicinal Uses of Sage

Sage - Uses - Medicinal and Magickal

The sage plants medicinal uses

( I'm going to try that idea of a sleep pillow...knowing my luck I'll wake up as usual and feel desperate for a sausage butty!!!)

actually- there are quite a few non-culinary bits of info!!

[julesapple]

Schnitzel..

......This is gorgeous but it not health food (mentally, it makes you feel good though)

You will need:

Pork escalopes (M&S had a v good offer on last week) as thin as you can get them.
Plain Flour
Eggs
Breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
Hand-blender if possible


Take your pork escalopes and pat dry with a bit of kitchen roll. If they are quite thick bash the sweet bippy out of them with a meat hammer, or a tin of beans wrapped in clingfilm, until thin.

Put your bread crumbs on to a plate and mix with loads of finely chopped fresh or dried sage (this is where your handblender comes in, for herbs and crumbs)

Season flour with pepper or paprika. Lay each escalope into the flour patting both sides down into it until lightly coated, shake off excess.

Beat egg(s) on to another plate. Dip floured pork into the well beaten egg. Shake off excess gently.

Dip eggy pork into breadcrumbs until both sides are coated, and put into a frying pan with about three tables spoons of oil (olive, corn oil or whatever you have) and cook on a moderately high heat until deep golden brown on both sides. About 5 minutes per side will cook thin pork properly.

Serve with whatever veggies you fancy.

Jules

[Creemteez]

Try trout in sage butter as opposedto the usual trout with almonds.
Very Italian. Very good.
1 Trout per person
Seasoned flour for dusting
1 tablespoon olive oil (per trout)
Large knob of butter ( " ")
Six- eight large sage leaves ( " ")

Dust fish with seasoned flour.
Heat oil and butter gently in pan
Add sage leaves and fish.
Cook on a medium heat for 3-4 mins until one side is crisp and golden
Flip over and do same for other side.
Serve with crispy sage leaves and oil and butter poured over.
Yum! My favourite way with trout
Works with fillets of salmon (cook skin- side down to get crispy) and sea trout too!

[Growem]

These are all great people, thank you and keep it up! Pdblake, do you have a good recipe for sage wine?

[dillydallydaisy]

This is an appetiser courtesy of Jamie Oliver:

Sage and Anchovy Fritters

12 anchovy fillets in olive oil
a small glass of sweet white wine OR juice and zest of 1 lemon
24 largish fresh sage leaves
flour for dusting
sunflower oil

for the batter:

255g/9oz strong flour
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
155ml/5.5fl oz water
200ml/7fl oz fizzy mineral water
55ml/2fl oz olive oil
pinch of salt

marinate the anchovy fillets in the wine or lemon juice on a flat plate for at least an hour.

Make the batter by whisking the flour, salt, egg yolk and water until it is a thick custard consistency. Add the fizzy water a little at a time, then add the olive oil and stand for around 30 mins.

Moisten all the sage leaves with a little water and dust both sides with a little flour. Take 2 sage leaves and put an anchovy fillet between them to make a sandwich. Squeeze together firmly so a little moisture comes out of the anchovy to bind the sandwich.

Heat the sunflower oil on high in a sturdy frying pan up to frying temperature, then turn heat down to medium. While the oil is heating whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then fold into the batter until smooth.

Dip the sage/anchovy sandwich in the batter and lower into the hot oil, fry around 6 at a time for a minute until golden and crisp,then drain on kitchen paper. Serve straight away before they go soggy.


I did these with fresh anchovies from the supermarket deli counter and didn't marinate them as they are already marinated. I would think they would also be very good with parma ham or marinated peppers/mushroom slices etc for veggies. Sounds like a bit of a faff, but is absolutely delicious and will make you want your sage to produce more leaves!

[Bluemchen]

You can drink it as a tea - medicinally it is used for sore throats, reducing breastmilk and also, as the common name indicates, to make you 'sage', or wise, so it is great for the brain.

You can always chop and freeze in icecubes too.

[BarleySugar]

I make up sage and onion stuffing mix to the following recipe,

220g soft breadcrumbs
1 onion, softened in oil/butter or low fat spray
1tblsp dried sage (about 4 of fresh)
1 teasp chicken stock granules
1 beaten medium egg.

(For any weight watchers it's 1 point per stuffing ball if made with low fat spray)

I make 8 stuffing balls and freeze them, then its easy to have homemade stuffing with your roast chicken dinners Just take out the number you need and bake for 20-30minutes, depending on oven temperature.

[coreopsis]

Creemteez,this recipe sounds great.I ate fish overlapped in some leaves(can't remember what it was)and aluminium foil and baked in the ashes(camping years ago)

[greengas]

Par boil some potatoes, in a roasting dish fry off lots of garlic and fresh sage add spuds and roast in the oven. Garlic and sage roast potatoes really tasty and nice with lots of dishes summer and winter!