Culinary Uses of Sage | 1, 2, 3

How to Use Sage

Culinary sage contains generous quantities of vitamins A and C and can be used in a myriad of recipes. Because of its strong flavor, it can overwhelm so should be used sparingly; unlike the more delicate herbs, it can be added at the beginning of cooking and pairs nicely with other strongly flavored herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, savory, and oregano as well as the lemon herbs.

Long used as a digestive aid, sage goes well with fatty foods, such as pork, liver (or pate), and sausages. Although North Americans most commonly associate sage with stuffing for poultry or pork (where about 1 tablespoon of minced sage leaves is added for each cup of stuffing), it has many uses in European and Meditterannean cuisines, especially Italian dishes, such as pizza, foccaccia, saltimbocca, gnocchi, and pasta. It blends well with mild cheeses; try a little sage on a grilled cheese sandwich made with fontina cheese and dark bread. Marinate a goat cheese with olive oil, peppercorns, garlic, and some small sage leaves. Or add ¼ cup minced sage leaves to an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and let sit for at least an hour before spreading on bagel chips.

Sage makes a great addition to biscuits or scones, as well as corn bread or cheese straws. Try covering a pork roast with sage leaves before roasting; or gently separate with your hands the skin from the breast meat of a chicken or turkey, rub a little butter on the meat, then place a small sprig or two of sage under the skin on each breast, pat down the skin, then roast-and wait for the accolades!

Heavy bean or split pea soups are tasty with a little sage added. Try sage with onion rings (add 2 tablespoons minced sage to the batter for two large onions) or in apple dishes, such as baked apples, applesauce, or apple pie (3 tablespoons of minced leaves for a 9-inch pie). A delicious bread pudding can be made by layering apples, onions, Swiss cheese, and sage. Sage is also a natural with eggplant, asparagus, winter squashes, mushrooms, string beans, stewed tomatoes, pumpkin, cherries, and blueberries. Sage honey (about 1/3 cup minced leaves warmed with ¾ cup mild honey) is a wonderful addition to tea or biscuits. Sage cider vinegar makes great marinades. There are many recipes for tea with sage; try one with one part sage and two parts lemon balm.

Pineapple sage can be used for teas and punches, jellies, fruit salads, and desserts. Try lining the pan with pineapple sage leaves before making a pound cake. Chop pineapple sage leaves and add to cream cheese for a delightful spread for crackers. The leaves can also be used with chicken and fish. The following are some of my favorite sage recipes. I encourage you to experiment with this wonderful Herb of the Year. >>

Page 1 Introduction
Page 2 How to Use Sage
Page 3 Recipes with Sage