Sage....

[jen4]

We have a ton! What do I do with it?

 

[wifezilla]

Dry it?

I am finally finishing the stuff I dried and collected 2 years ago...LOL

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Here is some info on sage . It says you can make tea with it. It also says you can make wreaths from it. We only use ours at Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I just like the flowers.

 

[jen4]

Thanks...

We are going to dry some.

 

[HiDelight]

fry the leaves and use as a garnish

make a compound butter out of them

 

[big brown horse]

fry the leaves and use as a garnish

make a compound butter out of them

What do you fry them in? I've used EX.V.O.O. and it was too strong of a flavor, it overpowered the sage.

I love to tuck wads of fresh sage under the skin of a chicken with butter chunks and then rub that baby with more butter then roast it up. I will also tuck more sage into the cavity of the bird.

You must try the deep fried sage tho, it is to die for when done right! Better than potato chips!

Homemade sausage...

 

[HiDelight]

oil you can get good and hot ..I have done them in olive oil and put them on hens with some fried garlic ..very good if you use the garlic to it goes in another direction for fish I would use a lighter oil and some lemon and capers with the fried sage on top



I also like fried sage with a creamy cheese

 

[Rosalind]

Fried in brown butter and the resulting mixture of crispy sage + brown butter poured over baked winter squash with asiago cheese shavings is one of my favorite winter recipes. With some cheesy spaetzle and sweet-n-sauerkraut (sauerkraut cooked with chopped apples, brown sugar & apple pie spice), a nice glass of red wine...

 

[davaroo]

Wow, I knew about the benefits of sage tea, but your squash dish sounds awesome!

Sage is one of the ancient herbs and was the Herb of the Year for 2001. A quick tour around the internet yields these tidbits:

WHAT TO DO WITH IT ---------------------------------------

A member of the mint family, culinary sage is highly aromatic and is best used fresh, when its flavor has been described as a mix of rosemary, pine and mint, or citrusy; when dried, it has a more camphorous flavor. In many places, it can be used fresh from the garden year round; it can also be stored fresh in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator crisper for two weeks.

Whole leaves can be frozen up to two months.

To dry, hang sprigs of sage or place leaves on a screen in a warm, dry place; check carefully to be sure leaves are fully dried before storage and store them whole to be crushed just before using.

The best way to crush sage leaves is to rub them between your hands-hence, the "rubbed sage" one finds on supermarket shelves.

CULINARY USES ------------------------------------------------

Although used since ancient times for medicinal purposes and food preservation, sage was not used as a food flavoring until the 17th century. Parkinson writes: "clary sage leaves be taken dry, and dipped into a batter made with the yolkes of egges, flower and a little milke, and then fryed with butter until they be crispe."

The 1833 edition of the American Frugal Housewife tells us that "sage is very useful both as a medicine, for the headache - when made into tea - and for all kinds of stuffing, when dried and rubbed into powder."

Salvia officinalis is the sage most often used for cooking, with the common gray form having the best flavor. The tricolor, golden and purple sages can be used but tend to be less flavorful;

- Stems or leaves can be tossed on hot charcoal where they will add a wonderful aroma to grilled dishes.

Because of its strong flavor, sage can overwhelm so should be used sparingly; 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.

Sage goes well with fatty foods, such as pork, liver (or pate), and sausages. Not just for stuffing poultry or pork (about 1 tablespoon of minced sage leaves is added for each cup of stuffing), it has many uses in European and Mediterranean 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.
- Add one-quarter 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).

- Sage honey (about one-third cup minced leaves warmed with three-quarters cup mild honey) is a wonderful addition to tea or biscuits.

Sage Pecan Cheese Wafers (Makes 3 Dozen)

1 Cup (4 oz.) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Cup Flour
Cup Chopped Pecans (or Walnuts)
tsp. Rubbed Sage
1/8 tsp. Ground Red Pepper
1/4 tsp. Salt (one-fourth)
One-third-Cup Butter or Margarine in Small Pieces

Process first six ingredients in a food processor for 10 seconds. Add butter a piece at a time while processor is running until mixture forms a ball. Roll to one-fourth inch thickness on lightly floured surface; cut with 1 and one-half inch round cookie cutter. (The dough can also be shaped into a long roll, refrigerated, then sliced and baked.) Bake at 350 degrees on ungreased cookie sheet 12-14 minutes until edges turn golden.

MEDICINAL USES ------------------------------------------------------

Sage is used to counteract endless list of problems in humans. The oils and tannins in Sage have astringent, antiseptic, and irritant properties. It is therefore an important herb in medications for mouth sores, mouth ulcers, and sore throat medications (make teas and use as a mouth rinse - try a tea with equal parts Chamomile and Sage).

For sore throats, try mixing a Sage tea with apple cider vinegar and salt for gargling.

- The mixture of sage, white vinegar and water forms a good astringent for oily skin.

- Clinical studies have also shown that it can lower blood sugar in cases of diabetes. Try making capsules out of dried leaves as a substitute for teas for internal use.

Incidentally, you will often see Sage medicines advertised as Clary Sage. This is just another form of Sage that originates in the Mediterranean but has the same medicinal properties as the other sages.

As an astringent, Sage can be used as a refreshing after-shave.

As with many of the other herbs, Sage can also be tried in a tea for digestive problems and flatulence.

In a double blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial in 2003, English scientists at Newcastle and Northumbria found sage to be effective in the management of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Since ancient times, sage has been believed to give eternal youth and immortality. Consumption of sage still keeps you mortal (come on now, you really didn't think that was true, did you?) but you can certainly try to retain your youth, as scientists have found anti-aging compounds in it. The July 2003 issue of the 'Pharmacological Biochemical Behavior' claims that sage has the power to improve memory. Sage is an all-in-one herb. It is also an antifungal antiseptic. It's estrogenic agenst works miracles in women. It is also a hypoglycemic astringent and is a good antispasmodic agent.

Sage really is a natural miracle. In this short bit of research, I've learned so much about it that I cannot recount it all. I can assure you it will be in my herb garden next spring.

 

[vfem]

Try to make a simple sage butter or mixed herb butter... or a mayo even!

Here's a mayo recipe for you.

In a food processer, or blender:
1 Large Egg
Mixed with 1/4 tsp mustard (yellow, dijon, ect)
1 Tbsp Vinegar, Lime juice or Lemon juice
1/4 cup Oil (olive oil [extra virgin light is nice], Veggi ect)

Mix for about 4-5 minutes while pouring in a steady stread of 3/4 cup MORE oil

(stop to add herbs of your choice, I added parsley and basil to my last batch, thyme, garlic or sage would be lovely too!)

Stop when its nice and whipped to a creamy white.

Switch up oils and mustard to really change the flavor!

After this is done you need to let it sit in a jar or bowl with a plastic cover, or paper towel at room temp for an HOUR! No Less!

This is so the vinegar or citrus juice does its job of killing an bacterias that could have been in the egg. Just in case!