Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Foods In Search of Sage Advice
Posted by Carrington Fox on Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 2:35 PM
The subject of this week's dining review is the 5-year-old Five Senses in Murfreesboro, where siblings Mollie and Mitchell Murphree deliver a creative seasonal repertoire of lunch and dinner.
While leaning over the open bar to observe the work of chef Mitchell and pastry chef Dylan Mackin, I spied a beautiful crystal-coated bouquet of candied sage, waiting to be plated on an appetizer of polenta cakes.
A few regrettable episodes of over-saging have led me to boycott the pungent dried spice in my own kitchen, but I'm always delighted to encounter interesting uses for the fresh leaves--whether they are fried or candied. As I'm mentally mapping out my herb garden for the spring, I'm trying to decide whether there are enough simple uses for fresh sage to merit a spot for the fuzzy plant in my limited herb bed.
What do you do with fresh sage?
Comments (7)
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it's actually quite good in iced beverages when used sparingly. i've made a simple syrup infused with fresh fruit and sage, and then used it to flavor iced tea or club soda (with or without adult beverage additions). i've done sage/blackberry and it was delicious, and i think citrus with sage is a nice flavor as well.
it's also good simply mixed with mint as an iced tea garnish. again, sparingly.
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Fresh sage & brown butter makes a great pasta sauce for certain applications (ravioli, etc.)
I've never been brave enough to make brown butter. Maybe this (and a new vented hood over the stove) will inspire me.
I gave up sage in the garden when I had some over-saging experiences. I still buy a bunch every year to put a few leaves in cannellini beans with tomatoes -- it somehow brings the whole thing together.
@Chamberlain - you DO NOT need anything of the sort - sage and butter should be done at extremely low temps. You will carbonize the sage and the butterfats otherwise.
Ask Tommy Lazzaro about the correct methods. He knows.
I cultivate sage as a hobby, passion, and business interest. I raise a variety of hybrid sage called Holts Mammoth. Palm sized leaves - to die for.
Has anyone ever heard of sau(sage)???
What's with all the herb hatin' lately?
Martha Stamps has a delicious summer corn pudding recipe in one of her cookbooks that calls for sage.
I listen to Tommy Lazzaro's advice on anything. Thanks for the heads up.
I've been too chicken to try brown butter because every recipe I've read has a line about "keeping it on the heat 5 seconds longer than you think you should, but if you wait 5 seconds too long you'll ruin it."
I will cowboy up and try it.
