Sage, Slow Eggs, and Other Ways to Become a Better Person

Sage, Slow Eggs, and Other Ways to Become a Better Person

Of late, I've been making New Year's resolutions I know I can keep. Many people resolve to become better people by eating less; I usually resolve to just eat different things.

For instance, this year I vowed to eat more sage. The Wife alerted me to the fact that we've had it in the garden for years, so I've taken to picking some in the morning, lightly frying it in olive oil, and eating it with eggs. Very good, Italianate, and easy.

My 'discovery' of sage is related to my cooking of eggs. This year, I vowed to cook eggs more slowly. I believe it was MFK Fisher who cooked scrambled eggs for something like 30 minutes. I'm not sure how she did that (I can't get the gas flame that low), but I am definitely of the slow cook school for eggs. Eggs gently heated are much softer and tastier that the ones I used to cook almost instantaneously.

With the sage and eggs under my belt, I'm ready to tackle my other New Year's resolution (now in progress): drinking more tea.

Incidentally, if you have any favorite (and simple) preparations using sage, I'd love to hear about them.

David,
When you have so much fresh sage in the garden, it's always fun to come up with new ways to serve it. I've never tried you eggs and sage and will. We love taking the sage and dipping in a thin tempura batter and frying them along with zucchini blossoms, and any other fresh vegies from the garden. Also frying sage in olive oil and then serving on top of a marinated,(with fresh chopped sage in marinate) perfectly grilled porkchop is also wonderful. Since here in the Chicago area my sage lasts till Dec., I always stuff sage leaves under the skin of my T-giving Turkey. Thanks for the breakfast idea!

Jackie,

Frying sage tempura-style with zucchini blossoms sounds excellent -- they're both such delicate items, and it seems that the flavors would mesh well.

The Wife informed me that we have sage until fairly late in the season, and it's remarkable to me that I've seen it growing in my backyard for so long and never thought to eat it.

David

David:

Thanks for the description of your wise eggs. I'll give them a try...

Of course, sage in butter to dress fresh filled pasta is both the height of simplicity and the height of deliciousness. That's also a nice way to dress gnocchi and I also use sage and butter with spaetzle.

A simple tomato sauce with sage is also a fine way to dress pasta of any sort. A Tuscan pasta dish with a just a little tomato, ground veal, peas and sage is also a very satisfying preparation. I know of a Greek chicken stew that is flavoured with sage and is pretty much the same as something I like to do with pork: brown the meat in olive oil and remove it, sauté whatever aromatic vegetable(s) one wants to use, return the meat and add some peeled tomatoes and, of course, sage. Pork and sage are generally a nice combination.

In Italy, I believe sage is commonly used with calf's liver but I've never had that dish.

I believe if you eat a lot of sage, you get smarter... Perhaps someone has some recipes for brains with sage.

Antonius

Hey Antonious,

Yes, the sage/butter dressing for pasta is definitely on the board for this summer. In fact, I may have it tonight. Thanks for mentioning it.

I'm a little surprised to hear about sage used with calf's liver. Liver has such a strong taste, I would think it'd smother the delicate sage flavor (unless, I guess, you used a lot of sage).

David

David Hammond wrote:I'm a little surprised to hear about sage used with calf's liver. Liver has such a strong taste, I would think it'd smother the delicate sage flavor (unless, I guess, you used a lot of sage).

Well, I think sage is rather strong and one can kill a dish by overdoing it. But I don't really know anything more of the liver preperation than I said. I'll poke around and see if I have any recipes in my library.

By the way, at Athens Market, they sell excellent whole leaf dried sage... Of course, fresh sage is nicer but every once in a blue moon, I need it or want it for something but don't have any of the fresh stuff on hand; it's nice to have it as a permanent part of the pantry. But still, fresh sage keeps quite well in the fridge and it's no longer difficult to have it fresh all year round.

I remember when I was a kid, fresh herbs were completely seasonal and outside of Italian circles, things like fresh basil were virtually unknown and in any event, never to be found in any normal grocery store. The rise in the availablility of fresh herbs is perhaps the single best thing that has happened in the United States since... Well, in a long time... especially for those of us who can't have gardens...

A

I too am surprised to see you describe sage as a delicate flavor. Perhaps, I'm that not that big of a fan of it, but I always find it pretty strong. Frying it is quite good, even without a batter. It's a nice crispy garnish for sage friendly dishes.

On the eggs issue, my favorite way to cook scrambled eggs is in a double boiler. Mix them with a bit of creme fraiche and chives and the result is downright luxurious.

Mag, I must admit that I have limited experience growing and using sage, so maybe the variety we have in our garden is milder (or maybe my taste buds are, shall we say, less sensitive than they used to be).

At any rate, when I make sage and eggs, I use maybe three-quarters of a cup or more of sage leaves for two eggs.

It is also possible, I suppose, that crisping the sage leaves "contains" the flavor in a way that would not be possible if you added sage to a sauce and allowed the flavor of the herb to permeate the liquid.

David

I hadn't thought of that, but there are a number of varieties - variegated, purple, pineapple, and I'm sure that each varies in taste and intensity, just like basil.

Fried sage and fried squash blossoms sound great, but not together, not for me. The flowers have such a delicate taste that I can't imagine they'd go with even the mildest sage.

My favorite thing with sage these days is the Chicago hot link. Hot Italian sausage from a place like Bari, but with fresh sage, seems like it would be awfully good on the grill.

I've seen the sage with veal liver; of course sage goes with rabbit too, and then there's saltimbocca, a dish that is rarely good in restaurants but might be great at home.

For the summer, a white bean salad with sage is always good.

Or how about nervetti (veal "nerves," but not really -- instead long cooked cartilage, tendon, foot etc. like you might see in pho or some Mexican salads (El Chorrito has it)), with onions sage and beans.

JeffB, when you have the sage with Italian sausage, is it cooked? You mention fresh sage...it's probably fried or something, right? I'm assuming you don't grill it (not sure how that would be possible).

David

David, sorry. I meant in the sausage.

I was thinking out loud; sage is great in sausage, and we were talking about sage in Italian foods. While Italians do use sage in sausage sometimes, I haven't seen it around here. So I wonder if one of the markets wouldn't custom-grind you a batch of sausage incorporating your fresh sage. Stranger things have happened.

Or you could make a batch yourself. Having made much sausage in the past few weeks, it really isn't hard to do once you get the rhythm down. Kitchen Aid makes a great meat grinder/sauasage stuffer attachment for its mixer. The only other tool necessary is a sharp knife. Get some hog casings and you're set to go.

Yes, sage is a very hardy plant and I dare to bet in a secluded corner of the garnden you may get it to go just about year 'round.

When the folks here are discussing sage as a very strong herb, they may be thinking of dried sage rather than fresh. Dried herbs, which have water removed thereby concentrating the essential oils are used (general rule of thumb) at about a tenth of the volume (with sage maybe even more). Although I have not experimented, I would also hazard a guess that your spring sage....particularly this water logged spring...will be more delicate than after a long hot summer, when the oils have further concentrated.

David also correctly hit on the "stewing" factor, in that sage thrown in at the begining of a dish will be much stronger....a more delicate herb such as perhaps parsly...would virtually disappear by the end of the dish, while sage gets stronger.

Finally, I think of sage, as I suppose many of us do, with the identifiable herb in pakaged stuffing mix and breakfast sausage. I think it would go well in just about any stuffing, including stuffing eggplants or zuccini with sage stuffing or sage laced rice. It also goes with just about any pork product. But, I would also think earthy...which generally means mushrooms, organ meats, rustic breads....etc.

pd

I would love to get the hang of eggs, and perhaps longer and slower is the answer (as in other areas, but I digress).

I know that whenever great chef/teachers are asked what skill the current generation most lacks, the answer is always egg preperations, from scrambled to traditional omelets. They always say that they could teach an entire week just on eggs and how the protein behaves in response to various treatments. They also always say that no one can make a real omelet anymore.

My wife makes terrific scrambled eggs. Mine just suck. (I can actually turn out a decent omelet, though not consistently.) I used to think that I was just being stingy with the butter, but it may be a heat issue as well.

As for sage - it's always nice with pork things. And in the famous sage/buter pasta sauce, especially on pumpkin or squach ravioli. (Coco Pazzo used to do that really well. Then they took it off the menu.)

Or in a rolled pork or veal roast. Even substituting where rosemary is sometimes called for, for a change as in an arista. (I like sauvignon blanc with sagey things.)

I love the idea of crispy fried sage leaves as a garnish on tope of something. Can't wait to do that.

pdaane wrote:When the folks here are discussing sage as a very strong herb, they may be thinking of dried sage rather than fresh. Dried herbs, which have water removed thereby concentrating the essential oils are used (general rule of thumb) at about a tenth of the volume (with sage maybe even more).

In my case, when I said it was a strong herb, I was most definitely speaking of it in the fresh state-- the dried version is of course stronger still but also has a bit of a different taste to me.

The usual sort of sage I get from grocery stores, which is pretty much like that which my folks have always grown in the backyard garden in Jersey, is strong and to my mind sufficiently so that one needs to be judicious with it. In this regard, it's quite unlike fresh basil, say, where you can add one leaf or ten leaves to a tomato sauce and they can both taste good (though obviously in different ways). Sage-overkill is not a good thing, for at a certain point it passes from delicious and earthy to rather medicinal.

Concerning different kinds of sage, I remember coming across sage last summer and fall in the garden of the park formerly known as the Hilary Clinton Park on Indiana. I plucked a leaf or two on more than one occasion and marvelled at its almost complete lack of scent. There must indeed be a variety around here that is exceedingly mild. Since I'm not always so keen on how the texture of sage leaves works with other things, I like the stronger stuff, where a few leaves go a long way.

A

Sage Derby Cheese

is available at:

Dave's Specialty Foods
512 W. Northwest Highway
Mount Prospect
Tel: 847/259-9510

I really like that cheese and have seen it available at Whole Foods. That reminds me of another cheese that I particularly like that also uses a strong seasoning - Red Dragon, which is described on the "Cheese Supply" website as follows:

By World War II, cheese production in Wales had nearly ceased; run out of business by large cheese making factories in England. Fortunately for us, there has been a revival of old ways by a new generation of cheese makers. They have saved Caerphilly (the only traditional Welsh cheese still made) from the factory-made processed form it had become in England to its original farmhouse character. Now they are creating other fine cheeses such as Red Dragon, also known as Y-Fenni. This smooth, firm tasty Cheddar is made with Welsh brown ale and mustard seeds. Red Dragon is a buttery and spicy cheese with plenty of bite, but is not too hot. Not only do the mustard seeds give Red Dragon its marvelous flavor, but also its texture. The brown ale makes the cheese moist and tangy. Red Dragon is aged for 3 months, made from cow's milk and is vegetarian.

Product Metrics:


Consistency: Like a cheddar
Taste: Spicy and hot
Brand: Somerdale
Country: England
Region: Wales
Rennet: Vegetable
Milk: Cow

Dave, the culinary sage in your garden should more or less be available to you year round to help you on your way to fulfill your resolutions. I pluck leaves from my plants in the winter, often needing to dig through the snow we cast over it while shoveling the path. Although its leaves can curl up and brown a bit, they are still quite usable.

I second the many preparations already mentioned. Sage pairs well with any meat as well as the firmer fish, any of the more robust fungi, tomatoes and starchy flavors like gnocchi, pasta and potatoes.

At the next farmers market, grab some new potatoes and roast them with some evoo and sage to add to your egg-and-sage breakfast.

Hey Michael,

Yes, the Wife informs me that sage is year-round (she also tells me that it isn't necessary to water the sage, which she caught me doing last weekend, because it's a "drought plant" -- which sounds crazy to me, but I still stopped watering the sage primarily to maintain marital harmony).

The sage/potatoe/egg/evoo combo sounds good. I'll try it; thanks,

David

Yes, culinary sage is native to southern Europe and Asia Minor, happy in lean, dry, sunny conditions.

And I thought of another typical combo: sage and honey. Honey made from bees who have dined on sage flowers has an assertive flavor that pairs well with parmesans or similar cheeses.

Try the classis Parmigianno + walnuts + honey, but with sage honey. Quite nice as a summer dolce.

Sage butter (combine sage leaves and softened butter in food processor) is a good rub for poultry. You can zing it up with a little pepper or hot sauce, if you like.

Fried sage is definitely milder than uncooked sage, or sage used in long cooked recipes.

The late lamented Soul Kitchen had a lovely appetizer of lightly battered deep-fried sage leaves. I miss it.

Thinking about all the fresh sage in your garden makes me dream of grilled steak with mushroom sage sauce or lamb with sage and white beans. Sadly, I lack both a garden and a grill!

But I especially love sage roasted with squash and sweet potatoes or as a walnut pesto in the fall.

My sage garden was obliterated by heavy-footed workmen last summer, but I have replanted and now again frequently enjoy the leaves, buttered and fried, and have found that I have indeed become a better person.

Watching CNN this morning, I was intrigued by news of the apparently related Salvia divinorum, a psychoactive leaf used by shamans in Oaxaca and elsewhere to achieve hallucinogenic insights: http://www.salvia.net/

There is apparently legislation underway to ban this drug, and the health repercussions are still under investigation, but apparently smoking (or even eating) sage is becoming yet another route to spiritual enlightenment/party.

Warning: consuming this leaf could impair your ability to make lunch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVJFiZ4WvHw

David "Glad I'm too mature for all this" Hammond

David Hammond wrote:There is apparently legislation underway to ban this drug, and the health repercussions are still under investigation, but apparently smoking (or even eating) sage is becoming yet another route to spiritual enlightenment/party.

I hear that combining sage and bananna peel* in a hand-rolled cigerette can be quite the experience.

* If you're not old enough to know what I'm talking about, ignore this post.

Salvia is also used by a ton of my stoner acquaintances and friends... which may explain the urge to ban it.

And yes, salvia divinorum and sage are members of the same genus. On the other hand, so are hemp and marijuana. So I'm not sure I'd assume smoking the sage in your garden will have any pleasant effects

stevez wrote:I hear that combining sage and bananna peel* in a hand-rolled cigerette can be quite the experience.

* If you're not old enough to know what I'm talking about, ignore this post.

Ah, yes, the electric banana.

gleam wrote: So I'm not sure I'd assume smoking the sage in your garden will have any pleasant effects

Never crossed my mind.

this is a really cool site with a ton of helpful info on salvia www.salviasociety.org they did a really good job researching. they also have some beautiful salvia inspired artwork