Sage Recipes
The word 'sage' comes from the latin salvia and means 'to heal'. For many years it was the medicinal properties of this plant which were celebrated more than the culinary ones.
Sage has antibacterial properties which helps explain why some cultures used the leaves as a toothbrush over the centuries! These days though, it's more likely to be used to brush a tasty, herby marinade onto a piece of pork or turkey.
It is of course a mainstay of British cooking - helped in part by its sturdy nature. (if you protect it from frost it will happily survive our winters!). It's best in warming, comforting roasts, be it as a foil to onion's tangy nature in a stuffing, or to add flavour and aroma to a beautiful roast turkey.
Red Onion and Sage Marmalade
Ingredients
- 4 large red onions quartered
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves
- Some ground pepper
Chop the onions into slices and after turning them vigorously in the above mix, cook in a flat pan on a high heat then cover in foil and cook in a moderate oven for 45 minutes. Cool for a further ten minutes after the foil is removed. Lovely with game.
Apple, Pear and Sage Sauce
- 40 grams butter
- 350 grams cooking apples
- 350 grams ripe pears
Peel, core and cut the fruit into small chunks. Put all of the above into a pot with 2 tsp of caster sugar, 2 fluid oz of good strong apple juice and bring to a simmer, cooking very gently for a quarter of an hour until the mixture has softened. Stir in one tablespoonful of finely chopped sage and stir hard if you want a puree or leave the mix chunky if you prefer. Serve warm with pork or game or chilled with cold meats.
Sage and Onion Stuffing with Potato & Apple
A lovely stuffing for pork and game or add minced meat for your Christmas turkey!
Ingredients
- 2 Large brown onions chopped
- 60 Gms of butter, lard or dripping, melted
- 2 medium sized cooking apples (peel, core & dice)
- 3 tablespoons of roughly chopped sage leaf
- 250gms of mashed potato
- 2 tablespoons of toasted breadcrumbs or butchers rusks
- 1 tablespoon of jumbo oats
- Pepper to taste
Tip! Before chopping, dip the sage in boiling water to enhance the colour and remove any bitterness
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and choose your own method ….
You could make stuffing balls by adding an egg to the mix - the balls can be put in the oven with your roast about 20/30 minutes before serving.
If you want to stuff a roast or a game bird then add another tablespoonful of chopped sage as the juices from the meat will dilute the sage flavour
If you would like to make a meat stuffing remove some of the potato and add some minced meat. Add little bit more sage and add a little thyme too.
Sage & Cheese Toasts
Spread sliced and toasted bloomer bread with English or a rough mustard and scatter chopped sage generously on the slices. Top with sliced or grated cheese and more chopped sage and grill instantly.
Sage Stuffing
A classic accompaniment for a traditional Christmas turkey dinner and equally as nice with chicken and other poultry throughout the year. Makes approximately 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onions, finely chopped
- 2 sliced garlic cloves
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¾ cup of cranberry juice
- ½ cup of chicken stock
- 4 cups of plain stuffing croutons
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350f/180c/gas mark 4. Heat the garlic and onions in a little olive oil, on a medium heat until translucent. Add the sage and thyme and continue cooking for two minutes. Pour in the cranberry juice and chicken stock. Bring this to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Add the olive oil and croutons and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
Transfer the stuffing to a casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. For a moist stuffing leave covered and for crispy, simply leave open.
Sage Facts
- Prized since ancient times, common sage was thought to prolong life and to increase wisdom by strengthening the memory.
- Sage has the longest history of medicinal use of any herb.
- At one time, the French produced bountiful crops of sage which they used as tea. The Chinese became enamored of French sage tea, trading four pounds of Chinese tea to one pound of sage tea.
