Sage

Salvia officinalis

History

Sage has been important as a medicinal plant since the days of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Egyptians used it as a fertility treatment, while in Greece and Rome it was used for its healing properties. It later spread across the Mediterranean into other parts of Europe, countries in East Asia such as China, and later into the Americas.

Sage normally grows in warm, arid climates, and is know for its hearty resilient texture.  Sage use was a staple during the Middle Ages, where it was cultivated by monks in monetary gardens, and In the 9th century, Charlemagne had sage included among the herbs grown on his imperial farms in Germany. 

During colonial American, Sage was often used in kitchen gardens, and Thomas Jefferson listed it for the Monticello garden in 1794.

Medicinal Uses

  • Oral Health
  • Digestion Aid and Anti Bloating Qualities
  • Antibacterial
  • Blood and heart circulation
  • Memory
  • Insect Repellant 
  • Blood sugar

Recipe For Home

Smashed potatoes with sage pesto

Ingredients:

  • Olive Oil
  • 1kg / 2 lb starchy cooked cold potatoes

SAGE PESTO

  • 20 g / ¾ oz sage, leaves picked
  • 6 g / ¼ oz (2 sprigs) rosemary, leaves picked
  • 30 g / 1/3 cup roasted (ideally) walnuts
  • 1 unwaxed lemon, zest + 20 ml / 4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 120 ml / ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

          1. Preheat the oven to 225° C / 440° F, grab a large baking tray, a small bowl of olive oil, brush and a potato masher.
          2. Brush a little oil under each potato, then using a potato masher gently squash the potato a little so that it doesn’t fall apart. Brush the tops of the potatoes with a little oil and bake for about 15 minutes, then using a spatula flip to the other side and continue baking until nicely browned (about another 15-20 minutes).
          3. Serve warm, with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and a drizzle of sage pesto or garlic oil.

SAGE PESTO

        1. Put all of the ingredients apart from the oil in a small food processor or chopper (this is what I use). Blitz until chopped. Slowly (if your appliance has a chute, otherwise all at once) add the oil. 

Source:  https://www.lazycatkitchen.com/smashed-potatoes-sage-pesto/