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Susan Jung

Sage is a plant that is easy to recognise, at least when it is fresh. The leaves are medium-sized, dusty green, covered with a soft, delicate fuzz, and have a distinct but mild taste.
When the leaves are dried, the flavour intensifies, so they should be used with discretion. Sage goes well with meats such as chicken, turkey, pork and veal, and it is a popular seasoning for sausages.
Sage has been used for its medicinal values for centuries. It is said to have antiseptic qualities, to help with mental and memory problems, alleviate stomach and menstrual pains, and soothe muscle aches. Native Americans burned sage in cleansing and purifying ceremonies.
It is best not to eat sage leaves raw: the fuzzy texture and taste are not pleasant.
In the kitchen, I use sage when I make veal cordon bleu.
Take eight thin slices of veal and pound them as flat as possible with a meat mallet. Put them on a work surface and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Lay a thin slice of boiled ham (almost as large as the veal) on four of the pieces of meat. Add two (or more) fresh sage leaves (depending on size) to cover the ham, then lay a modest slice of Gruyère or Comté cheese on top of that. Put the other four pieces of veal – salt side down – on the cheese, so you have four “sandwiches”.
Very gently pound the perimeter of the sandwiches with a meat mallet to seal the edges. Dredge the parcels in plain flour and shake off the excess, then dip in beaten egg. Dredge again – this time in dry breadcrumbs – and press on them so they adhere. Fry briefly in hot oil on both sides until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the veal is cooked.
Here are some more recipes that make good use of sage.
Sweet potato gnocchi with sage butter

For the gnocchi

1kg medium to large sweet potatoes


About 100 grams (3.5oz) plain (all-purpose) flour


2 large eggs, lightly whisked, at room temperature


20 grams freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling


Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sage butter

8-10 fresh sage leaves


60 grams unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 degrees Fahrenheit). Rinse the sweet potatoes then pierce them in several places with the tines of a fork. Put them on a baking tray and bake until the flesh is tender (about 45 minutes, depending on size).
When cool enough to handle, strip the skin from the flesh. Use a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with a coarse blade to purée the still warm flesh. Mix the purée with the flour, the eggs, 20 grams of Parmesan and some salt to taste. The dough should be malleable and slightly sticky; if needed, add more flour.
Divide the dough into two pieces and cover one with cling film so it does not dry out. On a lightly floured work surface, roll half the dough into a rope about 1cm (0.4 inch) in diameter. Cut the rope into 2cm pieces. Shape each piece into an oval, then press it over the tines of a fork to create parallel indentations.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches: add them to the water and let them simmer until they float to the surface (about one minute). Use a large slotted ladle to scoop them from the water before draining them in a colander. Blot them briefly on paper towels, then place them in a baking dish that is just large enough to hold them in one layer.
Preheat the grill. Tear the sage leaves into pieces. Melt the butter and cook it until it starts to turn brown and smell nutty, add the sage leaves and heat them until they wilt. Drizzle the sage brown butter over the gnocchi then sprinkle with grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Put the pan under the grill and cook until the surface is bubbling and lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Savoury kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) flans

I love vegetable flans, although some people find them odd because they’re used to eating sweet custards rather than savoury ones. Indeed, this one walks a fine line between sweet and savoury. To make them seem less like dessert, season the mixture liberally (but judiciously) with sage, paprika, cayenne and pepper.
For a dessert variation, omit the shallot, garlic, sage, paprika, pepper and cayenne, and mix the remaining ingredients with brown sugar to taste, plus ground spices such as cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg before baking as directed. Cool the custard to room temperature, then refrigerate. When ready to serve, spread a thin layer of sugar over the top and use a propane torch to caramelise the surface.

800 grams kabocha squash


30ml (1 fl oz) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling


1 large shallot, minced


1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced


3-5 large fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade


1/4 tsp ground paprika


1/4 tsp ground cayenne


3 large eggs, at room temperature


1 large egg yolk, at room temperature


100ml cream


Slightly softened unsalted butter for greasing the ramekins


Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly butter six round ramekins that hold 120ml to 150ml each and put them into a pan with sides about 2cm high. The pan should be large enough that the ramekins are not touching.
Cut the kabocha into thick wedges, drizzle lightly with olive oil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork. Leave the oven on. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds and fibres from the cavity and cut the flesh from the shell. Weigh out 500 grams of the flesh (if there is any squash remaining, use it in another dish).
Heat 30ml of olive oil in a skillet, add the shallot, garlic and sage and cook until the shallot is soft. Add the kabocha to the pan, season with paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper then stir to combine. Blend in a food processor until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add the egg, egg yolk and cream to the food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a clean bowl. Divide the mixture between the ramekins.
Carefully put the pan into the oven and pour warm water into it so it comes about 1.5cm up the outside of the ramekins. Lay a sheet of aluminium foil over the ramekins and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes, or until the custard is set.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the flans cool slightly. Run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen it, or put your fingers over the top, invert the ramekin then give it a sharp rap. Serve warm.
This content first appeared in Post Magazine in 2014 and 2010.


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Lifestyle

Food & Drink

Taken medicinally for centuries and famously used in stuffing, sausages and sauces, sage adds a distinctive savoury flavour to dishes


Taken medicinally for centuries and famously used in stuffing, sausages and sauces, sage adds a distinctive savoury flavour to dishes.


Susan Jung's recipes

How to use sage and 3 recipes that make the most of its savoury flavour

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Taken medicinally for centuries and famously used in stuffing, sausages and sauces, sage adds a distinctive savoury flavour to dishes

Taken medicinally for centuries and famously used in stuffing, sausages and sauces, sage adds a distinctive savoury flavour to dishes