Table of contents:
With its distinctive, slightly bitter aroma, sage is not exactly an all-rounder in the kitchen. In return, it gives many dishes an unmistakable taste. Its name is derived from the Latin "salvare", which means to heal. Sage tastes intensely spicy and, due to the tannins it contains, slightly bitter to astringent. Its smell is somewhat reminiscent of pine. Sage is used not only in the kitchen, but also for medicinal purposes…
- Continue reading
- more on the subject
- Ingredients, smell and taste
- Use and preparation
The genus Salvia belongs to the mint family (Lamiacae) and includes many species that differ in flower color, leaf shape and color and the composition of the essential oil. The best known and particularly rich in variety is the garden sage (Salvia officinalis), also known as real sage. In addition to Salvia officinalis, the Austrian Food Codex also lists Salvia triloba as a spice for the trade. This species is also known under the terms S. fruticosa as well as Greek, cross and trilobed sage. Sage is commercially available fresh or dried in whole, cut or ground form. You can find more information under grocery book online.
The real sage is a heavily branched subshrub with a height of 20 to 70 centimeters. The leaves are oblong-ovate to narrow-elliptical and covered by a slightly hairy felt. The leaves can be up to ten centimeters long. The leaf color is olive green to greenish gray. The flower color ranges from light purple to pink to white. A wide range of sage plants is available in the gardening trade: There are numerous different species such as the muscat sage (Salvia sclarea), pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) and numerous Salvia officinalis subspecies such as "Purpurascens", the has purple leaves, "non-flower" without flowers or "rosea", which only develops smaller leaves and flowers pink.
The sage plant likes it very warm and rather dry, it does not tolerate waterlogging. Sunny spots as well as heat-storing house walls and stone borders are suitable in the garden.
Note When buying a sage plant, make sure that it is also suitable for consumption. Decorative sage is not suitable for the kitchen.
Ingredients, smell and taste
Sage tastes intensely spicy and, due to the tannins it contains, slightly bitter to astringent (astringent on the tongue). Its smell is somewhat reminiscent of pine. The essential oil contains thujone, camphor, cineole and borneol, the content of which depends on the type and variety.
|per 100 g of edible
|per 100 g of edible
|Energy (kcal)||119||Iron (mg)||4.7|
|Fat (g)||4.6||Magnesium (mg)||160|
|Protein (g)||3.9||Vitamin B1 (mg)||0.11|
|Carbohydrates (g)||15.6||Vitamin B2 (mg)||0.06|
|Dietary fiber (g)||3.1||Niacin (mg)||1.2|
|Potassium (mg)||390||Vitamin A (µg)||215|
|Calcium (mg)||600||Vitamin C (mg)||2|
Use and preparation
Sage is used fresh and dried in the kitchen. Due to its intense aroma, it should be used sparingly for seasoning. It is also popular as a tea.
It is a frequently used spice in Mediterranean cuisine, especially in Italy, Greece and France. It goes well with all kinds of meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The slightly tart taste goes particularly well with game meat. Sage also spices pasta, egg preparations (e.g. omelette) and bread (e.g. focaccia). A well-known and popular Italian dish is “Saltimbocca alla Romana”, which combines veal with ham and sage leaves. Often sage leaves are tossed in butter, which gives the butter a fine aroma. “Burro e salvia” goes well with filled pasta such as ravioli.
Fresh sage leaves can be kept wrapped in paper or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a few days. Dried sage can be stored for longer, protected from light and air. The loss of essential oil is approximately 50 percent within two years.
Note You can also water fresh herbs in a glass, similar to fresh flowers. This way they stay fresh for a few days without wilting.