Herb: Rosemary

 

Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that makes a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a welcome culinary seasoning. We grow it every season outdoors on our deck. Rosemary is most closely associated with the cooking of the Mediterranean area. However you don't need perfect sunshine, sea mist or even a never ending summer to successfully grow rosemary. In fact, more rosemary plants suffer from too much attention than from too little.

Rosemary is a native of the Mediterranean but is most commonly used in roast meats and vegetables. Rosemary is incredibly versatile and works particularly well when used in conjunction with tomatoes and garlic. It is one of the most widely used herbs in the UK and is a familiar ingredient in all sorts of dishes. Rosemary can be used fresh or dried for cooking, but it has more flavour when used freshly picked from the garden (take care to wash it thoroughly) and eaten within just a couple of hours.

Rosemary and Meat

Rosemary enhances the flavor of many types of meat, including lamb, pork and chicken. Simply place a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or sprinkle dried rosemary on top of the meat before roasting. Lamb can be flavored by inserting chopped rosemary into small holes pierced into its skin. Rosemary can also be chopped and added to a marinade for Mediterranean-style meat and fish dishes.  My favorite is a blend of lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, and chicken! It also makes a delicious ingredient in stuffing, simply strip the leaves from the stem and finely chop them. Add them to your favorite stuffing mix or make your own.

Rosemary and Vegetables

A few sprigs of rosemary placed in the roasting dish with a medley of vegetables (such as carrot, potatoes, parsnip and beetroot) and garlic will really boost their flavors. It gives enormous flavor when finely chopped and added to "bubble and squeak" (potatoes and cabbage) and can be used to flavor gravy.

Rosemary goes well with most potato dishes, including roasted and mashed potatoes, and the Spanish tapas dish “patatas bravas”. Why not try adding rosemary and garlic to baked beans and serve them with toast or a baked potato?

Mediterranean Dishes

Rosemary works particularly well with garlic and tomatoes and is traditionally used in Italian dishes to flavour pasta sauces, meats, fish and pizzas. Finely chop the leaves and add them to pasta dishes and tomato sauces.

Rosemary and Barbeques

Rosemary is a versatile herb when barbequing food. You can add a delicious homely scent to the smoke by throwing a few fresh sprigs of rosemary over the barbecue coals. The hardwood stems also make excellent barbecue skewers once they have been stripped. Simply thread them through meat and vegetables and place them over the barbecue. You’ll have the added benefit of the stems imparting a subtle rosemary flavor to your food.