Rosemary

At the place of honor in our dinning room sits a large rosemary bush, and for those who might question why a bush, noble though it may be, assumes such a prominent place in our domicile, the answer is obvious; it gives joy in the summer and it can give just as much joy during those bleak winter months when any remembrance of things past are a source of infinite pleasure.

 

At the place of honor in our dinning room sits a large rosemary bush, and for those who might question why a bush, noble though it may be, assumes such a prominent place in our domicile, the answer is obvious; it gives joy in the summer and it can give just as much joy during those bleak winter months when any remembrance of things past are a source of infinite pleasure.

It would take a poet to do credit to this wonderful plant, and indeed, the Bard himself found it worthy of a few lines, but for me its particular joy is spawned by the fact it is the only herb I have every been able to lug in from the outside to winter over inside the house. And then, when the spring equinox draws nigh, it has the stuff to thrive again when I return it back to the garden.

In the grand scheme of worldly choices, Mother Nature must have known the import of preserving my rosemary bush during the winter months. Never mind that the herb is a token of love, loyalty, and friendship. Or that it wards off evil, signifies remembrance, grows in the gardens of only the righteous, or even that a flourishing rosemary bush indicates female dominance of the household. What gets my attention and my blood flowing after a walk in the snow is a warm bath scented with a cup of a strong rosemary tea delivering up its volatile oils. One can use fresh or dried rosemary, but if a plant is in the house, a scattering of rosemary sprigs gives added comfort and is rumored to quietly stimulate memory functions.

In the culinary world, rather than a pacifier, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is thought of as pungent and aggressive. Its intense scent has been described by one author as sort of a cross between sage and lavender, with a touch of ginger and camphor. So intense is its flavor that one must be wary not to add too much of this evergreen shrub of the mint family. It is important that its sharp needle-like leaves be finely chopped or, if the whole leaf is used, strained from the dish before serving. A teaspoon of fresh leaves, one-quarter teaspoon of dried, is all that is required for a serving of four people. A mellower flavor can be achieved by using whole sprigs, later to be removed from the cooks finished dish.

Native to the Mediterranean, rosemary mixes well with other seasonings classic to that region, such as chives, lemon, tarragon, and thyme. A roast chicken benefits from a few sprigs of rosemary, lemon slices, a garlic clove, salt and pepper put into its cavity prior to baking. Julia Child makes a wonderful blend of prepared mustard, olive oil, soy sauce, chopped garlic, and rosemary to coat a leg of lamb prior to baking.

And finally, rosemary has been infiltrating the dessert tray. Minced fresh rosemary leaves give a pleasant taste to the following recipe for Cranberry Nut Bars.

10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1-2/3 Cups firmly packed light brown sugar 1-1/2 Cups unbleached flour pinch of salt 3 extra large eggs 1-1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract Zest of one orange ½ Teaspoon salt 1-1/2 Teaspoons baking powder 3-4 Teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced 1-1/4 Cups walnuts, coarsely chopped 7/8 Cup dried cranberries or cherries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly butter a 9 X 13 inch pan. In a food processor or bowl, blend unsalted butter, 2/3 Cup of the light brown sugar, 1-1/4 Cups flour and pinch of salt together until crumbly. Pat the crust into the pan and bake for twelve minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 350F. Beat the eggs with the remaining cup of light brown sugar. Blend in the vanilla, orange zest, remaining one-quarter cup of flour, teaspoon salt, baking powder and rosemary. Evenly spread the nuts and cranberries over the crust and top with the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester or knife comes out clean. The top will be golden brown. Cut into bars after cooling.

Source: The Herb Companion, February/ March, 2000

 

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