Sage is a plant that's easy to recognise, at least when it's fresh. The leaves are medium-sized, dusty-green and covered with a soft, delicate fuzz, and have a distinct but mild taste. When the leaves are dried, their flavour intensifies, so they should be used with discretion. Sage goes well with meats such as chicken, turkey, pork and veal, and it's a popular seasoning for sausages.
Sage has been used for its medicinal values for centuries. It's 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.
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 gruyere or comte 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 meal 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.
When I make spinach and ricotta gnocchi or ravioli, I make a simple sauce by heating butter and cooking it until it's medium brown and nutty, then adding fresh sage leaves and some salt and pepper. As soon as the sage leaves are wilted, pour this over the gnocchi or ravioli and sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top. Serve immediately.
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