Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena - Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene

It ist he beginning of July and that means we are in the midst of berry season - especially the blackberries look just wonderful this year. It also the time of year when our lemon verbena bush also called lemon beebrush (in latin aloysia citrodora – citrodora meaning „lemon-scented“) , has grow considerably and its lovely leaves are ready to be picked and put to good use in my kitchen.

Es ist Anfang Juli und das bedeutet Beerenzeit – besonders die Brombeeren haben es mir dieses Jahr angetan. Und dann wächst gerade auch unsere intensiv nach Zitrone duftende Zitronenverbene (Aloysia citrodora), auch Zitronenstrauch oder Zitronenduftstrauch genannt, zu einem großen Strauch heran. Die beste Zeit die wunderbar aromatischen Blätter in meiner Küche zu verwenden.

The long, glossy leaves of the lemon verbena  are slightly rough to the touch and emit a powerful scent reminiscent of lemon when bruised. They can be added to eveything from fruit salads, to pudding and ice cream (infusion). The leaves can also be made into a wonderfully refreshing drink. If you add hot water to the fresh leaves and let them steep for a good thirty minutes, you will be left with a lovely tea. The French like to brew a tea called „Verveine“ with the dried leaves that render a yellowish, slightly green cup of tea with an intense lemon flavor that can also be enjoyed when cold.

Die Blätter der Zitronenverbene kann man für Salate, aber auch zum Kochen und zum Würzen von Süßspeisen wie Obstsalat, Pudding und Eis verwenden. Die Zitronenverbene wird auch für die Zubereitung von Getränken genutzt. Legt man frisch gepflückte Zitronenverbenen-Blätter für zirka dreißig Minuten in heißes Wasser, so erhält man einen wunderbaren Tee. Das zitronige Aroma der Zitronenverbene ist besonders in Frankreich als Tee sehr beliebt und ist dort als „Verveine“ bekannt, man verwendet dafür die getrockneten Blätter und erhält einen gelbgrünen Tee mit intensiver Zitrusnote, den man im Sommer auch eiskalt trinken kann kann.

The finely chopped leaves can also be added to cookie dough, like I do when I bake my Black Currant Cookies with Lemon Verbena (the recipe can be found here), or to a cake batter. I like to bake lemon loaf cakes with the leaves but today I decided to add the finely chopped leaves to my Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena. The recipe for this fragrant little summertime Bundt combines the flavors of the blackberries with lemon verbena in the most delicious of ways.

Aber man kann die feingeschnittenen Blätter auch in Keksteig verarbeiten, wie zum Beispiel bei meinen Schwarze Johannisbeer-Keksen mit Zitronenverbene (das rezept findet man hier) oder man gibt sie in einen Kuchenteig.  Ich backe oft einen Zitronenkuchen mit Zitroneneverbene, heute gibt es mal einen Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene. Dann schmeckt der kleine, sommerliche Gugelhupf nicht nur wunderbar nach Brombeeren, sondern hat auch noch einen ganz leichten, angenehmen Zitronengeschmack.

Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena Ingredients for the Bundt 125 grams of fresh blackberries  160 grams plain (AP) flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder a pinch of fine sea salt ½ vanilla bean 125 grams unsalted butter, room temperature 120 grams superfine (caster) sugar 60 ml milk, room temperature 3 tbsps fresh lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped  Ingredients for the Icing 50 grams powdered sugar 1 ½ tbsps cream (or milk) some blackberry juice (to get a lovely light purple hue for the icing)

Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene Zutaten für den Gugelhupf 125  Gramm frische Brombeeren 160  Gramm Weizenmehl 1 ½  TL Backpulver eine Prise feines Meersalz ½ Vanilleschote 125 Gramm Butter, ungesalzen, Zimmertemperatur 120 Gramm feinster Backzucker 2 Eier (L), Freiland oder Bio 60 ml Milch, Zimmertemperatur 3 TL frische Zitronenverbene, feingehackt Zutaten für den Guss 50  Gramm Puderzucker 1 ½  EL Sahne (oder Milch) ein wenig Brombeersaft (wenn man einen hell-violetten Guss macht)

Preparation Butter and flour a small Bundt cake pan (750 ml capacity). Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius (150 degrees convection) which is 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sort through and clean the blackberries. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using a small kitchen knife, split the vanilla bean half and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife.* In a medium bowl, using your mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and the vanilla seeds.This will take about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and continue to mix until well combined.This will take about 30 seconds per egg. To the butter mixture add the finely chopped lemon verbena leaves and mix briefly, just until combined. Add flour and milk alternatively to the butter mixture. Starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined. To the prepared Bundt pan add half the batter, then the blackberries and the remaining batter.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only dry crumbs attached. Let the baked cake cool for about 10 minutes in the cake pan on a wire rack. Then carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely. For the icing, in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream and blackberry juice until you have a pourable consistency. Add a little extra cream if the mixture is too thick. The icing should drip down the sides of the cake. Add a few blackberries for decoration. * Note: Use the vanilla bean to make some vanilla sugar. Add the scraped vanilla bean and some sugar to a twist-off jar. Leave for a few days to infuse the sugar with the vanilla aroma. The homemade vanilla sugar is ready for use after three to four days.

Zubereitung Eine kleine Gugelhupfform (750 ml Inhalt) gründlich fetten und mit Mehl ausstäuben. Backofen vorheizen (E-Herd: 175 °C/ Umluft: 150 °C). Brombeeren verlesen In einer Schüssel das Mehl mit dem Backpulver mischen.  Die halbe Vanilleschote längs aufschneiden und das Vanillemark mit dem Messerrücken herauskratzen.* Butter, Zucker und das Vanillemark in eine Schüssel geben und mit den Quirlen des Handrührers mindesten 5 Minuten schaumig schlagen. Eier einzeln jeweils 1⁄2 Min. unterrühren.  Die fein gehackte Zitronenverbene dazu geben und nur kurz unterrühren. Mehl und Milch abwechselnd zugeben. Mit dem Mehl beginnen und enden. Jeweils nur kurz unterrühren. Den Teig abwechselnd mit den Brombeeren in die Backform füllen und glatt streichen. Im heißen Ofen bei 175 Grad auf dem Rost im unteren Ofendrittel zirka 40 Minuten backen, zur Sicherheit eine Holzstäbchenprobe machen. Bleibt kein Teig haften, Kuchen herausnehmen. Den Kuchen 10 Minuten in der Form auskühlen lassen, dann vorsichtig aus der Form auf ein Kuchengitter stürzen, auskühlen lassen. Für den Guss, in einer mittelgroßen Schüssel den Puderzucker, Sahne und Brombeersaft zu einem glatten Guss verrühren. Nach Bedarf den Guss mit etwas mehr Sahne verdünnen. Den Guss über den Kuchen verteilen. Dabei an den Seiten des Kuchens herunter tropfen lassen. Einige Brombeeren auf den Guss verteilen. *Tipp:  Die ausgekratzte Vanilleschote für Vanillezucker weiter verwenden. Dafür die Schote mit etwas Zucker in ein Schraubdeckelglas geben, stehen lassen. Nach drei bis vier Tagen hat man echten Vanillezucker.

This Blackberry Bundt with Lemon Verbena is a light, summertime cake. It is moist from the addition of the blackberries and has a hint of citrussy flavor from the lemon verbena leaves that harmonize so well with the vanilla. It is a perfect afternoon treat. Ideal for this time of year. And quickly put together. If you cannot find lemon verbena you can use the grated zest of an organic lemon instead, or use the zest of an organic lime if you like the green specks in the batter. And you can easily double the recipe and increase baking time by about 20 minutes for a 12-cup capacity bundt. Enjoy your summertime baking – there is more to come this week – so make sure to visit my blog again this week! It will be worth your while because the next cake will be equally as delicious as this one - moist and studded with more sweet summer fruits!

Dieser Brombeer-Gugelhupf mit Zitronenverbene ist ein leckerer, sommerlicher Kuchen. Saftig von den Brombeeren und leicht zitronig von der Zitronenverbene, mit einem Hauch von Vanille von der Vanilleschote – ein richtig schöner kleiner Nachmittagskuchen. Ideal für die Jahreszeit. Und schnell gemacht. Wenn man keine Zitronenverbene Blätter hat, kann man auch die geriebene Schale einer Bio-Zitrone nehmen oder man gibt Bio-Limettenschale an den Teig, dann hat der Kuchen auch so nette kleine grüne Sprenkel. Das Rezept läßt sich auch verdoppeln (1.5 L Backform), dann aber bitte zirka 20 Minuten länger backen. Gutes Gelingen und viel Spaß beim Backen von Sommerkuchen – es gibt diese Woche noch mehr davon – also, nicht vergessen,  meinen Blog diese Woche nochmals zu besuchen, es lohnt sich! Denn der nächste Kuchen ist genauso saftig und voller Sommerobst und genauso wunderbar wie dieser!

French Friday with Dorie - Tomatoes Provençal

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is "Tomatoes Provençal“. This recipe for oven-roasted tomatoes with an assortment of fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil  is the height of simplicity – with good ingredients, not much more needs doing. I think there is no arguing the fact that oven-roasted tomatoes take on an intensely deep flavor after roasting.

I love the idea that you can just season a dish of vegetables then leave it in the oven to get on with things by itself. As tomatoes are so abundantly available during the months of June, July and August, these roast tomatoes, or a very similar recipe, make a regular appearance in my kitchen throughout the summer.

All you need for this recipe are ripe tomatoes but do not use beefsteaks – for today´s dish  I used an assortment of red, orange, yellow, and green zebra tomatoes. We think that the different colored tomatoes are not only a feast for the eyes, they do in fact taste differently.

There are countless recipes for Tomatoes Provençal available and just last week we prepared some Honey-roasted Tomatoes for the Cottage Cooking Club. For Dorie Greenspan´s easy recipe, other than the tomatoes, all you need is some nice sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, two garlic cloves, and some freshly chopped herbs. I used a few bushy sprigs of thyme, rosemary and oregano from my garden, and, of course, a mild olive oil.

If you like your garlic to be less pungent, it is best to use the new season garlic here, the one that has no papery skins yet and together with a bit of salt grind it into a paste using the back of your knife, before adding it to the olive oil.

Pre-heat your oven, slice the tomatoes in half and lay them cut-side up in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan. Remove the thyme, rosemary and oregano leaves from their stems and put them in a small mixing bowl with the olive oil. Peel and finely crush the garlic cloves and stir into the olive oil with a generous grinding of sea salt and black pepper. Spoon over the tomatoes and bake for about 40 to 60 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender and slightly shrivelled.

Oven-roasted tomatoes have a deliciously concentrated flavor and a wonderful texture and can be used in many different ways.

Today marks the last day of school for the kids - six weeks of holidays. Therefore, for today´s post and as a summer starter,  I decided to serve the sweet Tomatoes Provençal with my newly-found favorite veg of the summer, broad beans, then slightly salty feta cheese on top of a few slices of grilled Ciabatta. Summertime is wonderful.

To see how much the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed this recipe, please go here.

If you happen to own Dorie Greenspan´s "Around my French Table", you will find the recipe for the „Tomatoes Provençal“ on pages 344-5.

The Cottage Cooking Club – June Recipes

Today, marks the second round of our online cooking group, the Cottage Cooking Club. As a group, recipe by recipe, we are cooking and learning our way through a wonderful vegetable cookbook written in 2011 by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, called „River Cottage Everyday Veg“.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a well-known British chef, TV personality, journalist, food writer and "real food" campaigner, known for his "back-to-basics philosophy". He is best known for hosting the River Cottage series, in which audiences observe his efforts to become a "self-reliant, downshifted farmer in rural England", his aim is to feed himself, his family and friends with locally produced and sourced fruits, vegetables, fish, eggs and meat.

The Cottage Cooking Club online cooking group is meant to be a project aimed at cooking more vegetable dishes, learning new ways to prepare tasty and healthy dishes and share them with family and friends.

We will make an effort to use as much local, regional, organic and also seasonal produce as is resonably possible. With that goal in mind, I prepared quite a few wonderful dishes from the book already.

My first recipe for the June post is the „Baby Carrot and Broad Bean Risotto“.

The risotto was so creamy and colorful, we just feel in love with this dish. The recipe is a straightforward risotto recipe with some white wine and homemade vegetable stock to cook the risotto rice and lovely, sharp freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano to round things off. The intriguing and new element in this recipe was the addition of some wonderfully sweet baby carrots and tender, grass-green broad beans.

These early summer vegetables are always nice to use, although I had never used them in that combination before. With respect to the broad beans, we are in the midst of bean season around here and I bought way too many. In mid-June, you cannot get much more seasonal, or much more delicious than food with colourful broad beans. Only brief steaming or cooking is required when broad beans are in their prime but, as the season progresses, the pods get bigger and tougher and then the beans are encased in a thick outer skin. The skins need to be removed and the beans should be cooked straightaway. Which is what a did – this recipe is a unique and delicious way to showcase this ancient vegetable. While we have enjoyed many a broad bean recipe, we were particularly pleased to discover how delicious these are in a risotto.

The second recipe I made was the „Crudités with tarator sauce“. Traditionally, tarator is a rich and garlicky toasted walnut sauce (or, as in my case, toasted almond) that is served with fish and chicken and it also works well as a dip and to showcase the bounty of fresh vegetables available at this time of year. I served this unusual dip with cauliflower florets, yellow summer squash, more baby carrots and small cucumber sticks.

While this was a nice new recipe to try, I prefer a less dominant sauce for dipping to let the taste of the individual vegetables shine through a bit better.

The third recipe I made was the „Vegetable tempura with chili dipping sauce“.

What can I say, my favorite this month. Hands down. What is there not to love about young, tender, green asparagus, yellow summer squash and cauliflower florets deep-fried within a crisp, light coating of tempura batter.

The batter for the vegetables consists of plain as well as cornflour, baking powder, sea salt and ice-cold mineral water.

And the recipe for the wonderful sweet-salty and spicy, out-of-this-world delicious dipping sauce, calls for redcurrant jelly, cider vinegar, soy sauce (I used light soy sauce), chillies, garlic, pepper and coriander (I used thinly sliced spring onions instead). Pleased as punch that the ingredients for the dipping sauce are pantry itemy at our house. Redcurrant jelly is great for cooking and baking and I always have a jar or two at home, it lends a tart, sparkling flavor to foods and is a wonderful compliment to the saltiness of the soy sauce.

What a delightful appetizer – a huge hit at our house!

The fourth recipe this month was the „New potato, tomato and boiled egg salad“. This potato salad has a nice dressing which is light and perfect for this time of year – all you need is some really good olive oil, cider vinegar, mustard (I used Dijon mustard), sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a wee bit of sugar.

Then boil new potatoes and eggs and add some colorful tomatoes – I used orange, yellow and zebra tomatoes for this recipe instead of the cherry tomatoes – and I adored the colors of this salad. And the ease of the preparation. It is true that you can never have enough recipes for potato salads. And this one is certainly worth making again. The taste of new potatoes is hard to beat and in combination with fresh tomatoes and eggs, these new harvest potatoes taste even better. I topped off the salad with fresh chives and and orange sage flowers. This summer salad is wonderful!

The fifth recipe this month was another favorite of mine. The unbelievably wonderful „Pizza with new potatoes, rosemary and blue cheese“. This recipe calls for the „Magic bread dough“ again – we made that last month for the equally delicious „Asparagus pizza“. I  enjoy making dough and this one is no exception.

Besides blue cheese and fresh rosemary from the garden, the topping for this pizza consisted of leftover, thinly sliced potatoes. It is wise to use some waxy potatoes for this recipe, as you do not want the sliced potatoes to break down too much in that very hot oven. Plus it is easier to slice them with a mandoline (which is what I did) if the potatoes are not floury but the starchy kind.

The blue cheese I bought was a French one, next time I would love to try an Italian gorgonzola dolce, the strong character of that cheese will go wonderfully with the potatoes and the bittersweet, robust flavor of the rosemary.

The sixth recipe was „green all around“ – for the „Steamed veg with a hint of garlic“, I chose fresh green string beans, broccoli, freshly shelled peas, more broad beans and green asparagus – what a feast for the eyes and palate.

I placed all the vegetables in my steamer basket and after just a few minutes and the addition of some very gently cooked young garlic, butter and coarse salt was, we enjoyed pure vegetable bliss on a platter.

The seventh and last recipe for this month was the „Honey roasted tomatoes“ – what a showstopping way to prepare cherry tomatoes with a hint of garlic and honey – perfect for spooning on some lovely toast or as a side dish for roast chicken. I could not help myself and added some of that rosemary to the cherry tomatoes while they were roasting for a good 30 minutes in the oven. Love that recipe and the way it lets you present those abundantly available cherry tomatoes – next time I make these I would love to try different colors of cherry tomatoes.

Form my eighth recipe, I took the liberty of preparing the „Carrot hummus“ that I did not get around to making last month – this is certainly a colorful hummus and quite intriguing tasting. With warm spices such as coriander and cumin and such lovely ingredients such as honey, garlic, freshly squeezed lemon and orange juice, plus tahini in addition to those oven roasted carrots, this makes for a hummus with many layers of flavor – I  think this will be a wonderful hummus recipe to keep in mind come fall.

Now, dear readers, if you are still not convinced yet that this is the ultimate vegetable cookbook with absolutely outstanding recipes that make the best use of seasonal vegetables – then why not try a few recipes from this lovely book, set a table outside, invite family and friends, and enjoy the season´s bounty to its fullest! Then you will be convinced! And then join us in our quest to cook through this must-have, unique vegetable book!

Please note, that for copyright reasons, we do not publish the recipes. For more information on the participation rules, please go here.

The designated recipes for the month of June were the following:

Spring onion and cheese tart (page 44), New potato, tomato and boiled egg salad (page 76), Crudités with tarator sauce (page 105), Cucumber and lettuce vichyssoise (page 134), Pizza with new potatoes and blue cheese (page 182), Frittata with summer veg and goat´s cheese (page 232), Baby carrot and broad bean risotto (page 269), Vegetable tempura with chilli dipping sauce (page 308), Honey roasted cherry tomatoes (page 343) and Steamed veg with a hint of garlic (page 372).

To see which wonderful dishes the other members of the Cottage Cooking Club prepared in the month of June, please go here.

French Fridays with Dorie - Guacamole with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers

Today´s recipe for the French Fridays with Dorie group is "Guacamole with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers“.

Guacamole is a Mexican dish of mashed avocado mixed with lemon or lime juice and various seasonings. Sometimes finely chopped tomatoes and onions and peppers are also added.

The ingredients for Dorie´s Guacamole are perfectly ripe Hass avocados, finely chopped red onion, grape tomatoes and red bell peppers, jalapeno, coriander, freshly squeezed lime juice, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and some hot sauce. Easy to find fresh ingredients, the remainder are mostly pantry items. A nice recipe for a Friday evening.

Guacamole can be served as a dip, sauce, topping or side dish. Guacamole is equally delicious as a topping for burgers and as it is as a dip for oven-roasted potatoes and freshly cut vegetables including carrots, garden cucumbers, zucchinis, kohlrabis, baby corn, and radishes. It is also usually served as an accompaniment to fajitas, along with sour cream.

You can make it chunky or smooth (using a pestle and mortar), according to taste. Whichever way you serve it, if you plan on making it ahead of time,  remember to sprinkle the guacamole with lemon or lime juice and cover the surface well with plastic wrap (directly on the surface) because avocados turn brown quite quickly once they are exposed to air. And do keep the guacamole well chilled, al all times.

Guacamole should be zingy and fresh tasting, to cut through the creamy richness of the ripe avocados and Dorie´s recipe delivers – although I did swap the red bell peppers for finely chopped orange tomatoes. Anyway, I never put red peppers in. Ever. But many people, it seems, disagree.

Rick Bayless, one of the finest and most famous Mexican chefs north of the Rio Grande, and an award-winning writer on the subject, describes guacamole in his "Rick Bayless´s Mexican Kitchen" cookbook as "a verdant, thick-textured bowl of festivity, ripe with the elusive flavour of avocado. Mash in a little lime, raw onion, coriander, chilli, perhaps tomato, and the avocado comes fully alive." True.

To see how much the other members of the French Fridays with Dorie group enjoyed this recipe, please go here.

If you happen to own Dorie Greenspan´s "Around my French Table", you will find the recipe for the Guacamole with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers on page 22.

Fried Sage Leaves - Salbeimäuse

Sage, was a healing plant of great renown throughout the Middle Ages, although it was also valued as a culinary herb. Today, the tapered, gray-green leaves, are known to give dishes like stuffings and pork sausages their wonderful woodsy fragrance and depth of flavor. Althought there are countless varieties of sage to choose from, most culinary sage used these days is „Salvia officinalis“ (the common garden sage),  or „Salvia fruticosa“ ( Greek sage or three-lobed sage).

Salbei gilt schon seit dem Mittelalter als Heilkraut, aber wurde auch seit jeher gerne als Küchenkraut genutzt. Heute denkt man bei den grau-grünen, ovalen Salbeiblättern eher an eine aromatische Geflügelfarce oder an wunderbar duftende, leckere Würstchen. Die Salbeisorten, die man heute am häufigsten in der Küche verwendet heißen „Salvia officinalis“ auch echter Salbei, Küchensalbei oder Heilsalbei genannt und „Salvia fruticosa“, der dreilappige Salbei, auch Griechischer Salbei oder Kreuz-Salbei genannt.

We all know the distict texture of its supple leaves, which can be as velvety as rabbits' ears. And you will probably often find yourself rubbing them between your fingers before you start cooking, releasing an intense smell that springs from the oil glands at the base of each leaf hair. Thus, it is the fuzziest leaves that smell and taste the most intense.

Wir alle kennen die besondere Struktur von Salbeiblättern mit der silbrig-filzigen Oberfläche, die sich oft so ein wenig wie Hasenöhrchen anfühlen. Wenn man vor dem Kochen die Blätter zwischen den Fingern reibt, dann steigt einem sofort ein intensiver Duft in die Nase, diese ätherischen Öle sind in den feinen Härchen enthalten, umso mehr Härchen, umso aromatischer duften die Blätter.

Raw sage is usually too intense to eat, you have to cook this herb to bring forth its aromas. Sage is especially popular in Tuscany and other parts of central and northern Italy. For a distictively Tuscan dish called „fagioli all´ uccelletto“, white beans, tomatoes, garlic, and fresh sage leaves are cooked together until the beans are tender and permeated with sage flavor. And when you eat an Italian classic dish called „saltimbocca“, a dish with veal scalopine and prosciutto, it is rather obvious that the bright flavor of the sage leaves is the reason the dish is called "jump in the mouth". Sage has a bracing effect on rich dishes because its astringency cuts cleanly through fat. Chopped and simmered with mushrooms and cream, it makes a succulent topping for thick slices of country bread. And sage leaves inserted beneath the butter-rubbed skin of a chicken before it is roasted will crisp themselves as the chicken cooks, adding a nice savory crunch to the meat.

Rohe Küchen-Salbeiblätter sind etwas zu intensiv um sie einfach so zu verspeisen. Man sollte schon mit Salbei kochen, um seinen besonderen Geschmack zur Geltung zu bringen. Salbei erfreut sich besonders in der Nord-italienischen Küche großer Beliebtheit. In der toskanischen Küche gibt es zum Beispiel ein Gericht „Fagioli all´uccelletto“ (Weiße Bohnen mit Salbei) bei dem man Salbeiblätter mit weißen Bohnen, Tomaten und Knoblauch so lange köchelt, bis die Bohnen weich und aromatisch sind. Wenn man „Saltimbocca“ genießt, weiß man sofort warum das Gericht aus feinem Kalbfleisch, Prosciutto und frischen Salbeiblättern  „Spring in den Mund“ genannt wird und warum man das Saltimbocca am besten frisch zubereitet verzehren sollte, am Folgetag ist der Salbei sonst schon zu dominant. Salbei wird auch besonders gern bei fetten Speisen wie Braten oder Leber verwendet um die Gerichte besser verträglich zu machen. Aber auch Huhn harmoniert hervorragend mit Salbei.

And no other herb is as delectable as sage when fried, either in extra-virgin olive oil or in brown butter or when encased in a light batter as I have done in the recipe below.

Und kein anderes Küchenkraut läßt sich so hervorragend frittieren wie Salbei, entweder einfach in Olivenöl oder in einem leichten Teigmantel wie bei dem heutigen Rezept.

As already mentioned above, sage was long considered a medicine rather than a food. That fact is obvious from its Latin name. Its Latin name "Salvia" comes from the Latin verb „salvere“ (to save) an obvious nod to its medicinal virtue. The ancient Greeks and Romans are said to have used sage to treat a wide range of ailments. In tenth-century Arabia, physicians even believed that sage had the power to extend life. Sage had emerged as a presence in the kitchen by the time of the Middle Ages, when Europeans began munching sage fritters at the end of banquets to aid digestion. In America, sage was being cultivated as early as the 1630s.

Wie schon oben erwähnt, hatte der Salbei hatte schon früh den Ruf, ewiges Leben zu gewähren und galt eher als Heilkraut denn als Küchenkraut. Der Name „Salbei“ bezieht sich dann auch auf die heilenden Wirkstoffe des Salbeis. Der lateinische Name "Salvia" kommt von dem Verb "salvare", also "heilen". Schon die alten Römer und die Griechen haben den Salbei als Heilmittel eingesetzt. Im Mittelalter dann wurde Salbei auch als Küchenkraut genutzt und Europäer begannen frittierte Salbeiblätter am Ende eines opulenten Mahls zu sich zu nehmen um das Essen bekömmlicher zu machen.

For the following recipe making the best of seasonal use possible for that bumper crop of sage leaves, use large, very fresh sage leaves. If you buy sage, you should look for strong leaves with a bright, fresh color and no yellowish discolorations. The branches should be firm and if you rub the leaves between your fingers, there should be a discernable intense and woodsy smell. For the Fried Sage Leaves recipe, the leaves are coated with a nice light batter and they puff-up during baking, making them look like little mice, hence the German name „Salbeimäuse“ which, literally translated means „sage mice“. this an even more fun dish to try.

Für das folgende Rezept nutzt man am besten frisch geerntete, große Salbeiblätter außerhalb seiner Blütezeit. Wenn Sie Salbei einkaufen, sollten Sie darauf achten, dass die Blätter kräftig sind, eine frische und satte Farbe haben und keine gelblichen Verfärbungen. Die Stängel sollten fest sein und wenn Sie leicht mit den Fingern am Salbei reiben, sollte er intensiv duften. Für die Salbeimäuse werden die Blätter in einen Teig getaucht und in Öl schwimmend ausbacken. Der Teig bläht sich beim Ausbacken auf und die Blätter sehen dann tatsächlich aus wie goldbraune Mäuschen, daher auch der Name des Gerichts „Salbeimäuse“. So ein ausgefallener Name macht dieses Gericht noch sympatischer.

Fried Sage Leaves Ingredients 20 to 30 freshly picked sage leaves, stems attached – choose large, very fresh leaves for this recipe -  NOTE: the younger the leaves, the less pungent they are 125 grams AP (plain) flour or wholemeal flour 3 tbsps neutral oil or melted, unsalted butter (cooled) 2 eggs (L), free-range or organic, separated 125 ml milk, room temperature some fine sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper canola oil (or other vegetable oil suitable for deep-frying) coarse sea salt for serving

Salbeimäuse Zutaten  20 bis 30 frisch gepflückte Salbeiblätter mit Stiel – am besten nimmt man relativ große Blätter - HINWEIS: je jünger die Blätter, je milder sind sie im Geschmack 125 Gramm Weizenmehl oder Weizenvollkornmehl 3 EL neutrales Öl oder flüssige Butter, abgekühlt 2 Eier (L), Bio- oder Freilandhaltung, getrennt 125 ml Milch, Zimmertemperatur etwas Meersalz und frisch gemahlener schwarzer Pfeffer Öl zum Ausbacken grobes Meersalz zum Servieren

Preparation Rinse sage leaves and pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oil, two egg yolks, milk, salt, and pepper until the batter has a smooth consistency with no lumps. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for a good 30 minutes so that the gluten has a chance to develop properly. Then just before frying, in a clean bowl, whip the egg whites together with a pinch of salt to soft peeks. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter. In the meantime, pour the oil in a pot safe for frying (or use your deep-fryer), and heat the oil until it reaches 190 Grad Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Once the oil is hot, dip the leaves into the dough mixture individually, and allow the excess to drain off as best as you can. Carefully drop into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  You have to be careful not to let them brown too much. Remove the leaves from the oil, and let dry on paper towels. Continue with the remaining leaves until they have all been fried. Once all leaves have been fried, sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt, and serve immediately while still warm.

Zubereitung Die Salbeiblätter abspülen und mit Küchenkrepp trocken tupfen. In einer mittleren Schüssel das Mehl, Öl, zwei Eigelb, Milch, feines Salz und Pfeffer mischen und den Teig glatt schlagen. Mit einen Tuch bedecken und den Teig gute 30 Minuten ruhen lassen, damit sich das Gluten richtig entfalten kann. Kurz vor dem Frittieren, die Eiweiß mit einer Prise steif schlagen. Das geschlagene Eiweiß vorsichtig unter den Teig heben. In der Zwischenzeit das Frittieröl auf 190 Grad Celsius erhitzen  - man kann hier natürlich auch eine Fritteuse benutzen. Wenn das Öl die richtige Temperatur erreicht hat, die Blätter einzeln in den Teig tauchen und den überschüssigen Teig etwas abtropfen lassen. Vorsichtig in Öl schwimmend ausbacken. Das dauert ungefähr drei Minuten. Dabei aufpassen, dass sie Blätter nicht zu dunkel werden. Die Blätter aus dem Öl nehmen und auf Küchenkrepp abtropfen lassen. Mit den restlichen Blättern genauso verfahren. Wenn alle Salbeiblätter ausgebacken sind, mit etwas grobem Meersalz bestreuen und sofort servieren.

These fried sage leaves are wonderful as an appetizer. But you can also offer them along with a nice glass of wine, or as garnish for grilled meats or seafood. But they can also be enjoyed with a fresh summer salad for example. And they are particularly delicious if served as part of a cheese spread.

Diese ausgebackenen Salbeiblätter schmecken vorzüglich als kleine, feine Vorspeise. Man kann die Salbeimäuse aber auch zusammen mit einem Glas Wein servieren oder als Beilage zu gegrilltem Fleisch oder Fisch.  Köstlich auch als kleine Hauptmahlzeit zu grünem Salat und als Teil einer leckeren Käseplatte.

Next time you are looking for a healthy herb to add to your cooking, why not try the very lovely sage: „Cur moriatur homo, cui salvia crescit in horto?" (Why should a man die in whose garden sage grows?) - This wonderful Latin adage is from a famous medieval didactic poem on maintaining good health, the „Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum“ (The Salernitan Rule of Health) Speciality greengrocers or nurseries often sell a wider range of herbs than supermarkets do. Look out, too, when you visit farmers' markets, for more unusual varieties of robust culinary sage such as golden sage and tricolor sage used for cooking or the more delicate fruit sages such as orange and pineapple sage used in fruit salads, jams, jellies, and tea.

Wenn man mit einem geschmacklich intensivem und gesundem Küchenkraut kochen möchte, sollte mal ruhig mal den wunderbar eigensinnigen Salbei für sich wiederentdecken: „Cur moriatur homo, cui salvia crescit in horto?" (Warum sollte ein Mensch sterben, in dessen Garten Salbei wächst?) - Dieser wunderbare lateinische Vers entstammt einem berühmten mittelalterlichen Lehrgedicht über Gesundheit, dem „Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum“. Oft findet man in guten Gemüseläden und auch in Gärtnereien an großes Angebot an ausgefallenen Kräutern. Wie zum Beispiel die robusteren Sorten wie Goldsalbei und Tricolor Salbei, die sich gut zum Kochen eignen. Oder die etwas feineren Sorten der Fruchtsalbeis wie Orangensalbei oder Ananassalbei, die ganz wunderbar für Obstsalate, Marmeladen, Gelees und Tees verwendet werden können.

„Cur moriatur homo, cui salvia crescit in horto?" -
Why should a man die in whose garden sage grows?