With Thanksgiving on the horizon I like to plant plenty of herbs in my garden to add to autumn recipes. Sage is one of my fall favorites and its scent reminds me of the holiday season, turkey and stuffing! Believed to impart wisdom by many cultures throughout the world, it is wise to plant different types of sage in your garden, because the plant is virtually pest free, drought tolerant and its flowers attract pollinators, such as hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. It is also believed that the fragrance of sage will repel white moths from laying their eggs on plants growing nearby. Native to the sunny warm regions of the Mediterranean, wild sage has been used for thousands of years, and not only for its earthy flavor, but also for its medicinal properties. Botanically known as salvia, sage is part of a very diverse group of plants in the mint family with over 800 different species, most of which are not considered edible since they can be filled with strong chemical compounds. Salvia officinalis, also known as garden or culinary sage, is the most common variety used in cooking and is the variety I plant. When using sage in your recipes, remember that “less is more” and if you use too much the pine-like flavor can be overpowering. Whether you choose to plant edible culinary sage or some of the many varieties of salvia available, including those native to Southern California, they all grow with little or no fertilizer and prefer well-drained soil that should be kept on the dry side. Plant all salvias in a sunny warm location that receives at least six hours of sunshine a day and in the spring they will produce colorful flowers in red, white, pink, purple or bluish lavender, depending on which variety you choose. Culinary sage has purple spikes of flowers and its leaves are grayish-green, purple, or variegated with white, cream, pink and purple accents. Unlike many herbs, the flavor of sage leaves does not diminish when it is in bloom. Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter & Sage
I found butternut squash ravioli in 8.5 oz packages at Trader Joe’s and used 2 packages -1 lb butternut squash ravioli or pumpkin
-1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
-1/2 medium shallot, finely chopped
-20 fresh sage leaves (medium-small sized or less if they are large)
-1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano + more for serving
-Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Cook ravioli in boiling salted water until al dente and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. While pasta cooks, melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet and sauté the shallot and sage leaves for about 5-6 minutes or until the butter turns brown and the sage leaves shrivel. Add the drained ravioli to the sage-butter mixture and stir in the pasta water, raise the heat to med-high and let the mixture cook about 30 seconds. Stir the mixture well and add half of the cheese and stir, adding more cheese to create a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve the ravioli immediately, topped with more parmesan and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with a few sage flower spikes, if you have them.