Rosemary is an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean area, used mainly in Italian and French cuisine. It has an intense, enveloping flavor and is often combined with strong-flavored meats, such as lamb. Few people know that it is also very popular with bartenders and pastry lovers. To use it in the kitchen you have to chop it very finely, as the needles have a rather hard consistency. Read on: you will discover that rosemary is an essential ingredient in many traditional recipes, baked goods and even in some desserts.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Wash and Chop the Rosemary
Step 1. Rinse the rosemary
Place the sprig of rosemary in a colander and rinse it under running water. You can rub it gently with your hands to quickly remove dirt residues and any other impurities. When finished, lay the rosemary on a clean kitchen towel and pat it dry.
Step 2. Separate the twigs
Take a pair of scissors or a knife and separate the individual rosemary sprigs. Remove the thicker portion at the base and the parts without needles.
The branches of rosemary taste good, but have a hard, woody, somewhat unpleasant texture
Step 3. Leave the twigs intact if you intend to use them to flavor and garnish the dish
Whole twigs are perfect for decorating, embellishing and flavoring certain dishes. You can add a sprig of rosemary when cooked or put it in a pot with meat, vegetables or soup ingredients.
Like bay leaves, rosemary sprigs must also be removed from the pot when cooked, before serving the dish
Step 4. Detach the needles from the branch
Grab the tip of the twig between your index finger and thumb and slide the fingers of the other hand from the top to the base to detach the small green needles. Transfer them to a cutting board and discard the branch.
- Instead of throwing away the twigs, you can hang them up and let them dry. Once dry, you can use them as normal wooden sticks to prepare meat or vegetable skewers to cook on the barbecue.
- When you want to include rosemary in a recipe, it's best to use just the needles instead of the whole sprig.
Step 5. Chop the rosemary needles
Use a sharp knife and chop them very finely. Rosemary needles can be quite hard, even after cooking, so it's best to chop them so you don't have to chew them.
Part 2 of 3: Using Rosemary
Step 1. Add it to bread and other baked goods
Fresh chopped rosemary is widely used to add flavor and aroma to breads, breadsticks, crackers and many other baked goods. Popular recipes include:
- Rosemary bread or focaccia.
- Homemade rosemary crackers.
- Scones with rosemary and herbs.
- Fresh pasta or rosemary scented gnocchi.
Step 2. Pair it with meat or fish
You can associate it with any type of meat, such as lamb, chicken or turkey, fish and even seafood. You can stuff the meat with a sprig of whole rosemary, place it next to it while you brown it, or use it chopped to give it flavor. You can prepare a mix of flavorings to use to flavor meat, regardless of the type of cooking (in a pot, in the oven or on the barbecue), by combining:
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper powder.
- 1 tablespoon of salt.
- 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary.
- 1 tablespoon of dry rosemary.
- 8 minced garlic cloves.
Step 3. Add it to cheese recipes
Rosemary and cheese form an irresistible duo and can be combined in many different ways. The ideal option is to finely chop the needles and dust them directly on the finished product. Generally the required dose is a couple of teaspoons, but adjusted according to the quantities available and your tastes. Popular pairings include:
- Macaroni with cheese.
- Fried or baked cheese sticks.
- Cheese Italian Pizza Bread;
- Mozzarella sticks.
- Cheese sandwiches.
- Cheese fondue.
Step 4. Pair it with vegetables
You can add a sprig of fresh rosemary especially when cooking vegetables in the oven. Cut and season potatoes, carrots, parsnips and other vegetables with extra virgin olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice and a couple of sprigs of rosemary. Cook the vegetables in the oven at 200 ° C for 35-40 minutes so that they become soft and golden.
Vegetables you can roast and flavor with rosemary include sweet potatoes, celery, zucchini, peppers, asparagus, and eggplant
Step 5. Try it with potato wedges
Probably one of the most popular combinations is the one between potatoes and rosemary. You can add rosemary to any potato-based recipe, including mashed potatoes, au gratin potatoes, and of course baked potatoes. To flavor the potato wedges:
- Wash and scrub the peel of the potatoes.
- Cut it into wedges.
- Season them with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes in the oven at 250 ° C for 30-35 minutes, turning them a couple of times during cooking.
- Once ready, season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with chopped garlic and rosemary.
Step 6. Make a lemon sorbet flavored with rosemary
The sorbet is prepared with fruit juice and sugar and you can easily make it at home, flavor it to taste and use the fruit juice of your choice. Lemon-flavored sorbet is an ideal option for adding rosemary to it, as the two ingredients are successfully combined in many other dishes.
To flavor the sorbet with rosemary, chop it finely and add a teaspoon when making the sugar syrup
Part 3 of 3: Alternative Uses of Rosemary
Step 1. Use it to make herbal tea
You can make a cup of it to keep warm during the winter. The only ingredients they serve are water and rosemary. Boil water in a kettle or saucepan, put a sprig of fresh rosemary in a teapot and fill it with boiling water. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes.
- You can serve the herbal tea with a slice of lemon.
- In the summer months you can let the herbal tea cool, transfer it to a bottle, put it in the refrigerator and drink it cold. Remove the rosemary before decanting and drink it within a couple of days.
Step 2. Use it to flavor the oil
Pour 120 ml of extra virgin olive oil into a saucepan and add 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Heat the oil over low heat for about 5 minutes. When it has reached 82 ° C, turn off the stove, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the oil cool. Once it has reached room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Use the flavored oil within a month.
You can use rosemary flavored oil to replace what you normally use for cooking, frying, and salad dressing
Step 3. Use rosemary to flavor the butter
Herbal butter is incredibly delicious and very versatile. Uses you can make of it include:
- Spread it on warm bread.
- Spread it on the meat or fish so that it melts and turns into a sauce.
- Spread it on baked or roasted potatoes.
- Use it to season pasta, rice or vegetables.
Step 4. Season the salt with the rosemary
Rosemary salt is great for adding flavor to any dish. To prepare it, just grind 75 g of coarse salt with a teaspoon of dry rosemary using the food processor. Continue blending at short intervals until the two ingredients are well blended. Transfer the flavored salt to an airtight container and let it sit for a day.
- You can use rosemary salt as a substitute for regular salt, for example in soups, stews, salads, meats, vegetables and popcorn.
- Try to use rosemary salt within a year.
- You can also add lemon, lime or orange zest.
Step 5. Use rosemary to flavor lemonade
Since it makes an excellent pairing with lemon, you can add it to lemonade, but also to your favorite lemon cocktails. When the lemonade is ready, add 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary to the pitcher and let it steep for a few hours before serving.
