Fresh rosemary for the holidays: 25 recipes to grab your tastebuds

Rosemary by Muffet

“…there are some things I know for certain: always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.” – Sally Owens, Practical Magic.

Fresh rosemary is a pungent, flavorful, robust herb which works for every kind of food from soups to desserts.

If you’ve never tried fresh rosemary, you are in for a treat. And if you’ve never grown rosemary in your garden plan to plant it in 2011. You’ll want to!

Scared of herbs?

For years I thought herbs like rosemary were only for artists. Yes, artists, not gardeners or cooks! The herb growers in my life grew gardens fit to photograph and spent their days between studio and kitchen. They studied Monet, had home interiors worth putting in magazines, and weren’t afraid of long, complicated recipes with fresh home-grown herbs, like rosemary.

Herbs are for you too!

Unlike the artists in my family, I was more interested in growing carrots and potatoes and reproducing the simple, everyday cooking of my grandmother. I thought there was no place for herbs in my life, except for parsley, of course, which was good for simple soup.

Actually, I had fears of growing herbs, fears which were totally unfounded, as it turned out. Early in 2010 I became friends with Katie Tallo through A-List Blogger Club. Katie wanted to grow herbs and asked me for advice. How could I say I was afraid to try? And once I was growing rosemary I came to really love the flavor.

Starting with rosemary

Among the foods enhanced by rosemary are beans, chickpeas, and lentils – appetizers combining rosemary with pulses work well.

• This simple chickpea and rosemary soup from Oprah has just seven ingredients (eight if you count salt).
• Even simpler is the rosemary frittata with four ingredients from Jules Clancy. I’ve tried this one and it makes a very simple, quick, yummy meal.
• Add the flavor or rosemary without the texture by making rosemary flavored olive oil. White bean and rosemary bruschetta from My Barbarian Table teaches you how to make rosemary olive oil. It’s a little more complicated and takes more time to prepare, but you will have leftover oil to use for other recipes.
• You’ll need a food processor for these crisp herb mushrooms from Nigel Slater – made from garlic, breadcrumbs, rosemary, and parsley.

Rosemary side dishes

Rosemary enhances the flavor of potatoes, sweet potatoes, bread, pasta, and rice. Add rosemary to you side dishes and serve with ham, chicken, pork, or lamb.

• For a traditional holiday meat, potatoes, and veg meal accompaniment try Emeril’s roasted rosemary potatoes.
• Add zest to a casual family or friends dinner with simple rosemary biscuits from the Relish blog.
• The holidays can leave your energy and your enthusiasm for cooking drained. You might even be left with a bare pantry once the feast is over. Try Jules when the cupboard is bare pasta – simple, quick, and tasty, like all of Jules recipes.
• I did a lot of searching to find an easy rosemary bread to try – no-knead rosemary and thyme ciabatta from the Daily Chef blog.

Meat and fish main dishes

Rosemary, traditionally associated with lemon and chicken, is a great flavor combination for a variety of meats, fish, and vegetarian main dishes.

• Jules amazing glazed ham is served up with a dose of good advice on how to avoid the biggest holiday cooking pitfall, as well as with a taste of rosemary. Don’t worry that she’s talking about Thanksgiving, her advice applies equally for Christmas and any other holiday.
• Rachael Ray’s rosemary chicken with garlic and lemon is a classic suitable for all but the fanciest of meals; full of zest for your tastebuds too!
• Orange rosemary salad from the Vegan Joy blog is my choice for a tasty vegan rosemary meal and would be great for any of my southern friends, and those down under who don’t crave warm, filling food for the holidays.
• Squash is inexpensive and easy to prepare. Try this roast squash with lentils and goat cheese from The Sunday Times, UK. Simple and filling.
• There’s something very warming and welcoming about pie. Try this savory, vegetarian (easy to adapt to vegan) root vegetable and mushroom pie with rosemary biscuit topping from the bon appetit magazine website.
• One pot dinners like this rosemary pork chop skillet, which includes squash, from Better Homes and Gardens are great fillers on days when your want to gather family around the table without being formal.
• And for a formal, but simple, meal nothing beats salmon – fired up rosemary salmon from Paula Deen.

Veggies

Whether you like simple cooking or more complex flavor combinations, pull a sprig of fresh rosemary from your plant and add some to your veggies. Here are just a few ideas:

• I’ll bet this one smells and tastes delicious (it could even make a simple meal) – rosemary roasted sweet potatoes with parmesan and red onion from Kalyn’s Kitchen.
• Orange, onion, and rosemary salad from Eat, Move, Thrive – refreshing and healthy!
• Sometimes all you need is something simple – simple rosemary carrots from Taste of Home.
• My kids are big fans of parsnips – I usually keep them as a holiday treat. Try these sauteed turnips and parsnips with rosemary from Epicurious. If you’re not keen on turnip, just double up the parsnips.

Sweets, desserts, meal enders

Rosemary has not yet made it into my dessert repertoire. Guess which one of these recipes I can’t resist trying. What about you?

• Here’s one blogger who knows how to keep her man happy on their anniversary – molten chocolate rosemary cakes from Savour Fare.
• Many recipes call for combining rosemary and lemon. I’ll bet this one is a winner – lemon rosemary cake from Food.com.
• For a simple, elegant, and fresh after-dinner treat try orange, rosemary, and wine bowls from Martha Stewart.
• Crackers, or oatcakes and cheese make a light meal, or an after-dinner alternative to dessert, European style – try rosemary oatcakes from Girl Interrupted Eating, or extra-healthy sunflower, flax rosemary oatcakes from Pattycake. Try with Irish cheddar. Yum!
• While you have the oven on for those oatcakes make some cookies for the kids. And if the kids don’t like rosemary there will be all the more for you! Cornmeal rosemary cookies from Think Inside the Icebox or Rosemary cookies from heaven from Food Loves Writing.
• Last, but absolutely not least – rosemary chocolate truffles from Elana’s Pantry.

I hope this rosemary recipes list grabs your tastebuds and helps your holiday cooking to sparkle. Maybe next year you will grow some rosemary. How could you not?

Which recipe appeals to you most? Did I miss your favorite? Do leave a comment.

Kid tip: children have sensitive taste buds and need time to get used to new flavors. Try sweeter rosemary recipes with kids first, such as the lemon rosemary cake. Many of the savory recipes can be easily done with rosemary on only part of the meal.

Related posts:

1. Simple Sweet Potato Combinations
2. How to grow herbs indoors
3. Easy, delicious, quick meals from garden veggies