PRIMALOCITY

The Wisdom of Sage: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Prosciutto and Sage and Parmesan Smothered Green Beans

While available all year long, the herb Sage is one of those flavors that just reminds me of fall.  Its great with roasted meats, vegetables, and of course is a necessity in the kitchen around thanksgiving.  Of course, like most herbs, it also is said to have certain health benefits and healing properties. Modern research has shown that sage, while not a panacea, can help reduce excessive perspiration, digestive problems, sore throats, premenstrual cramps, and high blood sugar. Sage is also an active ingredient in some natural mouthwashes because its tannins are thought to help kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis. Sage has traditionally been used to treat canker sores, bleeding gums, sore throat, tonsillitis, and laryngitis. Recent laboratory studies support the use of sage to guard against infection-it has demonstrated an ability to fight against several infection-causing bacteria. Some herbalists and, in Germany physicians, recommend gargling hot sage to soothe pain from sore throat and tonsillitis. Sage has also been linked to improved brain function and has been found successful for treating patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease.  I say it just tastes good and I’ve created 2 new recipes that I will share with you.  I served them together, but this may be sage overload for you.  You can serve them together or separately, any way you choose, if you like sage, you will like these recipes a lot.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Prosciutto and Sage

For 2-3 servings of this Roasted Chicken Thighs with Prosciutto and Sage, you will need:

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 wide and thin slices of prosciutto (if the prosciutto is smaller you can overlay 2 pieces)
• Several Stems of fresh sage, leaves removed and stems discarded or saved for other use.
• Olive Oil for brushing
• Salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the chicken, first preheat your oven to 425º.  Place one thin slice of prosciutto on a work surface.  Scatter torn pieces of the sage on top of the prosciutto.  Season one boneless skinless chicken thigh with salt and pepper and place on one end.  Roll the chicken thigh in the prosciutto so that the prosciutto overlaps and completely surrounds the  chicken thigh.  Brush the entire prosciutto wrapped chicken thigh with olive oil and place in a roasting pan or dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken, prosciutto and sage.  Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the chicken thigh is cooked through.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.  You can spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken when serving if you desire.

I placed the chicken thighs on a bed of sliced mushrooms sauted in a little butter and olive oil.  I also served  this with a side of Smothered Parmesan Green Beans that also incorporates sage.  Here’s that recipe.

Smothered Parmesan Green Beans

For 4-6 servings you will need:

• 2  12 oz. bags of frozen frenched green beans
• 2 tbls. butter
• 1 tbls. olive oil
• 4 shallots sliced thinly lengthwise (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teasp. finely chopped sage
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

To prepare the green beans, heat the butter and olive oil in a 12″ heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic to the hot oil and butter mixture, salt and pepper to taste, and saute for about 5 minutes until shallots are golden.  Add wine and boil until reduced by half.  Add cream, water, 1/4 teasp. of salt, 1/8 teasp. pepper, and sage and bring to a boil.  Add the green beans and simmer, tightly covered until beans are tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove liquid and continue to simmer until liquid is thickened, about 5-10 more minutes.  Add Parmesan cheese, stir to completely incorporate and serve with the Roasted Chicken Thighs or your favorite roasted chicken or meat.

Enjoy!

Tags: chicken, green beans, Recipes, sage