ROASTED ROSEMARY POTATOES

There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray love remember"

says Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet iv 5

Directly outside my dining room is a rosemary shrub.  From where I am sitting it is a brilliant display of small deep purple flowers. The bees love it and at this time of year they cover the shrub.

I have always had rosemary plants in the garden but used it very little in cooking until my daughter encouraged me.  Rosemary, though, has a very long history: the ancient Greeks, Romans, middle eastern and european countries all used it in their cooking as a digestive aid -as well as using it as an aromatic and a medicine.  It even has a myth attached to it.  The virgin Mary was supposed to have laid her freshly washed blue shawl over a rosemary bush to dry and in that time the flowers took on the same colour.

As well as being used to dry clothes, through history it has been scattered on graves to remember loved ones, on floors as a disinfectant, to stimulate hair growth to combat baldness, given by brides to bridegrooms to symbolize fidelity, and sniffed to relieve headaches and lift the spirits.  

Studies have now proven its ability to stimulate the brain and it is showing great promise in improving memory for people with Alzheimer’s disease.  It has also shown to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer and in slowing its progress.  Rosemary contains powerful antioxidants that may even prevent cancer development as it can detoxify dangerous carcinogens that are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures (e.g. frying or roasting); and stop any carcinogens binding with DNA, which is handy since this is the first step in tumour formation.

  
Marinating meat in rosemary is a good idea.  Rosemary is especially nice with lamb.  It is also delicious with potatoes. Here is a recipe for Roasted Rosemary Potatoes.

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes   Serves 4

A small potato for each person, unpeeled, washed and cut in half.

 A long drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

A sprinkle of salt

A sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

Here’s what you do:

1 .Preheat oven to 200 C.

2. Drizzle olive oil into the baking dish to coat the bottom of baking dish.

3. Place potatoes into this and move potatoes until they are covered with oil.

4 .Top potatoes with rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper.

5.  Roast for 30-45 minutes or until largest potato is soft.

6. And serve.

I think they are the best roasted potatoes ever.  See what you think.

Until next time here’s to your very good health,

Linda.