sage brown butter

No sooner did I think.... man, I haven't done a food post in awhile, did I think of a really great one to share. Sage brown butter sauce . Really easy, really tasty and makes an instant 'restaurant quality' meal in minutes.

One of the lesser used herbs in gardens, sage should not just be sentenced for Thanksgiving or cleansing a room from old spirits . Besides having this great fuzzy texture, sage has a wonderful earthy, grassiness to it. It is quite hearty in the garden (sometimes lasting a year or two in the Midwest) and also doubles as a great fragrant cutting for your kitchen bouquet...but back to the dish.

First, about a half and stick of butter, melted over low heat in pan. This is for a healthy serving for 2.

When almost melted, add it 4-5 whole sage leaves. The object here is to slowly heat the butter until it browns and releases all that nutty flavor. When the butter starts to get brown with little bits running thru it, remove the crispy sage leaves and set them aside, about 3-6 min. While still on the low heat, add about 1/2 cup of fine breadcrumbs to the melted butter. Stir to coat and just cook for a few minutes. Toasts it a bit and takes away that flour taste.

as a base.....really any pasta will do. We picked up some RP's butternut squash ravioli at the farmers market. The warm buttery squash with the earthy sage...a perfect pairing.

Once they float, pull the ravioli out of the boiling water and add to the butter mixture. Toss lightly with a little of the starchy water and top with a few crispy sage leaves.

Simple, tasty and unbelievably fresh. Add this method to your repertoire for a special, quick meal or a weekday treat with a great bottle of wine.