Chocolate for Rosemary - an even exchange?

Wow!  Jazzy new banner for Weekend Herb Blogging thanks to a very talented Rand and Kalyn's Kitchen.  Scott at Real Epicurean is our host this week.  I just checked out his Polish Cheesecake and Pierogi...sigh, they both look so wonderful it makes me farsick for Minneapolis.

As for me, I'm still working with winter herbs.  We've had nothing but gray, cold and rain for weeks.  Summer and basil seem a long way off.  For now, it's rosemary and, my favorite, sage.  Both herbs have a very strong flavor and aroma, both have been used for millenia in cooking and medicine, and both are supposed to improve your memory.  In addition rosemary will calm nerves and stimulate circulation; sage will help rheumatism, bleeding and the nervous system. 

With all this history and these implied benefits be prepaired to be warned against over-indulgence.  Yes, my friends, I have been told to cut back on sage and monitor my consumption of rosemary.  I was rendered speechless by these warnings, which is a rare state indeed for me.  Could there be something to it?  More importantly, if I cut back on rosemary can I double my intake of red wine?  My personal regime only allows monitoring/exercising will-power over 2 or 3 substances at a time.  If I eliminate sage for a week can I eat an entire kilo of dark chocolate truffles?  Hmmmm, this bears carfeul consideration.....   

In the meantime:

Rosemary Crusted Lamb Chops on White Beans with Sage

6 lamb chops
2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs olive oil
1 15 oz can cannellini
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
1 tbs olive oil
1 carrot
2 tbs sage
2 tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar

White Beans:  Chop shallot, carrot and mince garlic.  Roughly chop tomatoes.  Drain beans.  Heat 1 tbs oil in a medium saucepan.  Add shallot, carrot and garlic and sauté 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and sauté 5 minutes longer.  Crumble sage, if needed and add.  Add beans and white wine.  Cover reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Add vinegar, stir.  Spoon onto a small platter, add lamb chops and serve.
Lamb Chops:  Sprinkle rosemary and garlic powder on lamb chops.  Heat 1 tbs oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add chops and sauté 2 - 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chop and desired doneness.  Make a slit and peak if not certain.  Remove, place on platter with beans and serve.

For a first course to this dinner I did an 'Ireland meets Spain' starter.  'Prawns Mary Rose' is the Irish/British equivalent to the American 'Shrimp Cocktail'  Mary Rose sauce is, basically, a ketchup/mayo combo with a few additions. 

White Asparagus is on every menu in every restaurant in every corner of Spain.  It is always canned, never fresh and always served with some form of mayonnaise.  It's also always good...
Here is the full recipe for Shrimp Mary Rose with Asparagus .

Since the meal was turning rather international (the beans and lamb based on Italian recipes) I decided we would need a French bit to round things out nicely. 

Potatoes Cooked in White Wine with Shallots and Olives is based on a recipe in "Provence, the Beautiful',  a cookbook I have had for ages and dearly love.  No herbs but lots of good flavors to blend with the Lamb and Cannellini. 

For the whole round-up of all the wonderful recipes be sure to check back with Scott at Real Epicurean on Monday.  Pour a glass of wine (or coffee, depending on your time of day prefrence) sit back and enjoy a wonderful trip around the world of food. 

I'm going to ponder that whole 'over-consumption of rosemary' thing.....