BLOOMING ROSEMARY

 

The sprightly blue flowers of rosemary blooming by the steps give off a faint resinous scent. A few bees lazily graze the bush. I reach out and pluck a sprig of the rosemary wherever I find it. I put it to my nose and may pocket it to sniff again later. 

The blooming rosemary reminds me of the old saying in Spanish: Quien va al monte y no coge romero, no tiene amor verdadero. Who goes up the mountain and doesn’t pick rosemary will never know true love. 

In some parts of Spain, rosemary is especially linked to Palm Sunday (this year on March 24). Legend says that the herb had a white flower until one day the Virgin Mary hung her blue cloak on the bush and changed forevermore its flowers to a glowing blue.  Branches of rosemary blessed by the priest on Palm Sunday are placed over doorways and on balconies as a protection for the house.

Rosemary (romero in Spanish), which belongs to the same plant family as mint and sage, has been used medicinally and culinarily since time immemorial. It is said to be the “women’s herb,” useful treatment for “female problems.” Rosemary infusion makes a relaxing drink. Added to bath water, it helps relax tired muscles. (If using fresh rosemary, wrap it in a cloth so its needles don’t go down the drain.)  

The scent of rosemary makes me think of roast meat. Lamb, chicken, and pork all are enhanced by rosemary. Nevertheless, rosemary is not widely used in traditional Spanish cooking. Sometimes a sprig is added to the paella pan or to a stew of wild rabbit. Rosemary wood once was widely used to fuel wood-fired bread ovens, so its unique perfume enhanced country-style bread. 

Freshly picked rosemary is less pungent than dried. Add the fresh herb to soups, stews, and sauces during the first five minutes of cooking, then fish it out. Or, lay a sprig on top of cooked foods (such as paella) just as they finish cooking. The residual heat extracts the volatile oils from the herb.

Here’s a rosemary twofer, a fairly traditional recipe for patatas panaderas, oven-cooked potatoes with rosemary and roasted pork tenderloin with a garlicky, herbal rub.

The rosemary-spiked potatoes bake for almost an hour while the pork tenderloins marinate. The pork roasts on top of the potatoes.  

Garnish the pork with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Oven Potatoes with Rosemary

Patatas Panaderas al Romero

Baking time for the potatoes will vary with the variety of potato used. Use a mealy type such as russets, not red potatoes. Test after about 40 minutes, but don’t be surprised if they take more than an hour to get nicely tender. 

Serves 4 to 6.

Patatas panaderas plus rosemary.

1 ¾ pounds potatoes

1 cup chopped green onion

1 clove slivered garlic

¼ cup chopped green pepper

½ cup peeled and chopped tomato

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup white wine

½ cup hot water

Peel the potatoes and cut them in ¼-inch slices. Place in a bowl. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. 

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spread 1 tablespoon of oil in the bottom of an oven-safe casserole. Add the potatoes and vegetables to the casserole. Drizzle with remaining oil. Pour over the wine and hot water. Cover with foil. Bake until potatoes are tender, 55 to 60 minutes. 

Raise oven temperature to 400ºF before adding the pork.

Pork Tenderloins with Rosemary

Solomillo de Cerdo con Romero

Serves 4 to 6.

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon coarse salt

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

¼ teaspoon pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons lemon or sour orange juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sprigs of fresh rosemary 

Spread garlic-rosemary mix on pork.

With a knife tip, remove the layer of fat and membrane from one side of the tenderloins. Place them in a shallow bowl.

Place the rosemary in a small bowl. Crush the salt and peppercorns in a mortar. Add the garlics and crush. Mix in the pimentón. Scrape the mixture from the mortar into the bowl with the rosemary. Add the mustard, lemon juice and oil and mix well.

Spread the rosemary mixture on all sides of the pork. Let the tenderloins marinate while potatoes are baking,

When potatoes are tender, raise oven temperature to 400ºF. Remove foil from the casserole. Place tenderloins on top of the potatoes. Put a few small sprigs of rosemary on top. Roast the pork, uncovered, until medium rare, internal temperature of 150ºF. If desired, turn on the broiler to 500ºF and place the meat under the broiler until it browns, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board. Discard charred sprigs of rosemary. Turn off the oven. Cover the potatoes with foil and return them to the oven until ready to serve. Let the pork set 5 minutes before slicing into medallions. 

Serve pork and potatoes garnished with rosemary sprigs.

More recipes with a touch of rosemary:

Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce.

Roasted Red Mullet with Picada Sauce.

Turkey Roulade with Rosemary-Fig Stuffing.

Rustic Valencia Paella with Rosemary.