Fried Sage and Brown Butter - Yeah, That's Right, Fried Sage

Sage is my favorite fresh herb, and I found that those little green leaves were blowing through a different type of green - the kind that goes in the wallet. So, I purchased a Sage plant for about the same price as the prepackaged fresh herbs, which will no doubt meet a slow and painful demise like most of our house plants. Shortly after purchasing, I was going through some old paperwork and picked up a soup recipe I had grabbed from Williams-Sonoma that called for Fried Sage. I couldn't believe it! What an amazing idea! Searching online, I came across this zen-like recipe and had to try it. And so should you. It's not a hit-you-in-the-face flavor, but more of a grounding, earthy taste that deserves to be paired with other simple, but elegant, dishes.

Roasted Potatoes with Fried Sage and Brown Butter
Difficulty: Hmmm... I'm torn between easy and medium.  To someone familiar with their kitchen, this recipe is easy-peesy, but for the person who rarely cooks, you may find it harder to not overcook the butter.  Don't give up!  If you overcook it, don't despair!  Dump it out and start over, no big deal.
Time: Roasted potatoes cook for 30-45 minutes, but the Fried Sage shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to cook and has no prep time.
Serves: Depends on how much you cook!  Plan on 2 medium potatoes per person, possibly three it's so tasty.  I used four tablespoons of butter and had more than enough for the batch you see below.
Requires: A stainless skillet is helpful, but not required.

• Potatoes for roasting (russet, golden Yukon, and classic reds are all wise choices)
• Fresh sage, washed and patted dry - and may I just say, the more you cook, the better.  I always wish I'd made more when I make Fried Sage.
• Unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1. Preheat your oven to 425 and wash and cut your potatoes into bite sized pieces.  Lightly coat with olive oil (go easy, hm?  If you use too much, you'll detract from your brown butter flavor) and a little bit of salt.  Spread on a pan and pop in the over until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.  Turn them once at about 15 minutes to ensure they're roasted evenly.
      
2. Toward the end of the potatoes, take your skillet and drop in your tablespoons of butter.  A stainless steel works best if you have it.  Heat it over medium and gently stir as the butter starts to melt.
    
3. When the butter starts to bubble, add in your sage leaves and continue to stir gently and occasionally.  It helps to let the sage fry up a little bit before stirring, though.  It'll get really frothy, so don't be surprised.  BTW, the scent of the frying sage might make you cry tears of joy.  I'm just saying.  Don't you feel like crying just looking at it?
   
4. The butter will then start browning.  Little specs of the fat from the butter will start turning brown in the bottom of the pan.  It's actually really cool to watch happen!  At this point, be diligent with your stirring to get a good brown butter.
     
5. Cook till browned and smells nice and earthy - almost nutty.  After you pull this from the burner, it'll keep cooking, so bare that in mind.  I got carried away and almost made black butter instead.
   
6. Combine with the roasted potatoes and enjoy this zen-like food!  Keep any leftover brown butter for other dishes in the fridge for up to a week.  It pairs really well with any vegetable, and even meats.