Rosemary — season, tips, and recipes in New Zealand
Rosemary is a herbs available in New Zealand during January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. This page is a practical guide for home cooks: when to buy rosemary, how to pick a good one, how to store it, what it goes well with, three original recipes, and detailed nutrition information.
Grows year-round in NZ and is practically unkillable. One bush provides enough rosemary for years.
How to pick a good one
Should smell strongly aromatic. Needles should be firm and green, not dropping off.
How to store it
Fridge in a damp paper towel for up to two weeks. Dries well: hang upside down.
Goes well with
lamb: Rosemary's resinous, camphor-like notes penetrate lamb fat and create a combination that tastes as though the two were designed for each other. Lamb with rosemary is one of the more deeply embedded flavour memories in European cooking.
potato: Rosemary's assertive flavour is one of the few herbs that survives the high heat needed to roast potatoes. The resinous oil carries through the fat and makes the whole pan smell correct.
garlic: Two strong, resinous flavours that amplify each other. Used together in almost every Mediterranean cuisine because both can penetrate dense protein and hold up to long cooking.
lemon: Lemon's acid brightens rosemary's resinous heaviness and makes the combination taste less medicinal. Used together in marinades and roasted dishes.
olive oil: Olive oil infused with rosemary is one of the better things you can have in a kitchen. The fat carries the herb's volatile compounds indefinitely and makes both taste more of themselves.
Recipes
Rosemary Focaccia
Pillowy, salty, olive-oily.
Ingredients: 500g flour, 7g yeast, 350ml warm water, 3 tbsp olive oil, rosemary, flaky salt
Method: Mix flour, yeast, water, 1 tbsp oil. Knead 5 min. Rise 1 hour. Press into oiled tray. Dimple with fingers. Drizzle remaining oil. Push rosemary into dimples. Sprinkle salt. Rise 30 min. Bake 220C for 20 min.
Rosemary Roast Potatoes
The herb that was made for potatoes.
Ingredients: 1kg potatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 sprigs rosemary, 4 cloves garlic (unpeeled), salt
Method: Cut potatoes into chunks. Boil 10 min. Drain, shake to roughen. Toss with oil, rosemary, garlic, salt. Roast 200C for 45 min until crispy.
Lamb with Rosemary & Garlic
Sunday roast. Classic.
Ingredients: 1 leg or shoulder of lamb, 4 cloves garlic (sliced), 4 sprigs rosemary, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt
Method: Make small cuts all over lamb. Insert garlic slices and rosemary sprigs. Rub with oil and salt. Roast 180C: 20 min per 500g for medium. Rest 20 min before carving.
Nutrition
One tablespoon provides 6% of your daily calcium and 5% of your daily iron. Contains rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid, potent antioxidants. Studies suggest rosemary aroma may improve memory and concentration. Contains compounds being studied for neuroprotective effects. One of the few herbs with meaningful calcium content.