# Substitute for sage



## GB (Sep 9, 2005)

OK here is the recipe I am cooking for dinner tonight. I do not have sage and don't want to spend the money on it. What can I use in it's place?

CUBE STEAK DIJON

2 12-ounce cube steaks
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/3 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijonmustard



Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Melt1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks insingle layer and cook until browned, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.Transfer to work surface; cut each steak in half.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skilletover medium-high heat. Add shallots and sage; sauté until soft, about 30seconds. Add vermouth; boil until slightly reduced, about 30 seconds. Stir incream and mustard. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until slightly thickened,about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Divide steaks among plates, spoonsauce over, and serve.


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 9, 2005)

I would use thyme or maggioram...  I am not a big fan of sage personally, I would prefer this way in any case!!

Licia


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## Alix (Sep 9, 2005)

OK, this may sound whacked but what about poultry seasoning? Isn't there sage in that? Failing that I would try maybe a little thyme?


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## GB (Sep 9, 2005)

Thanks Licia. I love thyme so I think that would be a great sub


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## Andy M. (Sep 9, 2005)

I vote for thyme.  Want me to bring some over around dinner time?


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## luvs (Sep 9, 2005)

the meal should be fine nomatter which herb you choose to season it with, geebs. meat is amazingly receptive to herbs.


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## GB (Sep 9, 2005)

My door is always open Andy!


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## GB (Sep 9, 2005)

luvs_food said:
			
		

> meat is amazingly receptive to herbs.


As am I


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## tancowgirl2000 (Sep 9, 2005)

GB said:
			
		

> My door is always open Andy!


 

As am I 

sorry I am so so so sorry


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## Constance (Sep 9, 2005)

I'd go the thyme and marjoram route. I like sage all right, but with this dish, I actually think you'll prefer the other herbs. I think I'd want a bit of garlic, too. 
But then, I am the proud owner of a 5 lb. bag of garlic, so I'm putting it in just about everything lately!


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## Robo410 (Sep 9, 2005)

thyme or marjoram


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## Tater Tot (Sep 13, 2005)

Living in the south west where sage brush is more sacred then gold you all should be ashamed of your self!  How can you replace sage? there is no herb like it! Fresh sage should be in almost every meal!  My feeling is this (and I know I might offend some) If you dish calls for a spice that is distinct in flavor and cannot be replaced then make another dish...Just me I guess..

Tater Tot


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## kitchenelf (Sep 13, 2005)

I'm thinking tarragon - but I think just about anything would be ok.


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## jennyema (Sep 13, 2005)

Tater Tot said:
			
		

> My feeling is this (and I know I might offend some) If you dish calls for a spice that is distinct in flavor and cannot be replaced then make another dish...Just me I guess..
> 
> Tater Tot


 
I agree with you that sage is really unique and if it's sage's unique qualities that inform a dish that it cannot be adequately subbed for. 

BUT ... IMO it applies more to people looking, for example, for a sub for marsala in chicken marsala and not to this situation.

Here, the sage is not the raison d’être for the dish.  It's not even the main flavor, but rather complementary.  In cases like these, IMO it's perfectly ok to sub.

I'd use thyme.

P.S.  Tater Tots make my life worth living


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## Claire (Sep 23, 2005)

I'd go with the thyme. Yes, both sage and thyme are major ingredients of "poultry seasoning", and even in commercial packaged chicken soups both are in there somewhere. Oh, dear, I couldn't live without sage. Turkey stuffing. Tourtiere. Any poultry dish, or fish, or pork ... But I chime in with the thyme group. 

Don't go with tarragon (sorry if I'm stepping on toes here) unless you like licorice. Of all the licorice-flavor herbs (and they are abundant), it is the mildest, so the easiest to experiment with. I love it, but don't go there if you don't like that flavor (and most of my friends don't, so my beautiful plant gets prettier by the year, mostly un-used!).

Sometimes if you don't like something, or don't want to buy it, the best option is to just leave it out and not try to substitute.


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## GB (Sep 23, 2005)

I can't believe I never came back to this post to give you all an update. It turns out that I did not have any thyme, but I did have sage. I must have bought it a long time ago for a recipe and forgotten all about it. Sage is not an herb I have had much experience with so when looking at this recipe I could not even picture the flavor.

Well even though the sage I had was quite old, it was still in very good condition. It smelled great when I took a pinch out. It worked very well in this recipe. Thyme would have worked well also as would many other herbs, but I am glad I used the sage. This recipe was a big hit with my wife. She thought it looked so fancy and had a great taste. I loved that it was inexpensive and took very little time and effort to cook


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 23, 2005)

Well GB you are not the only one, there always seems to be one thing or another, that we KNEW we had somewhere but indeed it has been long gone, or that we dig out which we totally forgot we had, and not to mention those fuzzy green monsters at the bottom of the fridge... I think it is one universal issue we ought to pay more attention to but somehow escapes us...

*MAINTAIN A DECENT INVENTORY OF YOUR CUPBOARD, FRIDGE AND FREEZER!!*


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## Raine (Sep 23, 2005)

A couple more....italian seasoning or savory.

Also I'm wondering the results of the dish if you left it out, since was just a small amount.


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## GB (Sep 23, 2005)

Since it was such a small amount Raine, I actually used more than it called for. It would have been fine without any herbs, but it sure did add a nice additional flavor.


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