Guide to Eating Flowers: Pork Chops with Sage Flowers

Serves 4
Sage is a classic accompaniment for pork and poultry. The flavor of the flowers is much more subtle than that of the leaves. If your sage isn’t blooming, try another herb from this flavor group, such as rosemary.

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped crimini or brown mushrooms
• ¾ cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons sage flowers, finely chopped
• 1½ cups fresh bread crumbs
• 4 pork chops 1 inch thick (or substitute chicken breast cutlets)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Stir in the vegetable broth, then add the sage flowers. Remove the skillet from the heat.

3. In a large bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the sautéed mixture until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Cut a pocket in each pork chop, then stuff with the bread-crumb mixture.

4. Heat the skillet over medium heat. Sear the pork chops briefly on both sides and transfer them to a shallow baking pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with applesauce to which you’ve added a handful of chopped pineapple sage flowers.

Cathy Barash is a garden photographer, writer, and editor for Meredith Books in Des Moines, Iowa.

Click here for the original article, Guide to Eating Flowers.