BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM
Recently I was doing some research and came across the countless benefits of incorporating rosemary in our diet and I decided I can’t keep this secret from my readers. Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs, oftentimes I would pair it with my lamb and sometimes beef for a bold taste. Rosemary is not a popular herb in the Caribbean cuisine but would be used to make teas by some older folks. Growing up in Jamaica and when I would visit the market you would always see the vendors with it in their headwrap or on their stall saying that it brings good luck, some would also light it as incense.
The fragrant herb, which is considered to be sacred by ancient Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, as well as Hebrews is particularly prevalent in Italian cuisine. It is also known as ‘Dew of the Sea’ or ‘Old man’. Rosemary has many health benefits, which include boosting memory, aiding digestion, improving mood, and lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and cancer. It also helps to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and protect and boost the immune system. Laboratory studies have shown that rosemary is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are thought to help improve blood circulation.
Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), fresh rosemary has a very high reserve of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, thiamin, and folate. It contains minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron.
Now more than ever in this pandemic adding rosemary in your teas and meals will not only relieve stress, anxiety and depression but it has been traditionally used as a natural remedy for hair growth, memory enhancement, reducing liver damage, limits weight gain and maintains gut health.
Here is a roasted sirloin recipe that incorporates rosemary. This is a great way to add more rosemary to your diet. Other ways to use rosemary in a creative way is to make your own rosemary butter for toast or your dishes, oils for cooking and rosemary salt.
Rosemary Thyme Mint & Garlic Crusted Sirloin Tip Roast
Sirloin crusted with garlic, mint, thyme and rosemary then roasted to perfection creates the perfect entree you can put with any side dish of your choice.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. sirloin tip roast
- 1 tsp. salt and pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. Dijon or grainy mustard
- 2 tbsp. garlic paste
Breading
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 10 mint leaves
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Tie the roast and season generously with salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Then mix together mustard and garlic paste and brush over the meat and put aside.
Remove the leaves from the thyme, rosemary and mint then finely chop. Add chopped herbs to a grinder or blender with breadcrumbs and pulse with salt and pepper then coat the sirloin with the mixture. Put the sirloin on a grease tray and roast for 30-45 mins in the preheated oven, or to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Let sit 15 minutes before slicing.
