Although rosemary is a herb associated most often with warm, sunny Mediterranean cuisine, it's extremely useful during the winter. Unlike delicate, leafy herbs such as basil and parsley, rosemary is sturdy and tough, and the plant can easily survive the mild Hong Kong winters. It's an easy herb to cultivate and it grows well in pots.
Even if you buy the herb from supermarkets rather than grow it yourself, rosemary lasts for a fairly long time. Store the stalks upright in a small bud vase, with just the base in water, or wrap the stalks in a damp paper towel and store in the fridge. The herb also dries well: tie the stalks together with kitchen twine then hang them upside down so the essential oils drain into the leaves. When the leaves are dry and brittle, store the stalks in an airtight container.
The flavour of rosemary is distinctive and strong, and a little goes a long way - usually, one or two stalks will be enough to flavour a dish. The herb goes well with all types of meat. For leg of lamb, sprinkle the meat with salt and refrigerate it overnight, to allow the salt to permeate. Pat dry with paper towels then rub the leg with olive oil, red wine and black pepper. Use a sharp knife to cut deep slits all over the surface of the lamb and stuff each slit with a thin slice of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary, then roast or barbecue it.
For braised rabbit, dust the legs lightly with flour, season with salt and pepper then brown in hot oil. Remove the legs from the pan and use it to saut? a minced shallot. Deglaze the pan with red wine then simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Add some unsalted chicken stock and bring to the simmer. Put the rabbit legs back into the pan, add a stalk or two of fresh rosemary, a few whole, peeled garlic cloves and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and braise slowly until the meat is tender. Remove the rabbit legs and rosemary stalks from the pan. Mash the garlic into the liquid then simmer to reduce it to rich sauce. Whisk a few chunks of cold butter into the sauce then pour it over the rabbit before serving.
