Tarragon
About tarragon:
Tarragon comes from the French "estragon" and the Spanish "tarragon" both of which come from the Greek word for "little dragon" in reference to tarragon's snaky-looking roots. Tarragon is native to Asia and is a perennial with very highly aromatic leaves. It's the major flavoring agent in the classic Bearnaise sauce.
- Recipes:
- Chive Crêpes with Chicken Salad
- Creamy Tarragon and Mint Salad
- Fall Fruit Salad
- Grilled Chicken Salad
- Nicole's Shrimp Salsa
- Shrimp & Scallop Scampi with Tarragon
- see all recipes
Tips:
Put a couple sprigs of tarragon into a bottle of white wine vinegar and let it steep for a month or more. Strain out the tarragon and use the vinegar as part of a vinaigrette, to dress cooked vegetables or on fish or poultry.
Chop a couple tablespoons of tarragon and add to a stick of softened butter. Use for making omelets, sauteing thin slices of meats and fish, and for moistening potatoes and corn.
Add whole leaves to white sauces for eggs and fish - a tablespoon per cup.
Add to mayonnaise with a few capers, a dash of buttermilk to thin , salt and pepper to taste - makes a good salad dressing or sandwich spread for delicate fillings like sliced chicken and many cheeses.
Add a tablespoon or two of whole leaves to peas, spinach, broccoli or tomatoes at the very end of cooking times and garnish with whole leaves at table.
Put a few sprigs of tarragon in the cavities of small birds -squab, Cornish Game hens, etc. - before roasting. A few sprigs slid under the skin adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the meat.
Chop and sprinkle tarragon leaves over steamed vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, and potatoes, or leafy ones like spinach and chard, and finish with a few drops of tarragon vinegar.
Sprinkle whole tarragon leaves over salads, particularly if they contain tomatoes, cheeses or fish.