I have written a couple articles on Parsley in the past. But this time parsley is the Herb of the Year! Almost every year since I began writing my monthly article for the paper (I started in October 2002), one of those months I dedicated the article to which ever herb was the Herb of the Year for that particular year. Most recently I have written that article in January or February so you, the reader, could learn about, plant, and use which ever herb is celebrated that year. This year is no different.
I believe parsley has been undervalued. Probably because it has been used as a plate garnish for so many years. It has many redeeming qualities one of which is its great flavor. It brightens whatever dish you happen to use it in or one. It is good cooked in the soup pot or sprinkled fresh on pasta after it is cooked.
Parsley is the first herb I remember. My mom only grew three herbs – curly parsley, dill, and chives. She would harvest it, bring it inside and snip it up to serve on top of new buttered potatoes or roll her famous salmon ball in a mixture of snipped parsley and walnuts.
It has three common varieties: flat leaf or Italian, curly leaf and parsnip rooted (Hamburg). I grow Italian or flat leaf and curly parsley every year. In Michigan, parsley may winter through depending on the weather, but I treat it as an annual and buy new plants every spring. If I get some volunteer seedlings from last year’s plants that flowered and went to seed, I consider it a blessing and am happy to use them in my cooking or selling to LaLonde’s market.
Parsley is classified as a biennial, which means the leaves grow the first year and it flowers and makes seeds the second year. However, because of our growing season, the commercial growers need to start the seeds early so they look good when we are buying plants in the spring. Because of this sometimes by August they begin to send up stiff stalks that then flower. I just keep cutting the flower stem off to help the plant continue to produce leaves. Toward the end of the summer, I let some stalks go to flower and make seeds which may make new seedlings in the spring, but I never count on that happening. If you are starting your own seeds, it is best to mix the seed with sand and add water to soak them for 24 hours before sowing the seeds. The seeds may take up to 6 weeks to germinate, so be patient.
When harvesting parsley, you want to cut the outside leaves first. If you cut from the inside, you will stunt the plant since the new growth comes from the center. If you do not harvest the outer-most leaves, they will eventually turn brown and need to be cut off and thrown away. By harvesting from the outside, you increase your overall harvest and improve the continued growth and appearance of the plant all season.
After you cut your parsley, use it fresh in your dish or store in a moist paper towel that is put in a zippered bag, then in the refrigerator, or preserve it for later: dry it in a dehydrator or freeze it. The way I like to freeze it is snip it into an ice cube tray, add a little water, freeze it, crack out the frozen cubes and store in the freezer in a zippered bag or just snip it into a small airtight container and freeze it. Be sure to date and label your bag or container so you know what is in the container and when you put it in the freezer. The little bit of water you use won’t be a problem when using them in a stew or a pot of soup, but for other dishes use the frozen parsley you snipped into a container. During the growing season I also chop it up, put it in a little covered storage container in the refrigerator so it is convenient and ready to use fresh for any number of dishes.
I have found that Italian parsley, sometimes called flat leaf, is more flavorful and more tender than the curly parsley, but the curly is easier to snip up. Both are rich in vitamin A and C and iron. Parsley is one of the main ingredients in Bouquet Garni along with thyme and bay leaf, which is a great blend for soups and stews. I use dried parsley in many of the 60 culinary mixes that I package: Dill Dip for Vegetables, Herb Lemon Butter for Chicken or Fish, Herbed Rice, Holiday Rice, Italian Dressing Mix, Spaghetti Sauce Herbs, Super Seasoning, Scampi Seasoning, Chicken Soup, Cream of Broccoli Soup, Bouquet Garni, Salad Herbs and I use fresh parsley in my Italian Vinegar. So, you can see that parsley is quite versatile. At home, I use fresh or dried (depending on the time of year) in meatballs, meatloaf, many different salads, new potatoes, and home canned spaghetti sauce, just to name a few. Following are some great recipes using parsley.
Garlic-herb croutons
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme
4 – 5 cups of French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 to 2 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese (sprinkle over croutons as they come out of the oven)
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat and add the herbs. Stir well and set aside. Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle one-half of the butter mixture over the bread cubes and then stir gently. Drizzle the remaining butter over the bread cubes and gently stir again until they are well coated, but not soggy. (Different breads absorb differently, so you may not need all the butter in the recipe.)
Spread the buttered bread cubes, in a single layer, on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the cubes are crispy on all sides and slightly browned. Watch them closely so that they do not burn. Remove and let cool. Store in an airtight container. Use on salads or soups.
Green Goodness Dressing
2 cups packed parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or Italian Vinegar (Frawley’s Fine Herbary)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blend all the ingredients at low speed in a blender for 1 minute and at high speed for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is bright green. Adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, vinegar, or salt if necessary. The dressing keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week. Use on salads, grains, potato, pasta, blanched vegetables, and greens.
Frawley's Pasta Salad
8-ounce spaghetti or linguine
1/2 head broccoli
2 carrots - julienne cut
1 large tomato, chopped 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh basil (2 teaspoons dried)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
8-ounce Mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian Vinegar
1 package Frawley's Fine Herbary Italian Dressing Mix
Cook pasta using box instructions. Cook broccoli and carrots to crispy done.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and chopped fresh herbs.
In a separate container mix dry Italian Dressing Mix, vinegar, and oil and add to large bowl. Put in both cheeses and pasta. Toss and chill well. (Opt. add Summer sausage cubes)
Pork medallions with five spice powder
For the marinade:
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon green (spring) onion, including tender green top, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon Five Spice powder
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup water, plus 1 to 3 tablespoons as needed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Mix marinade ingredients in a shallow baking dish. Whisk to blend. Add the pork and turn once to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, turning the pork occasionally. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry. Discard the marinade. In a large, ovenproof frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup water to the pan. Transfer the hot pan to the oven and roast until the pork is slightly pink inside and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160° F. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Add the yellow onion and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cabbage and 1 tablespoon of the remaining water. Stir well reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the cabbage is wilted, about 4 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons additional water, if needed. Slice the pork tenderloin into 8 medallions. Divide the medallions and the wilted cabbage among individual plates and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Chimichurri sauce
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1medium shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Marinate the garlic and shallot. Combine the garlic, shallot, vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
Process with the herbs. Transfer the garlic mixture (including liquid) to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or blender. Add the parsley, basil, and cilantro and pulse to finely chop.
Add the oil. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil in a thin stream. This should take about 1 minute.
Season. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the coriander, cumin, and salt. Pulse once or twice to combine.
Use or serve. Use the sauce as a marinade or serve over grilled or roasted meat or fish.
Donna Frawley is the owner of Frawley's Fine Herbary and author of "The Herbal Breads Cookbook," "Our Favorite Recipes." and "Edible Flowers Book." She also has her own DVD "Cooking with Herbs" and a weekly newsletter. She can be reached at 989-488-0170, frawleyherbs@yahoo.com or www.frawleysfineherbary.com
March 29, 2021 at 04:04PM
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Frawley: Parsley is the 2021 herb of the year - Midland Daily News
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