Tarragon

I wonder if Simon & Garfunkel had a clue that one single song verse would become a universal anthem for garden enthusiasts wanting to add herbs into their edible mix? Go ahead, sing along with me now, "parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme".

But what about all the others - delights like chervil, sorrel, curry plant & tarragon?

As the spring gardening season swings into full gear, I thought it might be handy to start profiling herbs and veggies - tips on growing and recipes that showcase their flavor, texture and amazing aromas.


Lets get started with tarragon.

Most recognized is the French tarragon - an indispensable classic in French cuisine. Used most commonly to complement fish & shellfish, it is also used to season turkey, chicken, veal and eggs.

For me, less is more with this herb! Using too much can overpower a dish very rapidly. Funny how it is not one of the herbs used to create the glorious "Herbs de Provence" [more on that in a later post!]

While French tarragon is cold-hardy, drought tolerant perennial that can grow well in our hot summer temperatures. On the flip side, it is very susceptible to fungal disease [like rust] and for this reason, we grow the Spanish variety.

Tagetes lucida or Spanish Tarragon [sometimes referred to as Winter tarragon as well] is a deliciously deep green herb, blessed with an added layer of licorice-like sweetness [but not too much] which is a great mimic of the French variety. This herb has deep green aromatic leaves that turn a deep crimson color over the winter. In the fall, it blooms a brilliant display of bright, small, golden flowers.

It is a very easy herb to grow in either the ground or in a container. Bet you are wondering how the taste of the Spanish variety matchs up the the more famous French variety?


For many, the taste of fresh French tarragon is too strong on the tongue while the Spanish, because of its inherent earthy sweetness, is a little more pleasing. In cooked foods, the French does seem to stand up to longer periods of cooking [+1 hr] than the Spanish variety - so adding the Spanish near the end is recommended. When used in something like a potato salad, vinegar dressing or Bearnaise sauce, the Spanish adds a little more sweet, fruitiness while still adding the unique and distinct tarragon flavor. Perhaps the best of both worlds!

Ready for a recipe to try out tarragon for yourself? Here's one of my favorites I found in a Readers Digest publication - Tarragon Pumpkin Scones. They have absolutely no added sugar and thanks to the pumpkin are loaded with anti-oxidants and beta carotene - Yeah!

2 Cups self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter - chopped into small cubes
2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup of mashed cooked pumpkin, chilled
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift the flour/salt into medium bowl - adding butter and working it in with finger-tips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

In seperate bowl, mix egg, cheese, pumpkin, milk and tarragon.

Using a wooden spoon, fold in the remaining ingredients until combined. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.

Roll out the dough evenly to about 1 inch thick and cut out the scones using round cutter [or floured glass jar turned upside down].

Place the scones on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool and enjoy with a cup of warm tomato soup!



Enjoy the day and experimenting with tarragon.
Carrie-Anne


Rolling Hills Herbs & Annuals