Tarragon.....Anyone????
I recently found this wonderful potato recipe, using tarragon, olive oil, salt and pepper. The taste was fantastic. So, I decided to grow some Tarragon in my herb garden. Well....that was a joke, I could not find a live plant, so moved on to seeds, couldn't find seeds either. I finally talked to the plant nursery and they said, "It is hard to find because it's the herb of the year and so many new recipes call for it that they were just undergrown and there is a shortage. Well, I did finally find some fresh picked source in a store and I will grow when I can, but I want more recipes. Please, if you have any of these new recipes with Tarragon, I would love them. Thanks, COCO
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29 Comments:
i made some Tarragon Almonds recently and they were a hit with my guests... try them.
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 11:29AM on 06/22/09
one of my standard vinaigrette recipes is mustard, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a healthy pinch of dried tarragon. it's also a really good flavoring for tomatoes. you can also push fresh tarragon leaves under chicken skin before you roast it.
cybercita at 11:37AM on 06/22/09
It's certainly not new, but I love to add Tarragon to scrambled eggs.
rgolightly at 11:37AM on 06/22/09
You can acquire tarragon plants from Gurney's. Here is a link to the appropriate page on their web site.
Gurney's says that tarragon is good in any zone 4-9. I live in zone 8 and the summers here kill it graveyard dead. I think it will likely survive the summer in zones 4-6 or maybe as far south as 7, but that's it.
If you live where the summers start early, get truly hot and last through mid-September, then you should try raising Mexican Tarragon rather than French Tarragon.
Avoid Russian Tarragon as it does not have any taste, rather like curly parsley.
Grumpy Old Man at 11:52AM on 06/22/09
Bearnaise sauce.
Ortolan at 12:02PM on 06/22/09
I have both french tarragon and mexican mint marigold and the only thing I have used them for is Bernaise, but we don't do that often due to the fat content. I plan to do more salad dressings. I have to be in the mood for the flavor as it is very strong.
ocarol at 12:05PM on 06/22/09
Tarragon rubbed on shoulder lamb chops, a quick brown and then a white wine braise or else deglazing the pan with white wine. Love tarragon. Eat bearnaise by the jug if I have it around.
lemons at 12:47PM on 06/22/09
I recently made tarragon and goat cheese risotto with shrimp, it was assembled from stuff i had in the pantry and it was delicious.
biabiaboiler at 1:01PM on 06/22/09
here's one of my favorites: Baked Eggs and Mushrooms(with Tarragon) in Ham Crisps
andshewas at 1:24PM on 06/22/09
tarragon is really good in chicken & tuna salad!
christaleena at 1:40PM on 06/22/09
Tarragon also does something truly marvelous to mushrooms. I never cook mushrooms without using tarragon on them.
Grumpy Old Man at 1:47PM on 06/22/09
I make a cherry-tarragon sauce to serve with steaks(ribeye usually)...its approximately 1 cup of red wine reduced by 66 percent with a few sprigs of tarragon and cracked black pepper...stir in about 4 ounces of cherry preserves and finish with a bit of salt and butter. quick and delicious.
brickh at 2:28PM on 06/22/09
I agree about the wonderful combos of chicken salad and mushrooms with tarragon. And if you've never had them in scrambled eggs or an omelet you're really missing something.
bessfour at 3:09PM on 06/22/09
Personally I'm not a fan of tarragon. If you're ok to start your own plants, Seeds of Change sells the seeds.
beth1 at 3:46PM on 06/22/09
If you're lucky enough to find your self with more than you can use up, push the sprigs down into a bottle of white wine vinegar. Tarragon vinegar is a great ingredient in vinaigrettes, sauces, marinades or just splashed on steamed veggies.
kathyvegas at 4:15PM on 06/22/09
i haven't had tarragon since the 80's.... it was very popular then.... but i do think i'll try hunting some up and using it... it's a unique flavor that should be revived in my rep. i always liked a tarragon-mustard sauce on chicken.
pooch at 4:43PM on 06/22/09
Try it in crab salad, chicken salad, and chilled fresh tomato soup. It's one of the fines herbes (along with chives, chervil, and parsley) which work beautifully with fish and eggs in my opinion. Here are two recipes: the first for fines herbes and goat cheese crustless quiche, and the second from French in a Flash from a while ago, a tarragon-basil pistou for crab pasta.
Kerry Saretsky at 5:12PM on 06/22/09
@brickh - your sauce sounds so delicious.... nice way to use up that extra little bit of wine in the bottle.... thank you...
pooch at 5:25PM on 06/22/09
Tarragon compound butter is yum. Especially spread all over a chicken before roasting.
mollykate678 at 6:48PM on 06/22/09
Great recipes, Kerry. I am gonna give 'em a try in the next week or so.
Grumpy Old Man at 7:16PM on 06/22/09
I like to put fresh tarragon under the skin of the chicken before grilling or baking it.
cindyvan22 at 10:47AM on 06/23/09
I like to put fresh tarragon under the skin of the chicken before grilling or baking it.
cindyvan22 at 10:48AM on 06/23/09
Thanks everyone, this is fun, so many helpful cooks with such great ideas. I did try the Almonds, Madelyn....so gooood, and today, rgolightly I had them on my eggs, great flavor, kind of sweet. Pooch--I thought maybe 80's or sometime close was the last time, I really saw much Tarragon on recipes.I did not know there were different types, will check that out, but maybe lucky to get what I get. I am in Washington State, can't really tell you what zone I am in..Grumpy old man but I will check that out too. Today, I am going to try the chicken salad Christaluna, you and several mentioned that was good sounds good, all this is making me hungry, sometime this week, I will try Kerry's two recipe's, can't wait. Thankyou all for the Tarragon marathon cook off at my house. This is Great. COCO
cocoloco at 11:03AM on 06/23/09
Tarragon is like nutmeg - it tends to take over. I don't use much of it when I use tarragon. I've been able to find "started" plants at Home Depot and higher end supermarkets like Fresh Market. I have a small plant growing because I hate buying a whole "bunch" only to have to toss 3/4 of it.
Fresh tarragon is especially nice chopped and inserted under the skin of chicken before roasting. Chop the tarragon finely, add a little S&P, olive oil and maybe minced shallot. Push this herb mixture under the skin of your next chix before roasting. The house will smell like French Heaven.
therealchiffonade at 12:57PM on 06/23/09
i remember those craig claiborne recipes with lots of tarragon in them....
pooch at 5:11PM on 06/23/09
I too, like to tuck some fresh tarragon under the skin of a chicken before roasting. I also like to use it in poaching liquid for fish, turkey or chicken.
It's very good in viniagrette dressing style potato salad.
CJ McD at 5:29PM on 06/23/09
I agree with others that tarragon is a very potent herb- it's great to grow it so you can use it sparingly without wasting an expensive bundle. If you have a glut, I also recommend making infused vinegar. It seems like 9/10 of the catering companies/restaurants I work for use a proprietary blend of half a part tarragon to one part each of at least 3 or the 4- rosemary, parsley, chives, and thyme, with chervil as an optional add in. One memorable place used them to make crackers and biscuits to go with their cheese plate, I used to love the smell and taste. It is also a classic with omlettes or scrambled creamy eggs.
Ravara at 10:21PM on 06/23/09
Ina Garten likes to use fresh tarragon too, so you might want to research her recipes. I went on FN and found a ton with chicken
meem21 at 9:16AM on 06/24/09
I just made a copy of this whole Tarragon Talk page. So many good ideas, I needed to try, so this way I wont miss any. I think the chicken under the skin is going to be great theralchiffonade and the infused vinegar, Ravara, sounds yummy. I feel like a got a secret recipe that important chefs use. Thankyou all. COCO ps: My hubby coconut doesn't think he likes the flavor very much, says" it tastes like licorice" my answer of course was too bad this is Tarragon marithon week, get a grip and take it like a man, or go out to eat. Am I mean?? I am tired of cooking what he likes, you know this could be a new talk subject, maybe I will start it. What is a good name? F--- Y--Cooking For Our Tastes finally!!
cocoloco at 11:06AM on 06/24/09