Tarragon has long, soft green leaves and a distinctive aniseed flavour and particularly suitable for chicken, lasagna, fish and egg dishes.
A perfect match with chicken, it can also be used to infuse flavour into oils and vinegars.
Tarragon vinegar is very simple to make by adding fresh tarragon sprigs to a sterilized bottle of vinegar. Taste after a few days. Continue steeping until it suits your taste. Once desired strength is achieved, remove the sprigs. Vinegar can also be used to preserve fresh tarragon sprigs. Store in the refrigerator. Rinse and pat dry before use. Use the preserved tarragon in sauces, butters, or any recipe where fresh is not required.
When tarragon is dried, the oils dissipate, this means that, like many herbs, fresh tarragon has a much more intense flavor and should be used quite sparingly. Heat greatly intensifies the flavor of tarragon.
Tarragon is one of the four herbs that make up the “fines herbes” of French cooking and is one of the main ingredients of Bearnaise sauce.
In Slovenia, tarragon is used as a spice for sweet pastry called potica.
