Description and Cultivation

There are actually two common types of tarragon, French and Russian, and you definitely want to aim for the former (French), as the Russian version has little flavor. One sure way to tell what kind you’re contemplating buying is to rub the leaves with your fingers. The French should give off a very pronounced anise scent, where the Russian version will give off very little scent (and a comparably bland taste). Another sure way to tell the difference between the two if someone offers you seeds. Only the Russian version actually flowers and produces seeds; French tarragon is always cultivated by cuttings or division.

My research has returned a number of different sizes that tarragon reportedly can grow to, from two to three to five (or more!) feet high. My own experience with this hardy perennial is that it averages out to two to three feet. It puts out woody stems that grow upwards like shoots and are covered with narrow, pale green leaves, making it quite a striking bushy plant for the herb garden. As mentioned, it really doesn’t produce flowers that mature, although little clusters of pre-flowers are common.

Tarragon should be grown in a sunny, well-drained area, and works very well in a raised bed with excellent drainage. Water it regularly during the growing season, but don’t over-water (or overfeed, which will lead to “floppy” growth — feeding once midsummer is usually enough). The plant tends to spread slowly and should be divided every 3-4 years in early spring or fall. It should also be cut back in autumn, and covered with straw if your area suffers from hard frosts (a very hardy plant, it should winter fine regardless, but an ounce of prevention…).

Uses

For some reason, I’ve always had an affinity for tarragon, and usually drag it out when I feel like making a special culinary statement. It works very well in salad dressings, or for use with egg dishes, chicken or fish. Tarragon is popular in mayonnaises, and is the star ingredient in Béarnaise sauce. It is also widely found in vinegars and oils, which is also a primary way of preserving the herb, as drying it really deadens a lot of the flavoring. One way to preserve the herb is to pack it in vinegar, then use the pickled leaves as you would fresh. Whatever you use it in, always start with small amounts, as tarragon can quickly overwhelm a dish, dressing, etc.

Medicinally, tarragon has traditionally had a couple of different uses. It has been used to aid in digestion, particularly the digestion of proteins in foods. It has also been used to stimulate the kidneys and uterus. One big use of tarragon was to relieve toothaches, as it acts as an oral anesthetic to numb the mouth.

3 ripe tomatoes
3 slender carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
4 small summer squash, thinly sliced or cubed
1/2 cup peas or a handful sugar snap peas
1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
1 yellow or red bell pepper, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
12 ounces Fusilli or penne

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes for 10 seconds, then peel, seed, and dice them. Put them in a large bowl. Blanch the carrots and summer squash for 2 minutes and the peas for 1 minute. As they finish cooking, scoop them out with a strainer, shake off the excess water, and add them to the tomatoes along with the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tarragon, and oil. Add salt to the water and cook the pasta until al dente. Scoop it out, add it to the vegetables, and toss well. Adjust seasonings and serve. This recipe serves 3 to 4.

cider vinegar
fresh tarragon
several long sprigs of tarragon for “garnish”

Pour the cider vinegar into a wide-topped jar and add a handful of dry herbs. Allow this to steep, covered, for two weeks, then strain the herbs out and decant into a pretty bottle. Add the sprigs of tarragon both for garnish and to tell at a glance what flavor the vinegar is. This makes a great gift!

4 leeks, trimmed and cleaned, cut into 1-inch sections
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 or 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the leeks and tarragon in a steamer and steam until the leeks are tender, 10 minutes or more. Transfer the leeks to a platter. Whisk the olive oil with some of the lemon juice, add salt and pepper to taste, and taste to see whether you need to add more lemon juice. Drizzle over the leeks and serve. Preparation time: 20 minutes. This recipe makes 4 servings.

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons each chopped tarragon, chives and parsley
1 tablespoon chopped capers
2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichon pickle

Combine all, and mix well.

2oz Self Raising Flour
Salt
1/2 oz. Butter
1 Egg
1 tbsp Fresh Tarragon, chopped

Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Cut in the butter in small pieces. Beat the egg with the chopped tarragon and stir in. Beat until smooth. Drop small teaspoonfuls of the mixture into a broad pan of boiling salted water or broth. Cover and boil gently for 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve immediately.

4 large or 12 very small artichokes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

If you are using large artichokes, cut them into halves or quarters; remove the leaves and the choke, and trim the bottom. If the artichokes are very small, simply peel off all the leaves and trim the bottom; you can ignore the choke.

Heat the oil and garlic together in large, deep skillet over medium heat, just until the garlic begins to color, about 5 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the tarragon and stock or water, bring to a boil, and cover; turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10 minutes, then turn the artichokes.

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced at an angle about ‘/3 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons chopped tarragon

Heat the butter in a large skillet over high heat, add the mushrooms, and sauté until they’re nicely colored. Season with salt and pepper, add the wine, lower the heat, and simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the creams and simmer until thickened slightly. Chop the parsley, garlic, and tarragon together, add them to the mushrooms, and serve. Serves 2 to 4.

virgin olive oil
sage, rosemary, tarragon and marjoram (a small handful of each)
attractive sprigs of all four for “garnish”

Pour the virgin olive oil in a large mouthed jar and add a small, dry handful of each of the herbs. Let steep for two weeks, then strain the herbs out of the oil and decant into an attractive bottle. Bind the sprigs together and add it to the bottle for both garnish and to identify what flavor the oil is. Use this for herbed salad dressings or to pan-fry chicken.

1 t. grated or minced lime zest
2 T. fresh lime juice
Salt
5 to 6 T. light olive oil
2 scallions, including an inch of the greens, thinly sliced into rounds
2 T. chopped mint or 2 t. dried

Combine the zest and juice with 1/4 t. salt, then whisk in the oil. Stir in the scallions and mint, and adjust seasonings if necessary.