Parsley is a garnish. Or that's what so many of us tell ourselves, passing it without a second look at the grocery store.
But lately I've been grabbing a bunch and adding it to my cart, largely inspired by Tamar Adler's book An Everlasting Meal. In her book, Adler writes about ways to cook basic, delicious food and make the most out of each ingredient you buy. Of parsley, she notes "I recommend buying a bunch of parsley whenever you can. Then, once you have it, act as children do when handed hammers and suddenly everything needs pounding." Adler goes on to point out that a poached egg needs parsley, hot rice needs parsley ... she even has a recipe in the book for Parsley Salad.
Since finishing the book, I've been buying flat parsley whenever I'm at the store and chopping it to add to salads, chili and soups, and stir-fried rice. It really does make your meal seem much more tended to. A once flat bowl of leftover rice becomes a bit more exciting with some parsley and red chili flakes. Add some scrambled egg and you've got a well-rounded lunch. So, gone are the days of using parsley solely for a garnish, and welcome the days of keeping a bowl of the freshly washed, de-stemmed herb in a bowl at all times ready and waiting for the moment a dish needs a little perking up.
Related: Lunch Recipe: Kalamata Olive and Parsley Potato Salad
(Image: Flickr member Kelli Mari licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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I'm on the same page, but I find that I just can't get through a whole bunch of parsley before it goes bad (unless I make a batch of tabouleh). I end up cooking with it much more often in the summer when I grow it on the deck and I can snip off a little at a time.
I am in total agreement. I love to have flat leaf parsley and cilantro on hand. I either have one or the other or both on hand.
I had a bad experience with a parsley-laden dish one time and just can't stand the taste anymore.
This is more a spotlight on parsley in general, not Italian. Never show a difference in that and curled.
I grow Italian parsley in my garden and use it all the time, especially in big batches of chimichurri. Right now, the plant is easily 6 feet tall and just about as wide! Its like a mutant parsley plant taking over!
I tend to use the Italian parsley more. My family doesn't complain like they do with the regular, curly parsley! I think the texture, aroma and flavor just seems to lend itself more to cooking. I used some last night for our "scrambled eggs for dinner" night. Minced it and threw it in with fresh shredded spinach, garlic and left over roasted asparagus, mushrooms and shallots, I had. Topped it off with feta and served it with toasted pita bread and salad ... yummy! Used up all my leftovers and took just a few minutes.
I've actually used Italian parsley twice this week, but still have half a bunch left. Maybe make a "parsley pesto"? I use it enough, that growing my own might be a good option, then there's less waste! Maybe in a pot?
Well-timed. We have three bunches of flat-leaf parsley that overwintered in the garden, and they are starting to bolt. I keep thinking, "What else can I make before I have to chop it down?" Thanks to JMORRI26 maybe I'll let one go and see how big it gets! I use it in soups, salads, sauces, anything that could use a "green" flavor finish. One current fave is multi-greens pesto: right now it's parsley, oregano, sage, rosemary, kale and chard; pulsed in the food processor with olive oil and lots of roasted garlic. Freeze blobs of it on parchment, then package the individual pucks and freeze for later use tossed with pasta, extra flavor in soups, filling for omelets, etc. Also, I have a friend who's doing a cleanse after cancer treatment, and I'm giving her bunches of parsley for detoxifying smoothies, veggie juices, etc. Supposedly parsley became a garnish in the middle ages as a digestive -- eaten after a meal, it helps settle the vapors.
I actually prefer curly parsley since it's what mom had in her garden- it's a big big sense memory for me. The great thing about parsley is it blends seamlessly into any savory dish, though the dish i really like it in is spaghetti aglio e olio. I imagine it would work fine in a pesto as well. I even save the stems for making bouquet garni.
If it goes bad then you're not using it liberally enough, handfuls are what is needed. Should be an absolute staple. Has tons of vitamin C in it if you eat enough of it. Flat leaf is so much better than curly IMO.
mizinformation- if you let it just kind of go wild, it gets these giant bursty looking flower heads on the ends on it about 5 inches in diameter that are actually really pretty. I've cut some and put them in a vase. No one can tell its actually parsley!
I throw flat-leaf parsley into practically everything savory. I find it just adds a fresh flavor to nearly any dish but is still neutral enough to not clash with almost any other flavor. Love it.
That said, since I'm generally only cooking for only 2 (or 1, since my husband travels a lot) I also sometimes have trouble finishing a whole bunch before it goes bad. I find it keeps the longest in the fridge if I wrap it in a *lightly* damp paper towel, then roll it into a zip-loc bag with all the air squeezed out.
I've also frozen it in rolls of plastic wrap--then you can slice it off easily. This post has some great parsley tips: awaytogarden.com/growing-and-storing-a-year-of-parsley
And don't forget that it's easy to dry! I've got a ton of it right now in my window box and there's no way I can keep up without drying some of it. You just strip the leaves off, rinse and dry them in a salad spinner, then lay them out on a paper towel on a plate. Microwave 1 minute, then mix them up with your hands, microwave another minute, and repeat if needed.
I find it essential for Creole dishes. The herbal note is perfect with the trinity-tomato-y-spicy flavors.
I LOVE curly parsley - I put it on almost everything. The texture of the leaves have a better mouth feel to me than italian, and I think curly parsley looks better as garnish.