Tarragon, The Herb Of Peace & Courage ~ A Mushroom Recipe For Freedom Fighters Everywhere
Tarragon is classed as one of the French fine herbs, but I personally don’t see it as French nor fine, not like chervil for instance, to me tarragon, or as it’s also known estragon, tastes like a Mexican freedom fighter from the past.
It’s such a strong, dark and handsome herb, when it’s fresh it grips your tongue and when it’s dried it warms your heart. It’s my favourite herb. Who wouldn’t want a tall, dark, handsome, tongue-gripping, heart-warming, Mexican freedom fighter served on a bed of warm Cous Cous for dinner?
Tarragon or Estragon - two names, same herb
Here’s my most delicious tarragon recipe.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRESH AND DRIED?
[NOTE: only French tarragon tastes powerful and can not be grown from seed. Russian tarragon can be easily grown from seed, however does not taste the same.]
This was one of the most FAQs when I had my organic herb and spice company. Usually fresh herbs will taste ‘higher’ and dried will taste ‘lower’, meaning fresh is often more tangy and zingy, sort of lemony and dried will be deeper, more aromatic and intense.
This is especially the case with tarragon. Fresh tarragon has a bit of a zesty gripping anise/liquorice flavour like a tequila burn and salty lemon suck. Dried is chocolatey, passionate and fills your head with a heavy elixir of barroom steeped in liquor, cigar smoke and revolution. Both extremely complicated and exotic (like a handsome Mexican freedom fighter).
My favourite pairing is tarragon and mushroom. Actually that could be the French connection - Captain Estragon and fearless white horse Champignon.
INGREDIENTS: (any type will do, just what you’ve got or what’s easiest to get)
Caramelised onions
Mushrooms
Stock cube
Vinegar
Tarragon
Yoghurt
METHOD:
Gently fry, I like red, onions in oil, adding a bit of butter and brown sugar and keep stirring until they are soft and like toffee.
Add the sliced mushrooms and fry for a bit.
Add the crumbled stock cube, (1/2 a cube if a small punnet of mushrooms), chopped tarragon (or dried) and gently simmer.
When you think it looks ready add some balsamic (or whatever) vinegar and cook it through.
When you are ready to serve it, jusT have it bareback on toast, or stir in some yoghurt.
Grind some black pepper on top.
Set your spirit free.
This is your base, you can add anything you want to this and you can freeze it too.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Mix it with cooked gloopy barley, buckwheat or rice to make a risotto then stir in peas and yoghurt.
Blend it in a food processor then add milk, heat through for soup.
Blend it with some cooked brown or green lentils for pate and serve with capers.
Vive Capitan Raul Estragon and Champignon the Wonder Horse!
