PARSLEY

Description

Parsley, Petroselinum crispum, is in the family Apiaceae and other members of this family include carrots, celery and parsnip. Native to the eastern Mediterranean area of Greece, Sardinia (the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and considered an autonomous region of Italy) and Turkey.

Dried parsley is one of those herbs that really brings together the flavor of other seasonings. While many in this country know it best as a garnish, it’s actually more typically used as a spice and is used in American, European and Middle Eastern cooking. It takes 12 pounds of fresh Parsley to yield 1 pound of dried. A very voluminous dried herb, there are approximately 14.5 cups of dried parsley per pound.

The leaves of parsley typically contain between .06% and .1% essential oil which is primarily myristicin (20.6%) and apiole (18.3%). 

Parsley is called makdunis (Arabic), xiang cai (Mandarin), persil (French), petersilie (German), ajmood (Hindi), prezzemolo (Italian), paseri (Japanese), salsinha (Portuguese), Petrushka (Russian) and perejil (Spanish). May also be referred to as common parsley, Chinese coriander, garden parsley, parsley herb and western coriander.

History

Parsley is a combination of Old English 'petersille' with Old French 'peresil' which were both derived from the Medieval Latin word 'petrosilium' which came from the Latin 'petroselinum' and the Greek word 'petroselinon' with 'petros' meaning "rock" or "stone" from its propensity to growing on rocky cliffs and old stone walls, and ‘selenium’, an ancient name for celery (which it resembled), so it literally meant “rock celery”.

In Greek Mythology parsley is said to have sprung from the blood of the forerunner of death, Archemorus. It was made into wreaths that were hung on ancient tombs and even planted on graves. The phrase “to be in need of parsley” meant that death was imminent.  On a lighter note parsley was used to crown the victors at the Isthmian Games in Greece (similar to the Olympic games, but held in the spring of the 2nd and 4th years of each Olympiad).

Domestically cultivated for more than 2,000 years, some food historians credit Charles the Great (747-814), the Holy Roman Emperor, for being responsible for this herbs popularity as he had it gown all over his property. The ancient Greeks and Romans did not regularly eat parsley as it was more typically used it in their gardens as a border.

Parsley was used medicinally long before it was consumed as a food in Europe in the middle ages (400’s-1400’s AD).

Cultivation

There are three primary varieties of parsley grown in the US -- Crispum (better known as curly-leaf parsley), Neapolitanum (Italian flat-leafed parsley) and Tuberosum (known as hamburg or turnip-root parsley).

The five states that produced the most parsley in the US are California, New Jersey, Texas, Florida and Hawaii with California responsible for 40% of the total US production.

Research at UC-Davis has found that parsley produces the highest yields when following a very dense planting protocol. Germination takes 21-25 days with direct seeded plants needing 90-100 to harvest and transplants typically ready in 60 to 70 days. Parsley can be harvested once it reaches a height of 6" and as the season goes on the plants can reach a height of 12"-14" before being harvested. Some California growers will plant and harvest 3 times a year for a continuous supply.

Parsley Varieties

There are numerous varieties of parsley grown for culinary purposes. In addition to curly-leaf, flat-leafed and hamburg, some of the other popular varieties include Banquet, Dark Moss Colored, Decorator, Deep Green, Forest Green, Improved Market Gardener, Moss Curled and Sherwood.

Fresh vs. Dried

Dried parsley is one of the most popular herbs used in American and English kitchens and foodie highbrows love to dismiss dried Parsley as being flavorless, but that isn’t completely accurate. Parsley, whether dried or fresh, should always be added to your cooking at the very last minute – like right before plating, in order to maintain its optimum flavor. This is especially true when using dried Parsley, as the taste is very, very subtle (but certainly not without flavor), so continue using your dried Parsley and forget the foodie snobs!

Another advantage to using dried parsley instead of fresh is when it comes to storing. At its best, fresh parsley will only keep for about two weeks in your refrigerator. Meanwhile, dried parsley is good for approximately one year when it is properly stored in a cool, dark location (in a spice cabinet away from the heat of the stove is fine).

Where to Use

Parsley plays a prominent role in Middle Eastern recipes forbaba ganoush, hummus and tabbouleh. Parsley is also a key ingredient in French spice blends Fines Herbes and Bouquet Garni.

Parsley pairs nicely with fish, egg, lemon, tomato and grain dishes.

Parsley works well in combination with basil, chili, oregano, pepper, rosemary, sumac and tarragon.

Because dried herbs have a very concentrated flavor, the general rule of thumb is to use a third of the amount of dried parsley in any recipe calling for the fresh version. 

Flavor Profile

Parsley adds a beautiful green color with a vegetable aroma and taste to just about any dish.

Substitution and Conversions

The best substitute for parsley is the other delicate tasting herb chervil.

If your recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley you would only need 1 teaspoon of dried cut and sifted parsley.