Chervil

[Trudi]

I have a nice fat tray of chervil sprouts and am transplanting them this weekend. I've heard it has a celery-like flavor. It's new to me, I've never grown it before and I haven't knowingly eaten it. Has anybody grown it before, do you cook with it, and most importantly--will the plant or its flowers attract butterflies or bennies? I'm always interested in that.

TIA,

T

[tjg911]

I never grew it per se but it has been in mesclun mixes I have bought. It has lacy delicate leaves (well I guess you can see that) that I initially thought was parsley but it does not taste like parsley. I then looked at catalogs and identified it as chervil. Sorry I can't remember what it tastes like BUT I do remember it is unusual and it is to my liking. However, I think argula is also unusual tasting and to my liking tho it tastes skunky! Chervil is not skunky. If you cook with fresh herbs you have to add them to the food on your plate. I've found any cooking destroys their flavor. I never cooked with it as it is in a salad mix but the taste comes thru all the other greens and dressing. Since it looks like carrot and parsley leaves, I'd figure that the anise swallowtail would be attracted to large leaves assuming chervil grows large leaves, in mesclun you cut it at about 2-3" tall. What's a bennie? You mean bunny? If yes, again I can't say as my garden is fenced to keep those pests out!

Tom

[Trudi]

Hi Tom,

A bennie is a benificial insect ;-)

I also add my fresh herbs after cooking, unless I'm making something like meatloaf where they need to be part of the mix, but for plain broiled protein or sauteed veggies, the herbs taste better when added after the dish ir done.

We have bunnies on our block, our backyard is enclosed and is patrolled by our dear dog Liz. I'm not sure what she would know to do with a rabbit if she saw one...Liz is very kind and would likely give it a kiss instead of a chomp.

[honu]

You are so lucky to be growing chervil. I tried, but it's too hot here or something. For attracting bennies/companion planting, Sally Jean Cunningham, "Great Garden Companions" says, it attracts parasitic wasps and good to "use as a companion for tall or trellised crops like tomatoes."
For culinary use:
"Chervil is one of the indispensable herbs of French cooking; in classic fines herbes it is combined with chives, parsley, and tarragon. Fines herbes - or chervil alone - stirred into eggs will make an excellent omelette or scrambled egg dish. In Holland and Belgium there is a long tradition of making chervil soup, either based on potato and shallot or a richer version that uses cream and egg yolks....Chervil is delicious in consommes, and gives a delicate flavor to vinaigrettes and to butter or cream sauces to serve with fish, poultry, and vegetables. It is a great addition to salads; try it in a warm potato salad or a beet salad wtih shallots or chives. Chervil is sometimes used with tarragon in bearnaise sauce, and its flavor can usually be detected in Frankfurt green sauce. A small amount of chervil brings out the flavor of other herbs, but you can use it lavishly on its own - for example, scatter it generously over freshly cooked vegetables. If you are using it in a hot dish, stir it in when the cooking is at an end, because the aroma and flavor quickly dissipate with heat." (Jill Norman, "Herbs & Spices, the Cook's Reference")

[Trudi]

Thank you Honu! That's exactly the info I hoped to learn. I'll plnt some chervil in the areas I'll be puting my toms, maybe some under the bean tepee too--right now it's got ornamental peas (if they ever come up) but in the middle of the tepee there is lots of space to put some chervil.

Kindly,

T