Herb
Parsley
Also called flat-leaf parsley, Italian parsley
A clean, green herb. Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is the cooking default: more flavour, easier to chop. It is not coriander, and mixing them up is how a chimichurri starts an argument.
Origin
Mediterranean, and the European garnish habit.
Flavour
Green, slightly peppery, with a clean finish and none of coriander's citrus-soap. Stems are juicier and a bit more bitter — useful in stocks, less so in a fine gremolata if they are thick.
How to use it
Chop leaves and thin stems together for finishing shakshuka, beans, grilled fish or a steak chimichurri with oregano, garlic, oil and vinegar. In tabbouleh, parsley is the main ingredient: dry it well after washing or the salad turns wet, and cut it fine with a sharp knife so it bruises rather than mashes. Add at the end of hot dishes unless you are making a cooked sauce that wants the stems. Salt the food; parsley brightens, it does not season.
Storage
Fridge, stems in water or wrapped damp. Freeze only for stocks.
Recipes using it
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