Tarragon
Tarragon is a slender, anise-scented herb that's a cornerstone of French cooking, prized for the gentle licorice-like note it brings to sauces, chicken, and egg dishes.
How to buy
Fresh tarragon should have bright green, unwilted leaves and a clear, sweet anise smell -- avoid bunches that look dark or slimy at the stem. Dried tarragon is a reasonable substitute for cooked dishes but loses much of the fresh herb's delicate aroma.
How to store
Store fresh tarragon like other soft herbs: stems trimmed and placed in a glass of water in the fridge, loosely covered with a plastic bag, where it keeps for about a week. Dried tarragon keeps in a sealed container in the pantry for several months.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Distinctly sweet and anise-like, with a gentle licorice note that's more delicate than fennel or star anise. It pairs especially well with chicken, eggs, fish, and mustard.
- Texture
- Tender, slender leaves that bruise easily, usually chopped fine or used whole as a garnish rather than cooked for long periods, which can dull its flavor.
- Aroma
- A sweet, herbal, faintly licorice-like smell that's immediately recognizable and distinct from other green herbs.
How to prepare
- Chopped fine — Finely minced and stirred into sauces, dressings, or compound butter at the end of cooking.
- Infused into vinegar — Steeped in vinegar to create a fragrant tarragon vinegar for dressings.
- Used whole as garnish — Added as a sprig or whole leaves to finish a dish just before serving.
- Blended into sauce — Pureed or whisked into butter- or cream-based sauces for a subtle anise note.
Classic dishes
American
- American tarragon chicken salad — Cold shredded chicken tossed with mayonnaise and fresh tarragon.
- Lobster roll with tarragon mayonnaise — Chilled lobster meat tossed in a mayonnaise dressing brightened with tarragon.
- Potato salad with tarragon — A creamy potato salad brightened with a handful of chopped fresh tarragon.
French
- Sauce béarnaise — A rich, buttery French sauce flavored with tarragon and shallot, served with grilled steak.
- Poulet à l'estragon — Chicken braised in a creamy sauce built around fresh tarragon.
- Fines herbes omelette — A simple French omelette finished with a mix of fresh herbs including tarragon.
- Sauce ravigote — A tangy French sauce built on vinegar, capers, and chopped tarragon, served with cold meats.
- Dijon-tarragon vinaigrette — A sharp mustard vinaigrette brightened with chopped fresh tarragon.
- Blanquette de veau — A creamy French veal stew sometimes finished with a touch of fresh tarragon.
- Sauce velouté with tarragon — A classic French white sauce finished with chopped tarragon for aromatic depth.
- Moutarde à l'estragon chicken — Chicken braised in a tangy mustard and tarragon sauce.
- Vinaigre à l'estragon salad dressing — A simple vinaigrette built on tarragon-infused vinegar and good olive oil.
Mediterranean
- Grilled fish with tarragon and lemon — Simply grilled fish finished with a scattering of fresh tarragon and a squeeze of lemon.
British & Irish
- Tartare sauce — A classic cold sauce for fried fish, often flavored with chopped tarragon alongside capers and gherkins.
- Egg salad sandwich with tarragon — A classic tea sandwich filling brightened with chopped fresh tarragon.