Ideas for Tarragon?

[GretchenS]

I was given a huge bag of gorgeous, fragrant tarragon this weekend and need some ideas for using it. I searched this board and found a link to directions for freezing some http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/200... which I will do, and found a discussion of vodka tomato sauce using fresh tomatoes and tarragon, which I will definitely make, plus I have a couple of chicken recipes (one bone-in chicken thighs roasted with tarragon, carrots and whole garlic cloves, the other bone-in chicken breasts sauteed with tomatoes, mushrooms, tarragon and cream). Any other thoughts?

[queen artoeat]

artoeat-I like to make a cucumber salad- equal parts salt and tarragon vinegar add fresh or even dried tarragon and sliced or grated english cucumber.

[spm]

Just stuffing a chicken with tarragon after rubbing it down with olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper is simple and elegant. And tasty!

[Cynaera]

I love a little tarragon with fried potatoes. I dice two or three potatoes into cubes, brown them in a little olive oil and butter (the oil keeps the butter from burning) and when the potatoes are golden brown, I put a pinch or two of fresh tarragon in - it gives the potatoes a yummy, almost sweet flavor. Salt and pepper to taste. A variation of this is to add some diced yellow onion to the potatoes.

[bron]

Tarragon is a great addition to a herbed white bean salad - http://practicallydaily.blogspot.com/... - adds a whole other dimension.

[eatmyfood]

I like to have different dips to snack on in my refrigerator. I just made a Green Goddess dip that used tarragon and was very fresh tasting.

http://www.dinnersforayear.blogspot.com

[Emme]

i sear scallops in olive oil/butter combo; then deglaze the pan with white wine and lemon juice. add a little cream or half and half and tarragon. return the scallops to the pan to coat, and serve over steamed or roasted or grilled asparagus.

[monavano]

Tarragon goes will with shell fish and vegetables. I also say make a compound butter and put it over potatoes, corn or asparagus.
I made a pork tenderoin with a blackberry and tarragon sauce. Very tasty.
http://houndstoothgourmet.com/pork-te...

[bex109]

I usually make my chicken dumplings with tarragon and leeks. I'll also add it to a basic cream sauce to use over gnocchi with chicken

[kc girl]

I have enjoyed it as a whole fresh herb tossed in a fields greens salad with a light spritz of french vinaigrette.

Some people flavor vinegar with sprigs of it.

Good in egg dishes, omelette or benedict. Bernaise (as mentioned above, the classic French sauce using tarragon) is kind of like a hollandaise, so you get the idea.

[Richard 16]

Tarragon goes good with corn, lobster. I use some in a corn and salmon chowder, although sometimes I use dill.

Corn & eggs - scrambled eggs with carmelized onions and corn. One of my Dad's specialties.
Bake onions with sprigs of tarragon.
Tarragon aioli; use for dipping or a plate schmear with the chicken dishes

As I'm sure you're aware, tarragon is very strong.

[msmarabini]

All of the suggestions listed here so far are great ideas for tarragon. It seems as if it were made for chicken! I like to chop some up and throw it in a cold chicken salad, with chopped celery, rotisserie chicken, halved red grapes, chopped pecans, and a honey-mustard-plain yogurt dressing.

I've also seen tarragon sprigs in vinegar bottles for tarragon vinegar...but have never tried this myself.

[karykat]

Another way you can preserve it for the future is to make tarragon butter and freeze it.
Just soften butter and then mix the tarragon into it. Reshape and freeze. Then you can lop off a chunk of the butter when you need it for sauteing chicken or fish or anything else. We did this last year and had wonderful fresh tarragon from our garden in the middle of winter. I suspect (but don't know) that tarragon would be preserved better and seem fresher frozen in a fat compared to frozen plain.

I've thought that this would be a good gift too. Make a bunch of herb butters, perhaps mold them somehow and keep for hostess gifts or something. A way to make a good use of the garden at the end of the season.

[MMRuth]

I made some tarragon butter awhile back and had lots left over, and it's such a nice way to add some quick flavor to a steak as well for a weekday dinner - well, any dinner. I also like tarragon in chicken salad, and scrambled eggs.

[jayt90]

If you have extra leaves, strip them from the stems and make a tarragon vinegar. Cider vinegar is a good match; use a lot of leaves, at least 1 cup to a qt., and bring to a simmer briefly. You need a strong infusion, and the stems are of little use.

[JoanN]

Tarragon is used to make Bernaise sauce, most often served with steak or eggs. I also like tarragon with fish and will stick a few sprigs into a whole fish before roasting it. It's a classic with chicken, so could be added to practically any chicken dish you like.