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Healthy tarragon in the kitchen A powerful aroma with a touch of anise
For a spicy tarragon vinegar, the freshly cut spice comes in diluted vinegar, which is strained after two months of brewing and bottled. Who refines fish, chicken and vegetables with tarragon, can also cook the spice longer. By cooking, the smell, but not the taste is lost. Only the dose is important as its aroma can quickly become dominant. Tarragon is also known as a medicinal plant: the herb is said to stimulate the appetite, promote digestion and inhibit inflammation.
Image: tycoon101-fotolia Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) belongs botanically to the daisy family. The perennial herb with the narrow, long leaves grows bushy and is depending on the variety 40 to 120 centimeters high. Presumably, the plant is native to Siberia and reached from there to South Asia and southern Europe. Only in the 17th century was it discovered by French court cooks for fine cuisine. In general, two varieties are distinguished: The "Russian tarragon" is the original form and tastes a bit bitter and not as intense as the "French tarragon". This is mainly because the main flavor component, estragole and various flavonoids are missing. For the kitchen, the "French tarragon" is the best choice. It convinces with its fine-spicy, slightly sweetish aroma, which is reminiscent of anise and cinnamon.
Even in the garden, the spice herb can be planted. While the Russian tarragon is very robust, the French herb has higher demands. It needs a lot of sun, sufficient moisture, a sheltered location and plenty of space. The young and delicate leaf shoots are harvested before flowering, as they are particularly aromatic at this time. In the trade, the herb is fresh in the pot or bundled, but also frozen and dried available. Heike Kreutz, bzfe.de