Parsley

Parsley will be in your shares from summer until the middle of fall. We grow an Italian flat leaf variety of parsley.

Cooking Tips

Parsley is a very versatile green that can be used as an herb or as a vegetable. It lends a great finishing touch to Middle Eastern as well as European foods. Delicious on fish or potatoes, with taboulli or hummus, or just served on a salad as a mixed green. Try making gremolata, an Italian blended sauce with garlic and lemon zest, or persillade, a similar concoction of French origin. A bite of parsley is said to cure onion or garlic breath, but a healthy sprinkle of parsley will enhance the flavor of many dishes.

Storage Tips

Parsley stores well compared to many greens, but it is still pretty perishable. It will keep best stems-down in a container with some water at the bottom, like a bouquet of flowers in a vase, or keep it moist in a plastic bag. Either way, store it in the refrigerator for up to ten days. To keep your parsley longer, try drying it for later use.

Nutrition

Parsley is high in vitamins A and C as well as iron and protein. It is said to lower blood pressure, and in alternative medicine it is good for the kidneys and bladder.

History

Parsley grew wild in many parts of the Mediterranean, and was used in ancient Greece and Rome as both a flavoring and a garnish. In Greece it was used to crown winners at the early Olympics. Like most herbs, it had a variety of medicinal as well as culinary uses in Medieval Europe.