Tarragon Oil Recipe
Tarragon oil - one of my little secret weapons. Use it as a finishing oil on soups, as a component of anything bread-centric, and as a vinaigrette base. It's vibrant green with grassy anise notes, and just the sort of thing to keep on hand.
Here's one of the little secret weapons I've kept stocked in my refrigerator all summer. It's a simple tarragon oil. Actually, it's equal parts tarragon, parsley, and olive oil - but I think of it as having tarragon in the limelight. The grassy anise notes and electric color of the herbs permeate the golden olive oil, it's beautiful. I use it as a finishing oil on soups, as a component of anything bread-centric (open-faced sandwiches, panzanellas, etc), and as a vinaigrette base. It's ridiculously good drizzled over simple poached eggs and toast. So, have at it, and let me know if you do anything off-beat or unexpected with it.
I wrote the recipe below to yield about 2/3 cup (160 ml) of tarragon oil. But you can certainly make more/less depending on how much you're think you're likely to use it - just use the ratio 1:1:1 - tarragon leaves, flat-leaf parsley leaves, extra virgin olive oil.
Also(!) for those of you looking to do a bit of armchair traveling, I posted a handful of photographs shot on my recent Tahoe trip (under separate cover) for any of you who want a peek. xo -h
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Tarragon Oil
3/4 cup / 12g tarragon leaves
3/4 cup / 12 g flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup / 180 ml extra virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Salt well, as you would pasta water, and blanch the tarragon and parsley leaves briefly, until bright green - just 10 seconds or so. Work quickly to drain, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain once more, and pat with a clean cloth to remove as much residual water as possible. Use a food processor or blender to puree the leaves and olive oil until smooth - at least a minute or so. Strain through the finest sieve you have, alternately, you can use triple-lined cheese cloth. I use a tea strainer. Discard the soilds and transfer the oil to a jar. It keeps, refrigerated, for a couple weeks, but bring to room temperature to use.
Makes 2/3 cup.
Prep time: 5 minutes - Cook time: 5 minutes
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My garden's spindly tarragon plant has been helping me out all summer, adding unique flavor to fish, green and grain salads, steamed clams, roasted fruit, patio drinks. I'll have to add this oil to the list.
Yes! I don't know why I can never come up with ideas like these myself--so often I get a huge bunch of herbs from my CSA and they sit in my refrigerator, slowly wilting, as I snip off only a few leaves for this and that. I think I'll try this with the rest of the dill I have...
This oil make a perfect accompaniment to grilled or sauteed chicken and it's delicious in chicken salad too. Mixed into mayonnaise and brightened with some lemon juice, it serves as an easy Bernaise type dip that's great for veggies and potatoes.
Now I know what I am having for lunch -Omelette with tarragon oil on rye toast. Thanks for the idea!
HS: That is exactly what I _should_ have had!
This looks like the perfect way to preserve the last bit of summer, not to mention the tarragon that ran wild in the herb garden this year! You could do the same as with pesto and other herb infusions and freeze this in ice cube trays for a memory of summer even in the depths of winter.
we love tarragon with potatoes, and/or mayonnaise! this would be AWESOME drizzled over mashed potatoes ...
Tarragon oil is amazing on fish!!! And roast chicken. Yummmmmooooo
Oh I can only imagine how good this smells. The canister of green is just so vibrant and gorgeous - plants are amazing!
Ohh great idea, I'd actually been wanting to experiment a little with tarragon but didn't really know where to start.. on the list of things to try this week!
Infusing olive oil is such a great way to add flavor to your dishes in a gentle and subtle way. I always do red pepper olive oil but will try your tarragon alternative for sure!
Ah tarragon, that's one of those that I just don't use because I'm never quite sure where it fits in. Thanks for some suggestions for what to do with it.
I love the light in your photos, beautiful and the infused oil is a great idea. Something I've never tried before.
My inexperience with using an oil as a finishing touch to soups has me puzzled - I love love love all of ur soups and recipes but notice that all of them finish with an oil and until your blog I never heard of oil on top of soup? Help!:)
HS: Hi Leah - I mostly use them as a concentrated blast of intense flavor (if it is an infused oil), or just a luxe little finishing touch (if it's just good olive oil), I love the texture it gives soup, the flavor, and the mouth feel as well.
one of those flavours you generally don't get much of if you don't eat meat, but I've also recently found that it works well with veggie stuff too. Quite distinct and refreshingly different. I used it with a vegan cheese sauce for vegan-bennies recently.
I love this easy method for infusing olive oil. I have been making basil oil all summer, and now I will have to try the tarragon/parsley combination as well.
This sounds like just what I need. I've been in a flavor funk lately. Thanks for the inspiration and this amazing recipe!
Tarragon oil is wonderful! I'll definitely be using this on a whole grain crostini with some gorgonzola or brie :)
This sounds like just what I need. I've been in a flavor funk lately. Thanks for the inspiration and this amazing recipe!
The perfect recipe to use the tarragon and parsley in my garden before our first hard frost! Thanks!
Must have just caught your post on my way to bed, shutting down. Pleased to see the tarragon post because I have a large pot of it growing, but don't use it as much as I'd like to. Really love your herby drizzles. Will put this one to good use.
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