The Parsley Debate…
During one of our lives recently where @FoodtokTV creator @Guaduacook (You can catch that LIVE on our @FoodtokTV Youtube channel) was making several dishes that used parley, a side conversation played out in the chat, about the use and differences of flat leaf parsley ( also known as Italian parsley) and the curley variety. Our own @JustLikeGranny took a dive in and researched the topic on this always tasty herb and shares below some of her research. I will include several resources at the end you may find interesting.
FoodTokTV Creator Commentary
Parsley or… Parsley?
As some of you know we have two types of parsley… but, in actuality we have three types. French or Curly Leafed Parsley, Italian or Flat Leafed Parsley and Hamburg Parsley; mainly used for its celery type root. I know… mind-blowing right? I know I was flabbergasted doing the research on this blog post to learn that we actually have three types of parsleys. So let’s get down to the root… of them all.. haha!
The most common type of parsley is our French or Curly Leafed Parsley. It is used mainly as a garnish. A fancy word for making your plate look “elegant”! But, this type of parsley can most definitely be eaten. In fact it is used in many recipes because of its dark green rich color and the texture being more delicate. Therefore, making it easier to chop.
It’s flavor is mild and goes great with many savory dishes. It’s use of garnish helps beige and brown food add a pop of color which makes the food seems more attractive. Many chefs use the French Curly Leafed Parsley in dishes such as soups, roasts, cheese or charcuterie platters for the pleasant visual effect of the vibrant dark green color and texture of the leaves.
Next we have our Italian or Flat Leafed Parsley which has a more pronounced flavor and used in both fresh as well as cooked dishes. The Flat Leafed Parsley is exactly what it’s named, flat. It’s generally used in salads, stews, soups, sauces and salad dressings. This type of parsley is the main ingredient in “Italian Salsa Verde” and “Tabbouleh”.
The Flat Leafed Parsley is used in many Italian but is also popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Located, grown and cultivated around the same areas of the Middle East. While the leaves of this type of parsley are very the flavorful the stems are just as or more flavorful and should be used during cooking and not to be wasted. An example would be to finely chop them and use them for making broths and sauces. In the United Kingdom this type of parsley is used in a roux (white gravy or béchamel sauce) to be used as a white sauce over fish or gammon. Many other cultures use this type of parsley to make teas. Which should only be consumed in small concentrated doses because of its high doses in vitamin A and C. It also has diuretic benefits and has been recorded to aid those with asthma. Over-all this variety of parsley is a wonderful addition to your diet, as it may also aid in digestion!
Lastly, we have our finally variant of parsley and that is the Hamburg Parsley. It’s mainly grown for its root in the North West regions of Europe and has a taste between celeriac and parsley. It’s not a commonly marketed as a parsley in the United States. Some may know the parsley by other names such as parsnips or turnips and often they are known by thrifty cooks for its use as a edible type of greens in dishes where the roots are used.
This type of parsley is used mainly in hearty fall dishes like soups, stews and roasts. It predates the 1600’s and was cultivated for how sturdy it was to grow; along with its surprising endurance to be grown in colder climates. Like North West Europe. The leaves of The Hamburg Parsley are much more flavorful than those of the two previous parsleys and fibrous. They are edible but not in large quantities as they take a full season to develop. If you do research some blogs say they are edible and some say they aren’t. But, they sell them here in Swedish Grocery Stores and if they weren’t edible I don’t think they’d be selling them in the vegetable aisle.
In a closing what we’ve learned is there are indeed three different types of parsley although technically one is more used as a root vegetable instead of a herb. A few fun tips for those who are indeed parsley enthusiasts would be parsley is great for freezing for later. Freeze with a little water, butter or oil and used when needed. Try out different parsley and find the one that is most pleasing to your taste. Use your frozen parsley as needed whenever your in need of little umph for your stews, soups, sauces and stir fried! It will definitely come in handy!
For further reading visit the following links:
