Freeze-dried fresh parsley

What is parsley?

Parsleyis an herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family. Biennial, it has strongly cut leaves of green colour. Its size varies between 25 and 80 cm in height. When flowering, it develops cream-coloured flowers with shades of green.

There are 3 types of parsley:

• Curly parsley
• The flat parsley
• Tuberous parsley

Did you know that? There are more than 80 varieties of parsley!

The sowing period for flat-leaf parsley is between March and August. It takes 10 to 12 weeks between planting and harvesting. When sowing parsley seeds, it is advisable to germinate the seeds before planting.

Note: parsley likes temperate climates and humus-rich soils.

Be careful, parsley is sensitive to frost.

Parsley harvesting

Parsley is a plant that is cultivated in many countries and on all continents. It has the particularity of growing naturally in Asia and North Africa. Elsewhere, it is cultivated, as is the case with parsley from Poland.

It takes a month between the semi and the rise of the seeds. Once the parsley plant has matured, it is enough to pick its leaves to meet our needs.

David's opinion: I chose a parsley of Polish origin for its interesting taste qualities. Commonly called " garden gold ", parsleyis a very popular spice in Poland. It can be found on traditional potato salads.

The different varieties

There are more than 80 varieties of parsley. Parsley cultivation in France mainly concerns 5 varieties:

• Viola: a variety of curly parsley
• The dark green curly: a variety with slightly chiselled leaves
• Curly dwarf moss: a variety with very curly and compact foliage
• Common 2: a variety of flat parsley
• The giant of Italy: also a variety of flat parsley, also called Naples parsley The tuberous parsley with large roots: an early variety

Differences between flat parsley and curly parsley

In addition to the appearance of their leaves, flat parsley and curly parsley are distinguished by:

Taste

While flat parsley is very aromatic, curly parsley has a less pronounced taste. This is why it is mainly used for decorative purposes.

Cooking properties

Curly parsley retains its aromas even when cooked. Flat-leaf parsley is best used raw, as it loses all its flavour if cooked.

The origins of parsley

Parsley is an aromatic plant native to southern Europe. We find its first traces in - 3000 BC... It was cultivated by the Greeks and Romans.

During Antiquity, the Greeks made crowns from it to reward athletes in the Islamic Games. They also used it to design funeral wreaths.

It isthanks to Charlemagne that parsley arrived in France. The plant was used in cooking, but also in medicine, especially to treat hepatitis and kidney disease.

It was in the 13th century that the name parsley appeared as we know it. Previously, it was known by its Greek name: Petroselinon, which means " Celery of the rocks ". In fact, for a long time it was thought that parsley was a variety of celery.

It was in the 15th and 16th century that it began to be cultivated in Western Europe and America.

Celery today

Parsley is the most consumed aromatic plant in France. It is mainly produced in Spain, France and Italy.

There is a mass sales channel in France, present in the major cities, and a so-called "secondary" production, carried out by salad producers. The volume of parsley grown in France is over 14,000 tonnes, of which 1/3 comes from the Ile-de-France region.

Other uses of parsley

Parsley is a plant that has many benefits, including virtues:

• Antioxidants
• Detoxifying: a diuretic, parsley helps eliminate toxins, particularly uric acid responsible for arthritis.
• Antianemic: it contains many vitamins: A, B, K and E.
• Anti-inflammatory: it is particularly effective in relieving insect bites.
• Deodorant

Parsley is also effective in treating bruises.

The maximum recommended daily consumption of parsley is 100 g per day. Beyond this quantity, there is a risk of intoxication whose symptoms are: dizziness, migraines, kidney deficiencies ..

Did you know that? Parsley contains more vitamin C than an orange! 170 mg per 100 grams, compared to 71 mg per 100 grams of orange.

How to use freeze-dried parsley in cooking?

To be eaten fresh from April to November, parsley is also excellent when freeze-dried. To be used in tomato soup, on a quiche or to add a little freshness to your fish recipes, freeze-dried parsley is an essential flavouring for lovers of French cuisine.

Our recipe ideas with parsley

Here is a 3-course menu where you can enjoy all the flavour of our fresh freeze-dried parsley.

The starter: Vegetable dips with parsleyed cottage cheese

To be enjoyed as a starter or as an aperitif, vegetable dips are a healthy alternative to salty snacks. Cut some carrots and celery sticks into sticks, wash some radishes and cherry tomatoes, cut and rinse some cauliflower balls. Arrange them in a dish. Make a white sauce based on a Greek yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of lemon, half a clove of crushed garlic and half a spoonful of parsley. Place your sauce in the fridge for one hour. Serve!

The dish : Sole meunière tradition

A classic of French cuisine, ideal for rediscovering the flavours that marked our childhood. Wipe your soles clean and flaked with an absorbent paper. Dredge the soles in a spicy flour (salt and pepper). Brown them in a hazelnut butter. Add a lemon juice at the end of cooking. Add pepper. Serve by coating your soles with lemon butter and sprinkle generously with parsley. Delicious with steamed potatoes.

To note: The sole meunière is normally made with finely chopped fresh parsley. However, since freeze-dried parsley retains all its flavour even when hot, you can replace fresh parsley with freeze-dried fresh parsley.

The dessert: Parsley sorbet

And here's a bit of freshness to end this menu around the parsley. Bring 0.5 l of water and 150 g of fine sugar to the boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, let it cool. Add 3 tablespoons of freeze-dried fresh parsley. Mix and place in the freezer for 45 minutes. Whisk two egg whites and gently fold them into the cooled preparation. Place your sorbet in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

How to store freeze-dried parsley?

Fresh freeze-dried parsley can be stored in an airtight container, away from the sun and in a dry environment. Under good storage conditions, it can be kept for several years without losing its flavour.