While there is still an abundance of herbs in the garden in early September, we couldn’t let much more time go by without making parsley our herb of the month. Parsley is an extremely underrated herb often only used as a garnish but worth so much more! We make parsley a key component of our Red Onion & Parsley Dressing, and we're not the only ones who have made wide use of this versatile herb.

Parsley is used widely around the world. In Italy, it is a main ingredeint in salsa verde and gremolata. In England, parsley sauce is a roux-based sauce often served over fish or gammon. In Middle Eastern cuisine, parsley is a key ingredient in salads such as tabbouleh. In southern and central Europe, parsley is used as part of a bouquet garni, a bundle of fresh herbs used in stocks, soups, and sauces. All across Europe, chopped parsley is sprinkled across a multitude of dishes to add colour and flavour.

Both curly parsley and flat leaf parsley are relatively common. Flat leaf parsley tends to have a more robust flavour while curly parsley is typically used as a garnish. However both can be used interchangeably.

HOW TO GROW PARSLEY

Parsley is easy to grow in pots or beds, indoors or outdoors. Buy seeds and soak them in cold water over night to speed up germination. Sow a new batch every month and you'll have fresh parsley all year round and you'll never run out!

HOW TO BUY AND STORE PARSLEY

Go for fresh looking, bright green bunches of parsley with no wilting or discouloration. To keep it fresh, wrap fresh cut parsley in damp kitchen paper and place in a perforated back and store in the fridge. You can also treat it like flowers and put it in a glass of water (be sure to change the water every two days).

PARSLEY RECIPES

Many recipes include parsley as a garnish but these recipes truly bring parsley to the fore: