Chervil
| Species Name: | Anthriscus cerefolium | |
| Family: | Apiaceae | |
| Height: | 20 inches | |
| Spread: | 8 inches |
Chervil is a member of the Apiaceae family which includes parsley and carrots.
"I find this plant to be a beautiful and aromatic addition to my own herb garden. It smells of liquorice, has vibrant green and sometimes purple tinged foliage, and tiny delicate white flowers. I use it fresh in salads, as a garnish in a glass of sambvca or tea, and When finely diced it is an excellent addition to steamed and buttered vegetables" -- Jarogers2001 22:59, 17 January 2007 (PST)
Care
Chervil prefers cool, shaded, moist locations and will go to seed quickly if planted in areas of too much heat. The tap root is long, as with other members of this family, and does not like to be transplanted. Pinching off the tops of this herb will promote a longer growing season, and successive sowing will allow a longer harvest.
Uses
Chervil is one of five components of the French fines herbes, a mixture of fresh herbs used in French cuisine to decorate warm and cold dishes. Fines herbes is also the basis of ravigote sauce, a warm herbed veloute (stock or fumet based white sauce) which is served over fish or poultry.
This herb has a natural affinity for foods such as salmon, trout, young asparagus, new potatoes, baby green beans, carrots and salads of spring greens.
The flavor of chervil can be lost easily by drying or from too much heat. It should be added at the end of cooking or sprinkled on before serving.
The tap root of this plant is also edible.
Preservation
- Chervil can be refrigerated for up to a week in an air tight container.
- Can be added to white wine vinegar to preserve flavor and impregnate the vinegar.
- Can be kept for several days as a Pesto.
Nutrition
This herb contains only minor amounts of essential oil. 0.3% in fresh leaves and 0.9% in the seeds. Chervil contains methylchavicol (estragole) and hendecane (undecane).
| Name | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Chervil(dried) | 1 gram/teaspoon | |
| Ash: | 0.16g | |
| Calcium: | 13mg | |
| Calories: | 2 | |
| Carbohydrates: | 0.5g | |
| Cholesterol: | 0 | |
| Copper: | .002ug | |
| Fiber: | 0.1g | |
| Iron: | 0.3mg | |
| Magnesium: | 1mg | |
| Manganese: | 0.01mg | |
| Monosaturated fat: | 0.01g | |
| Phosphorus: | 3mg | |
| Polysaturated fat: | 0.01g | |
| Potassium: | 28ug | |
| Protien: | 0.1g | |
| Saturated fat: | 0.001g | |
| Selenium: | 0.2ug | |
| Sodium: | 0.5mg | |
| Total Lipids: | 0.02g | |
| Vitamin A: | 7ug | |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): | 0.002mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): | 0.004mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin): | 0.03mg | |
| Vitamin B5 (Pantotheic Acid): | 0 | |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): | 0.007mg | |
| Vitamin C: | 0.3mg | |
| Vitamin E: | 0.01mg | |
| Zinc: | 0.05mg |
