Parsley: from seed to plate

Tasty and full of flavour, parsley is also very easy to grow. Here's what to do – and what to look out for – when cultivating this healthy herb.

Flat-leaf parsley has a rich flavour and is easy to cook with. iStockphoto.com

The bright green herb known as parsley adds both colour to your plate and a serious amount of flavour to soups, sauces and salads. As an added bonus, it has several health benefits. Its flavourful nature reduces the amount of salt needed in recipes – helping to stave off high blood pressure – while being rich in iron and multiple vitamins.

Those looking to grow their own parsley will be happy to know that it is an easy herb to cultivate. You just need to decide which variant of parsley best suits your needs before you start planting. Luckily, there are only two types available, making your decision relatively easy. Flat-leaf parsley – known as Italian parsley – tends to have a slightly stronger flavour and is easier to cook with. The second variant, curly-leaf parsley, has a milder flavour and works best as an attractive garnish.

You’ll also need to decide whether you’ll be planting your seeds outside in the garden or ­indoors in a pot.

Once you’re ready, begin by soaking the seeds in very warm water for 24 hours and then let them dry. This will allow for better germination. Plant the dry seeds six to eight inches apart and cover each with half an inch of soil, which should be moist, rich and set at around 21°C. Try to pick an area of the garden that is weed-free; this way you’ll be able to see the parsley sprouting. Those who plant their parsley in a pot should place it on a windowsill that gets direct morning sunlight. If your garden (or windowsill) isn’t in full sunlight, use a fluorescent light to help the seeds along.

If grown in a garden, parsley will benefit from being planted near asparagus, corn or tomatoes. Gardeners should note that parsley is a slow starter, so there is a chance the plant won’t ­immediately sprout – in some cases it can take up to three weeks to see growth, so be ­patient. As the plant grows, keep an eye out for nasty pests such as black swallowtail larvae, carrot fly and celery fly larvae. To get rid of these unwanted visitors, spray the undersides of the leaves thoroughly with insecticidal soap. You can make this at home by mixing five tablespoons of pure liquid soap with four litres of tap water. To help the solution stick a little longer, add two tablespoons of light cooking oil, and to help repel chewing insects add a ­teaspoon of ground red pepper or garlic.

It is important to water the seeds often and evenly while they’re germinating, particularly if they’re outside during the warmer months. You should also fertilise the parsley once a month using a general-purpose fertiliser. Once they begin to sprout and the leaf stems have three segments, your parsley is ready to be harvested. It’s recommended that harvesting is done slowly throughout the season. Simply cut the outer stalks of the plants, just above ground level – this will help to encourage ­additional growth. Leaves that are harvested but not immediately used can be frozen or stored in an airtight container for later use. If you notice the parsley beginning to flower, this is an indication the plant has finished producing flavourful leaves and should be unearthed.

There are a number of delicious recipes to choose from that call for parsley, from vegetable soup with parsley dumplings to a more regional (and simpler) dish such as tabbouleh. You can also make parsley tea, an ideal option for those suffering from a cough or sore throat. Simply place a quarter of a cup of fresh parsley in an infusion basket. Place the basket into a cup of tea or pot and pour one cup of filtered boiling water over it. Allow the parsley to steep for five to seven minutes. Remove the basket of parsley and add lemon juice or honey as needed. The herb can also be used in a number of non-food related ways. Those who suffer from bad breath, but don’t want to increase their sugar intake with things like mints, can chew on parsley leaves – also a great and quick solution if you’ve binged on garlicky food. Parsley has also been said to be useful as a diuretic and laxative and, in some cases, has been known to help with kidney stones, jaundice, indigestion and high blood pressure.

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The three-star Michelin chef Heinz Beck is promising a novel approach to fine-casual dining at his Dubai eatery, Social by Heinz Beck at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. Recognised throughout Europe as a master of modern gastronomy, Beck has a knack for transforming simple ingredients into unexpectedly evocative dishes. Here, he offers two recipes to help you showcase the rich flavours of your home-grown parsley.

Spaghetti with Venus clams and parsley sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the tomato water

• 2kg cherry tomatoes

For the parsley sauce

• 1 bunch parsley

• 1 bunch basil

• 1 sprig thyme

• ½ carrot

• ½ stalk celery

• 1 small potato, boiled

• 600g Venus clams

• 2 garlic cloves

• 150ml vegetable stock

For the pasta

• 240g spaghetti (De Cecco #512)

• 1 garlic clove

• Extra virgin olive oil

For the garnish

• Chervil

Method

For the tomato water

1. Blend the tomatoes and wrap them in a cloth.

2. Drain through a chinois and filter the liquid to obtain 200ml tomato water.

For the parsley sauce

1. Allow the Venus clams to open in a pan with stock, thyme, celery and carrot for three minutes.

2. Clean the parsley and basil bunches and blanch leaves in salted water for four minutes, taking care to cool them immediately in iced water to keep their colour vibrant.

3. Mix the parsley and basil with 50ml of their cooking water, the stock from your Venus clams mixture, the boiled potato and some drops of extra virgin olive oil.

For the spaghetti

1. Boil the spaghetti in abundant salted water for five minutes.

2. Bring your 200ml of tomato water to the boil.

3. Take the spaghetti out of the water before it is completely cooked and pour it into the boiling tomato water, stirring well.

4. Add two spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil mixed with the garlic, and the shelled Venus clams.

Plating

1. Place a strip of parsley sauce in the centre of your plate.

2. Place your spaghetti over the sauce and garnish the dish with chervil.

Curried John Dory in a light pesto sauce with vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the fish stock

• John Dory carcass

• 1 carrot

• 1 celery stalk

• 1 onion

• 1 garlic clove

• Parsley stalks

• 1.5 litres water

• Extra virgin olive oil

For the light pesto sauce

• 70g parsley

• 160g fish stock

• 45g pine nuts

• 20g potato, boiled

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

For the curry sauce

• 50ml lemon juice

• 50g icing sugar

• 5g curry powder

Vegetables

• 100g green beans

• 1.5l water

• Salt

• 8 zucchini flowers

Fish

• 320g John Dory fillets, cleaned

• 4 scampi, medium size

For the garnish

• 2 radishes

• 1 beetroot, boiled

• Chervil

• ½ hot chilli pepper, cut in thin strips

Method

For the fish stock

1. Clean and peel the vegetables, dice and sauté them in a pot with the garlic and parsley stalks.

2. Add the John Dory carcass. Add water and keep cooking slowly for 30 minutes, then filter.

For the light pesto sauce

1. Blanch the parsley in salted boiling water. Cool it then squeeze the parsley. Blend it with the fish stock, pine nuts, ­extra virgin olive oil, salt and the boiled potato, which will bind the sauce.

2. Pass through a chinois and store in the fridge.

For the curry sauce

Mix the lemon juice, icing sugar and curry powder, stirring well to obtain a smooth and homogeneous sauce.

For the vegetables

1. Gently clean the zucchini flowers, ­remove pistils and cut into strips. Leave on the side.

2. Clean the green beans, remove the ends and cook in salted water. Cool them and cut in half.

For the fish

1. Divide the John Dory fillet into four parts of about 80g each.

2. Marinate the fillets in the curry sauce for two minutes.

3. Brown them in a pan, being careful not to caramelise the sugar, and finish ­cooking in the oven at 180°C for four ­minutes.

4. Wash the scampi and shell and clean them very well.

For the garnish

1. Wash the radishes and cut them into thin slices with the help of a mandoline. Keep the slices in water until ready to use, so that they stay crunchy.

2. Cut the previously boiled beetroot into sticks, 0.5cm in width and 5cm in length.

Plating

1. Heat the pesto sauce and add the green beans, zucchini flowers and scampi at the last minute so they do not cook too much.

2. Place the vegetables on your plate, put the fillets over them and garnish with slices of radish, chervil, chilli pepper and the beetroot sticks, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and salt.