Cooking Index - Cooking Recipes & IdeasChervil in our A-Z (Page 5) - Cooking Index

Chervil

Chervil is a light green, lacey, fern like leaf of Annthriscus cerefolium, a low growing member of the parsley family.

Chervil brings out the flavor of other herbs. Stir it into scrambled eggs or cheese and ham omelets. Cervil is useful for adding color and flavor to creamy dressings for pasta and potato salads. Add it to buttersauced mushrooms and serve over grilled steak or chicken breasts. Crush Chervil in your hand or with a mortar and pestle before use.

The leaves of this aromatic and sweet herb bear a slight resemblance to parsley; however, the flavor is more distinctive with a trace of anise.

Chervil is native to southern Russia. Pliney, in the first century, used Chervil as a seasoning. The Romans took it to France where it has been important for centuries. Only recently has it been cultivated and used in the United States.

Chervil is grown in California and New Mexico.

Chervil had various traditional uses. Pregnant women bathed in an infusion of it; a lotion of it was used as a skin cleanser; and it was used medicinally as a blood purifier.