My first culinary “business” , a zillion years ago, was making herbal vinegars: steeping a myriad of herbs in various vinegars: white and red wine, as well as rice. I made a rather sweet handcrafted label with one of my line drawings, slapped them onto the old wine bottles I gathered, then filled up the bottles with mostly vinegar, as well as a hit of wine and a few BIG sprigs of herbs, either a single herb or a mixture. I arranged them on shelves built across a window so that they could infuse more quickly as the light shone down on them: that was my idea anyhow, based on no science whatsoever that I knew of. It was just that they looked so beautiful, like stained glass, as the light filtered through.
And they were delicious. Looks wise my favourite was the rosemary, because the sprig/branch held up so nicely, and the little peppercorns I added as well as the thyme branches, it was like an herb garden in the bottle. But the one whose flavour has haunted me throughout these years is that of tarragon. Every so often I”ll be doing something and think of that luscious, tangy, sour+fragrant+herbal scent of tarragon leaves pickled in vinegar, of vinegar infused with tarragon.
But to be honest, I tend to add fresh herbs to dressings, vinaigrettes, and the like, at the last minute instead of flavouring the vinegars. This summer, I changed my mind, due in large part to my hugely energetic tarragon patch. I started sticking bunches of tarragon leaves, in sprigs, or chopped, or a combination, into jars of white wine vinegar. Within a few days it is infused, I use it and use it and use it, then use up the tarragon as well. Somewhere along the way, when I see it dwindling and the vinegar level getting lower, I start another jar.
This summer has been my summer of tarragon vinegar. And, like Sebastian, the young French student who came to dinner the other evening, we’ve been loving the elusive yet compelling taste and aroma. Here are a few of our salads.
Asparagus and Small Delicious Tomatoes with Tarragon
If you’ve got homegrown, or farmers market shopped, oh now is the time to make this salad!
Serves 4, or half it to serve two
1 small bunch thin asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1 teaspoon French mustard, not to hot/strong, such as Maille
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar (see description above) or white wine vinegar
1 pint box small delicious tomatoes, such as sweet grape or cherry ones, yellow and/or red, cut into halves
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves, cut up
Drizzle of evoo
Cut the asparagus into spears several inches long; cook in rapidly boiling salted water for a minute or two or until bright green, still crunchy but getting tender; drain and arrange on a platter and leave to cool to room temperature.
Combine the mustard with the vinegar and stir well until smooth.
When asparagus is cool, scatter the top with the tomatoes, drizzle the mustard vinegar over the top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, tarragon leaves, then drizzle with the evoo. As to exactly HOW much of the mustard vinegar to use, you need to go with your tastes: some like a less sharp salad, some like me, love it tart tart tart!
Iceberg, Walnuts, St Agur or another lovely flavourful blue cheese, (Optional) Diced Beets, Green Beans, Chives and Tarragon
Serves 4
1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and broken up into chunks; chill in the refrigerator wrapped in a clean towel in a bowl, until you’re ready to serve
Handful thin green beans, topped and tailed
3 oz/ 175g St Agur or other creamy flavourful blue cheese, cut into small bite sized pieces
Optional: 1 cooked beetroot, diced (vacuum-packed if fine)
3-4 tablespoons coarsely chopped or quartered walnuts
Several tablespoons chopped chives
Several tablespoons chopped tarragon
About 2 teaspoons tarragon steaped vinegar (see description above), or to taste
About 1-2 tablespoons evoo, or as desired
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the green beans in boiling salted water or steam them in a steamer, until they are crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
When you are ready to put together the salad, remove chilled lettuce and bowl from fridge, unwrap the lettuce from its towel and return to the chilled bowl.
Scatter with the green beans, the cheese, beetroot if using, the walnuts, then the chives and tarragon, sprinkling with salt and pepper to taste. Dress with the vinegar and evoo, and serve.
With over 70 cookbook titles (including contributions) to her credit, Marlena conjures up flavours and dishes from the Mediterranean to Mexico, California to France to the Italian islands and single subjects such as chili peppers, olive oil, mushrooms, to a book on classic Jewish food from all over the world.