I grow a lot of parsley and try to get bunches of it in as many baskets as possible. The flavor in parsley is best when it is eaten raw or almost raw. When I make a recipe that calls for parsley, I usually add some in as it cooks, but reserve at least half for the very end to be sprinkled over the dish just as it is taken off the heat.
Here are a selection of recipes using parsley:
Green Salmon Salad
1 can (14.75 oz) Alaskan Wild Pink Salmon
about 1 cup finely chopped parsley
about 1/2 cup finely chopped spinach or chard
about 1-2 tbsp of mayo (to taste)
a squeeze of lemon juice (optional), a stalk of celery, chopped (optional), about 1 tbsp of finely minced onion or scallion (optional)
Break up salmon with fork, remove skin and larger bones if you want. Mix in the parsley and greens thoroughly, continuing to break up the salmon meat evenly (you can add other optional ingredients as well at this point). Mix in mayo gradually - just until it nicely holds mixture together. Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight for best flavor.
Tuna Salad
2 cans (5 oz) Wild Planet Wild Skipjack Light Tuna or Wild Albacore Tuna
about 1 cup finely chopped parsley
about 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (to taste)
about 1-2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
about 1-2 tbsp of mayo (optional)
a squeeze of lemon juice (optional), a stalk of celery, chopped (optional), about 1 tbsp of finely minced onion or scallion (optional)
a sprinkle of black pepper
Break up tuna with fork, I usually dump the cans into a strainer to eliminate the excess water. Mix in the parsley,celery, onion, and black pepper thoroughly, continuing to break up the tuna meat evenly. Mix in vinegar, oil and/or mayo gradually - just until it nicely holds mixture together. Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight for best flavor.Parsley Tabbouleh
1 cup bulgur wheat
4 plum tomatoes, finely chopped, with their juice
1 3/4 cups finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 2 medium bunches)
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint (optional)
In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water, bulgur, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well; transfer to a serving bowl. Fluff with a fork and let cool completely. Stir in tomatoes with juice, parsley, and scallions. Add lemon juice, salt, and oil; season with pepper. Toss to coat. Just before serving, stir in mint if using (I like to use mint in summer!)
Italian Anchovy Sauce
1 big bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can of anchovies, drained and minced
about 1/2 to3/4 cup of oil packed sun dried tomatoes, diced (you could substitute 3-4 tbsp tomato paste but the texture will be different)
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Mix all ingredients except vinegar together. Add vinegar right before serving. Tastes even better after a day or two stored in fridge. Don't fret over the anchovies - it doesn't taste fishy at all - they just add a great umami flavor.
This is a great summer sauce, it involves no cooking can be used at room temperature over any meat. It comes out completely different if you chop everything by hand or if you use a food processor. Try it both ways...
Fingerling Potatoes - I am digging up some fingering potatoes as well - I lost track of which variety they are, but they are tasty and lovely for soaking up the green flavors of the other veggies. Keep them in the fridge and they will last a very long time. I've been slicing them into disks and sauteing them with dark greens like baby kales or with the spring onions and mushrooms, some fresh parsley, chopped and added just as you take the saute off the heat, is sublime.
German-Style Potato Salad Recipe
12 medium potatoes
9-12 bacon strips
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Pinch pepper
1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup white vinegar
Chopped fresh parsley
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Peel and slice into a large bowl; set aside.
In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings.
Sauté onion in drippings until tender. Stir in the next six ingredients. Gradually stir in water and vinegar; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more or until thickened. Pour over potatoes; toss to coat. Crumble bacon and gently stir into potatoes. Sprinkle with lots of parsley.
