What is chervil?

What is chervil?

Chervil is a soft green leafy herb, sometimes called French parsley. It looks a lot like flat-leaf parsley too, with delicate leaves on a slender stem.

What does chervil taste like?

You might not be surprised to learn…a lot like parsley, with a faint touch of aniseed.

Where can I find chervil?

Chervil is hard to find in supermarkets and your best option is likely to be growing it in a pot from seed, or buying as a plant from a nursery. Transfer the plant to a large pot, keep it watered well, and place in partial shade.

Harvesting
Pick leaves as required.

How to eat it
Best used fresh (dried lose flavour quickly). Use the fresh leaves in salads or soups, sauces, chicken and egg dishes or as a beautiful garnish. It’s also used in the French herb mix “fines herbes”.

Here are three of our favourite recipes using chervil…

Roast chicken breasts with broad beans and herbs

Griddled asparagus with sauce gribiche

Feta, watermelon and green bean salad