Feb 17

How to grow tarragon

delicious. team

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Your simple guide on how to grow and harvest the soft leaf herb tarragon, plus three great recipes for using it in your kitchen. It’s an essential component in French cooking.

What does tarragon taste like?

Tarragon tastes most like liquorice, something along the lines of fennel and anise.

What does tarragon go best with?

The herb works really well when paired with chicken, fish, rice and salads. It’s essential in the classic French béarnaise sauce, and you’ll need a good bunch of it for that.

How do you grow tarragon?
Buy tarragon as a ready-grown plant and place in a large pot of gritty compost in a sunny, sheltered spot. Pinch off any flowers to keep the supply of leaves coming.

When do you pick tarragon? When is tarragon in season?
You can usually pick tarragon from May until September. Remove whole stems with secateurs and strip leaves with your fingers.

The herb works really well when paired with chicken, fish, rice and salads

Which recipes are best to try?

Here are three of our favourite recipes using tarragon…

Smoky sweetcorn fritters with tarragon yogurt