Parsley

Lore & Background

Parsley is believed to have been originally grown in Sardinia, and was cultivated in around the 3rd century BC. The word 'parsley' is a merger of Old English petersilie and Old French peresil, both derived from Medieval Latin petrosilium, from Latin petroselinum, which is the latinization of the Greek πετροσέλινον, petroselinon, 'rock-celery'.

Reader's Guide

Parsley is widely used in European, Middle Eastern, and American cuisine. Curly-leaf parsley is often used as a garnish, while flat-leaf parsley is often preferred by chefs because it has a stronger flavor. Root parsley is very common in central, eastern, and southern European cuisines, where it is eaten as a snack or as a vegetable in many soups, stews, and casseroles. Parsley is a key ingredient in several Middle Eastern salads such as Lebanese tabbouleh, and is a main component of the Iranian stew ghormeh sabzi. In French cuisine, persillade is a mixture of chopped garlic and chopped parsley. Parsley sauce is a cream sauce seasoned with parsley in British cuisine. Parsley is the main ingredient in Italian salsa verde and a component of gremolata, a traditional accompaniment to ossobuco alla milanese. Freshly chopped parsley is a main ingredient in the Brazilian herb seasoning cheiro-verde. Parsley is also a component of a standard Seder plate arrangement. Excessive consumption of parsley should be avoided by pregnant women, as consuming excessively large amounts may have uterotonic effects.

Did You Know?

• Parsley seeds are toxic, containing high quantities of the compound apiol, and their use should be avoided.
• The word 'parsley' derives from the Greek petroselinon, meaning 'rock-celery'.
• Parsley is a host plant for some swallowtail butterfly larvae, which feed on it for two weeks before turning into butterflies.