Parsley

Parsley, also known as garden parsley and scientifically as *Petroselinum crispum*, is a flowering plant from the Apiaceae family. It originally comes from Greece, the Balkans, Algeria, and Morocco. Over time, it spread to Europe and other places with similar climates, where it now grows wild and is widely farmed as both an herb and a vegetable. The plant is thought to have first been cultivated in Sardinia around the 3rd century BC. Linnaeus noted Sardinia as its wild home, and from there it was taken to England, where it was first grown in gardens in 1548, though writings suggest it was already used in England during the Middle Ages, as far back as the Anglo-Saxon period.

The name "parsley" comes from a blend of the Old English *petersilie* and the Old French *peresil*. Both trace back to the Medieval Latin *petrosilium*, which itself comes from the Latin *petroselinum*, a Latinization of the Greek *petroselinon*, meaning "rock-celery." This Greek word combines *petra* (rock, stone) and *selinon* (celery). The earliest known form of *selinon* appears in Mycenaean Greek as *se-ri-no*, written in Linear B script.

In temperate climates, garden parsley is a bright green biennial plant; in subtropical and tropical areas, it grows as an annual. As a biennial, its first year produces a rosette of tripinnate leaves, 10–25 cm long, with many 1–3 cm leaflets, and a taproot that stores food through winter. In its second year, it sends up a flowering stem up to 75 cm tall, with fewer leaves and flat-topped umbels 3–10 cm across, made up of many tiny yellow to yellowish-green flowers about 2 mm in diameter. The seeds are ovoid, 2–3 mm long, with noticeable style remnants at the tip. One of the essential oil compounds in parsley is apiole. The plant usually dies after its seeds mature.

Parsley is a staple in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Brazilian, and American cooking. Curly-leaf parsley is often used as a garnish, especially on potato dishes (boiled or mashed), rice dishes like risotto or pilaf, fish, fried chicken, lamb, goose, steaks, and meat or vegetable stews such as shrimp creole, beef bourguignon, goulash, or chicken paprikash. Some people cook with parsley seeds for a stronger flavor, but the seeds are toxic due to high levels of apiol, so their use is best avoided. Eating parsley is said to help neutralize garlic odors in cooking.

In central, eastern, and southern Europe, as well as western Asia, many dishes are topped with fresh chopped green parsley. In southern and central Europe, parsley is a key part of *bouquet garni*, a bundle of fresh herbs used in stocks, soups, and sauces. Freshly chopped parsley also tops soups like chicken soup, green salads, salads such as salade Olivier, and open sandwiches with cold cuts or pâtés. In French cuisine, *persillade* is a mix of chopped garlic and parsley. British cuisine features parsley sauce, a cream sauce seasoned with parsley, and a variant called "liquor" served with pie and mash. Parsley is the main ingredient in Italian *salsa verde*, a condiment of parsley, capers, anchovies, garlic, and sometimes vinegar-soaked bread, often served with *bollito misto* or fish. *Gremolata*, a blend of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, is a traditional accompaniment to the Italian veal stew *ossobuco alla milanese*. Root parsley is common in central, eastern, and southern European cuisines, eaten as a snack or used as a vegetable in soups, stews, casseroles, and broth.

In Brazil, fresh chopped parsley and scallion are the main ingredients in *cheiro-verde* ("green aroma"), a herb seasoning used for meat, chicken, fish, rice, beans, stews, soups, vegetables, salads, condiments, sauces, and stocks. It is sold in markets as a bundle of both herbs. In some Brazilian regions, chopped coriander may replace the parsley. Parsley is also key in Middle Eastern salads like Lebanese tabbouleh, and is often mixed into chickpeas or fava beans when making falafel, giving the inside its green color. It is a main component of the Iranian stew *ghormeh sabzi*. On a Seder plate, parsley is eaten to symbolize the flourishing of the Jews after their arrival in Egypt.

Fresh parsley is about 88% water, 6% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and 1% fat. In a 100-gram serving, raw parsley provides 36 calories and is rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, and iron, with moderate amounts of other minerals. It also contains apigenin and myricetin. Pregnant women should avoid eating excessive amounts of parsley, though normal food quantities are safe.