Tarragon

Mexican Tarragon

The VegHeadz are getting their fall crops going, planting winter cover crops, and conquering weeds that proliferated during late summer. My theory is that weeds tend to speed up as the days shorten because they are programmed to reproduce and they are “desperate” to produce viable seed.

In our garden we’re enjoying some fall flowers including Marigolds, Cosmos, and Mexican Tarragon. Tarragon supplies an elegant flavor boost to many types of food—soups, salads, and sauces as well as shellfish, chicken and fish.  There are two types of tarragon, French tarragon and Mexican tarragon. French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa), which probably originated in Asia, does not do well in our area. It likes more temperate weather and less humidity. French tarragon prefers at least a two-month dormancy period when the temperature drops close to freezing. That doesn’t happen here. 

In the VegHeadz garden, our herb gardener, Louie Doll, grows Mexican Tarragon (Tagetes lucida), which is a type of Marigold and is native to Texas and Mexico. It is more tolerant of our heat and humidity and serves as a culinary substitute for French tarragon. In our area, it is a perennial, fading back in winter and leafing out reinvigorated in spring.

The plant we have in our garden is at least five years old, and looks better than ever this fall. It takes very little care other than watering during dry weather and a little trimming to remove dead stems and keep it in shape. The small narrow leaves and bright yellow flowers can both be used to flavor your recipes.

Here’s a favorite chicken recipe in which tarragon shines:

Chicken Tarragon

1 chicken, cut up (or 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. chicken pieces)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
Salt and pepper
1 onion, sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, quartered
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. each dried rosemary and thyme (or one tsp. fresh)
1 tsp. dried tarragon (or 2 tsp. fresh)
1 cup sour cream

Melt butter in a pan large enough to hold the chicken. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown in the melted butter. Remove from pan. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté until onions are tender and mushrooms have begun to release their juices. Remove from pan. Add flour to pan and stir into remaining butter and crumbs, then add wine and chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits. Return vegetables and chicken to pan. Add seasonings (if you wish, tie herbs in cheesecloth before adding to pan). Cover and simmer half an hour or until chicken is tender. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Adjust seasoning. Return to low heat and warm. Do not boil. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles to capture the delicious gravy.