Wow. I had some leeks and potatoes from my CSA that needed to be used up so, sez I, "Hey Mik..make potato leek soup!" .

So I looked up recipes. Wow! 1 cup of butter and a cup of cream? WTF? I won't survive the week.

So I found a recipe for vegetarian version and am making that. Allrecipes is a good site i am finding increasingly.

https://www.allrecipes.com/rec.../?internalSource=hub recipe&referringContentType=Search&clickId=cardslot 5

I used unsalted chicken stock and butter instead. I can salt it a bit while serving. Salting potatoes before serving it just seems to absorb and neutralize all the seasoning. Might throw in a tablespoon or two of cream, but only a little.

Note after finishing: HIGHLY recommending this recipe. No cream needed at all, just a little salt and cayenne. Delicious and silky.

I've been making quick-and-dirty "vichyssoise" with my CSA haul. It doesn't require cream, although sometimes I add a splash, but it's not nondairy.

While the potatoes are cooking, I chop and saute the leeks, usually in a bit of butter. When it's all done, I throw the leeks in to the cooked potatoes, mash it all up good, add enough milk to give it my desired consistency (on the thin side), then season and heat it back up.

If I'm in the mood for less milk, I cut it with chicken broth. If I want it richer, I add a splash of cream.

Yesterday, I had peas, spring onions, and dill from the garden, plus some fresh garlic from the CSA. I cooked the veggies in a little butter, hit them for a few seconds with an immersion blender, thinned things down with some milk, stirred in some dill, and it was done. I thought it was very good, but I'm guilty of liking my own cooking, so YMMV.

Vegetable soups are great. Love them, especially asparagus.

Yes, we do something very similar, but haven't tried the cayenne.

Sometimes I throw in some dried tarragon while it's cooking. I don't often have fresh on hand.

Did I mention how much I love tarragon?

I do too, especially fresh, but it’s a very strong flavor. Can be difficult to find it’s place in the dish. Really good with chicken and apples in a cider reduction.

Started growing Tarragon last year. Its easy to grow, not too big, and has pretty yellow flowers.

It died back over the winter but came back nicely in April.

Mik's chicken dish sounds really good. What do you use tarragon for, wtg and Steve?

I've never used fresh tarragon, and I've only used the dried kind in something like beef and vegetable soup that has tomatoes and a lot of other big flavors. I don't have a feel for how to use it.

Not something I eat very often, but I love sauce bernaise. There the tarragon is reduced with shallots, wine, and vinegar.

More typical for us is to include tarragon in potato leek soup, or in a mayonnaise-based chicken salad.

On the veggie side, there's a great recipe from Renee Shepherd's cookbook Recipes from a Kitchen Garden:

Green Beans with Tarragon

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put in green beans and cook until just tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans in a colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop the cooking action. Drain on paper towels. Cut beans into 1 inch pieces and set aside. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Add garlic, scallions, and celery and saute until softened. Add beans and tarragon, saute until heated through. Season with salt and fresh pepper to taste.

Aside: Shepherd's two books, Recipes from a Kitchen Garden and More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden are really nice collections of recipes for things to do with fresh veggies and herbs.

Thank you!

I planted it because I wanted to duplicate Starbucks tuna tarragon wraps. The pretty flowers were a big surprise.

That green bean recipe looks terrific!

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Anna:
Mik's chicken dish sounds really good. What do you use tarragon for, wtg and Steve?

I've never used fresh tarragon, and I've only used the dried kind in something like beef and vegetable soup that has tomatoes and a lot of other big flavors. I don't have a feel for how to use it.

The original is Chicken Martinelli at Dee Felice Cafe in Covington KY. Fantastic New Orleans jazz restaurant. I had my own table there at one time. The description is:

"Sauteed chicken breasts and deep fried oysters in sparkling Martinelli apple cider with herb butter and garlic."

The herb is, of course, tarragon. The fried oysters are a great addition but unnecessary for a weeknight quick dinner. I used to make this but never had a recipe.