Tarragon useful properties and uses in cooking. What is useful tarragon, use for medicinal purposes. Tarragon herb useful properties

This plant, which has many names (dragon grass, tarragon, dragon wormwood, Mary's gold), is known to us as tarragon. This name takes its roots in the countries of Asia Minor, where tarragon has been widely used for many centuries. The tarragon began its triumphant journey from the steppes of Mongolia, from where it spread throughout Asia, Europe and America. Treatment of scurvy and respiratory diseases, epilepsy and convulsions, strengthening of blood vessels - all these conditions were successfully treated by ancient healers with the help of tarragon. Its amazing taste is due to a rare set of useful properties and components of this spicy plant.

Composition of tarragon:

Essential oils containing chemical compounds useful for humans;

Micro and macro elements - potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese;

Phytosterols, ash;

Tannins;

alkaloids;

Flavonoids;

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids;

Vitamins of groups B, C, A in large quantities.

The aroma of tarragon resembles both the smell of mint and the sharpness of anise. Having felt it at least once, this smell cannot be forgotten. Tarragon can be found in the wild state and as a spicy crop grown in household plots. It can be prepared for future use by drying the tops of the leaves, tied into small bunches. Dried tarragon is stored in glass jars with ground hermetically sealed lids.

Useful properties of tarragon

Due to its composition, tarragon is successfully used as a medicinal plant in folk medicine in many countries of the world. It enhances potency and appetite, relieves nervous tension, fights insomnia, heals the oral cavity, the state of the digestive tract.

Action of tarragon:

restorative,

tonic,

Antiscorbutic,

Painkiller

diuretic,

Stabilizing the work of the nervous system,

normalizing digestion,

Appetite stimulant,

regenerating,

Normalizing the menstrual cycle,

antispasmodic,

anti-inflammatory,

Anthelmintic,

Improving potency.

In addition, tarragon is used for fortification of feed for farm animals.

Traditional medicine could not ignore this valuable plant.

Tarragon successfully normalizes the human condition under the following conditions:

Reduced immunity;

Puffiness of various origins;

scurvy, gum disease;

Insufficiency of digestive activity;

Olfactory disorders;

Decreased potency;

Tarragon is a component not only of traditional medicine recipes, but also of homeopathic preparations for the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract, pneumonia, cystitis,.

Folk recipes based on tarragon:

Neurological disorders - infusion of 200 ml of boiling water and st. l. dry tarragon grass is divided into 2 doses and drink half a cup before meals;

Do you know the name of the product "tarragon"? Chances are you've heard of its use everywhere as a seasoning for dishes. Perhaps you yourself use such a spice, but its benefits are not only in ennobling dishes, giving them a special shade of smell and taste.

Tarragon grass is also used for medicinal purposes. What is "tarragon", what is its history and what is the name of the tarragon herb in a different way? Let's take a look at the useful properties of the product together and learn a lot of interesting things about it.

Definition

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) - a perennial plant of the genus Wormwood, from the Astrov family. Why is there no bitter taste of wormwood in it, you ask? This is a mystery of nature, but it is known for sure that this is the only plant of common use, which is very difficult to call wormwood, on the contrary, it has an amazing aroma and taste.

It grows up to 150 cm in height, has a branched rhizome and oblong leaves. The plant blooms in August and September, gradually replacing the pale yellow flowers with seeds. But it is the green parts of the tarragon herb that have found their application in the kitchens of the whole world, and we will tell you why.

See tarragon grass photo (what tarragon grass looks like).

Tarragon blooms

Story

The wild plant first appeared, as is believed in Central Asia. Where tarragon grass grows it is always dry and sunny. Tarragon loves open areas - steppe, also grows in sunny sandy areas. Currently, several types of plants are distinguished and cultivated in any country. It grows wild in large quantities in Asia, North America, and Eastern Europe.

Many are interested in tarragon grass, where it grows in Russia - this is the Far East, the European part of the country, the West and East of Siberia. It is believed that information about tarragon came to us from the Transcaucasian countries. There the inhabitants use it as we use dill and parsley. That is, tarragon is added to almost any dish. And by the way, Georgians and Armenians have fairly good health.

Grass tarragon second name

Many are interested - are tarragon and tarragon one and the same, or are they different? So it is, according to the encyclopedia, tarragon is most often called tarragon, and vice versa. The name of the herb tarragon in everyday life is not a single one. The plant is also known under the name Tarragon Wormwood, Wormwood dracunculus, Tarragon, Dragon Grass, Dragon Tongue, Lemonade Grass.

Now you know that tarragon has another name for the herb, but you may not guess about its types. ...

Surely you think that tarragon has no varieties at all, but they do exist, and the most popular are two:

• French tarragon. Used mainly in French cuisines, it has a subtle spicy flavor with a hint of spice. The most interesting thing is that it does not give a seed and reproduces only by dividing the bush.
• Russian tarragon. The plant has a strong stem, the aroma is also spicy, but weak, it produces seeds.

French tarragon herb, whose properties are slightly different, as well as appearance, is most often used in cooking. Russian tarragon is more hardy to weather conditions, therefore it happily endures drought. But in the old form, the French cousin is practically not used anymore, as it loses its aroma. Young leaves are used as food and as a medicinal component.

Plant tops with leaves

And a too hard stem, unlike the French one, is almost not chewed, and it is difficult to cut it. Therefore, the stems are practically not used in cooking. The Russians have found a particular use for the stems of a very young plant - they use them as a substitute for asparagus in cooking.

Benefits and composition of the product

Tarragon herb useful properties

Using tarragon in food, you can provide the body with all the useful vitamins. It treats many ailments and is also used as a dietary supplement. Today, tarragon is becoming a part of any diet, it helps to cope with stress, but contraindications must also be observed, possible harm, which we will talk about a little later.

What herb is tarragon made from?

Dry grass is ground into powder to be used in cooking, as a spice, added to fresh food, added to tea and drinks. The most popular drink made from tarragon herb extract is most appreciated by both children and adults. That's what it's called - Tarragon.

Drink "Tarragon"

Compound. Tarragon application

Tarragon absolutely does not contain cholesterol, but it contains many useful elements. The composition of the ground part of the grass (in 100 grams):

• carbohydrates - 50.22 g,
• protein - 22.77 g,
• fats - 7.24 g,
• dietary fiber - 7.4 g,
• folates 274 mcg,
• niacin 8.95 mg,
• pyridoxine 2.41 mg,
• riboflavin 1.34 mg,
• thiamine - 0.25 g,
• Vitamin A - 42 mg,
• Vitamin C - 50 mg.

Also, the ground part of the plant contains other trace elements that are useful for the body:

• sodium - 62 mg,
• potassium - 30.2 mg,
• calcium -1139 mg,
• copper - 0.677 mg,
• magnesium 347 mg,
• manganese - about 8 mg,
• Zinc -3.90 mg.

Tarragon grass contains essential oils, alkaloids, carotene, flavonoids, ascorbic acid and coumarins. Thanks to the latter, tarragon properties can have antispasmodic, photosensitizing, antitumor properties.

Tarragon. Useful properties and application.

Antioxidant Properties

Due to the properties of flavonoids, together with ascorbic acid, to disinfect and kill harmful microorganisms, eating plants help to cope with various colds and reduced immunity.

The antioxidant properties of the product are not limited to this, because it easily copes with free radicals (metabolic by-products). By scavenging free radicals, tarragon makes room for beneficial bacteria, cleansing the body and skin.

appetite stimulant

If you have a poor appetite due to illness or age, after surgery, fresh tarragon can help you. It contains the most important components that help secrete gastric juice and establish a good appetite. If it is not possible to consume it fresh, the seasoning added to the main dishes is also increases appetite , only to a lesser extent.

Toothache remedy

Throughout history, tarragon has been widely used to relieve toothache. There is data that the ancient Greeks studied the medicinal properties of tarragon and chewed the herb when their teeth hurt . Eugenol contained in the plant will help to cope with pain, drown it in a timely manner.

Also, soreness of the gums disappears if you use tarragon. The same analgesic compound is found in clove oil.

For digestion

Tarragon-tarragon is a real digestive tonic! As a cosmetic tonic helps cleanse the pores of the skin, so does the herb tarragon improves digestion by cleansing the gastrointestinal tract, and helps the production of bile in the liver.

If you have digestive problems - indigestion, flatulence, irritable bowel syndrome, or helminths, tarragon can save you from all these problems. It is also useful for frequent manifestations of hiccups.

Remedy for insomnia

In this case, it is not necessary to brew a decoction of the herb to drink it, the aroma of the plant is enough. In a glass of boiling water, you need to infuse a teaspoon of dried leaves, then strain the infusion and apply a moistened handkerchief to your forehead. efficient for sleep and anxiety is also tea with tarragon.

Good for the heart and blood vessels

According to laboratory studies, it has been found that oral preparations with tarragon extract, or simply as a dietary supplement, will help get rid of heart disease. It also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack.

This is because certain substances that make up the composition inhibit the formation of platelets, preventing their adhesion to the walls of blood vessels. Thus increases the elasticity of the vessels of the heart and brain.

Also, due to the properties to thin the blood and prevent the appearance of blood clots, tarragon is actively used by patients with varicose veins.

Herb tarragon benefits for women

Initially, the medicinal properties of tarragon for women were aimed at cure for scanty or painful menstruation. Using tarragon, every woman can improve her reproductive health, as the plant has a beneficial effect on the functions of the endocrine glands.

You should only take into account what contraindications tarragon grass has for women. After all, it is not recommended for pregnant women to eat it in large quantities, so as not to cause bleeding and miscarriage. But any greens are more useful than harmful, unless, of course, you eat tarragon in bunches, but add it to dishes to taste.

It is also a plant for beauty and youth, which acts not only from the inside. With a decoction of tarragon, you can wipe the skin and raise its tone, remove fine wrinkles.

Useful properties for the eyes

Since the product contains potassium and beta-carotene, tarragon has a positive effect on vision, increasing its concentration.

Tarragon grass. Application in cooking

Tarragon is one of the main spices used in French cooking. Seasoning is most suitable for dishes from eggs, chicken, fish.

Bearn sauce

Also, the herb is part of the famous Bearn sauce, because it wonderfully flavors and adds piquancy to wine vinegar.

This flavor and aroma component is used to make Tarragon, which is so loved not only in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, but also in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan. It's a herb extract drink. , painted green. Surely it is one of your favorite carbonated soft drinks.

suluguni, mchadi and tarragon

In Georgia they make pies stuffed with rice and tarragon, they serve fresh tarragon with cheese (suluguni), they are very combined with each other.

In Hungary chicken soup flavored with tarragon is very popular, and in Slovenia- a sweet roll called "potitsa", which is stuffed with nuts and complemented with spices.

The use of tarragon herb in cooking requires perfection. Since it is always added to the dish at the last stage of cooking.

When fresh, it is added to salads around the world, and when dried, it is most often used in marinades for fish, lamb, and sauces.

Tarragon blanks

Tarragon preparation

To dry the leaves and stems, you need to collect them at the beginning of the flowering of the plant. To do this, cut off the tops (they are the most useful) and spread on the surface. You need to dry it in a draft, in a dark place. Can be tied in a bundle and hung. Store dried tarragon for about 6 months in a closed glass jar.

How to store fresh tarragon

When fresh, the Russian type of tarragon is usually used, but in order to keep it for some time, it is stored in an airtight package or bag in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. In this form, the herb can be stored for only a few days and must be used immediately.

Herb tarragon. Benefit and harm

Useful properties and use of tarragon are appreciated, and now about the contraindications of the product. Both fresh and dry, tarragon can also harm the body:

• It is forbidden to use with stomach ulcers and gastritis;
• It is not recommended to use in large quantities for pregnant women, as it can tone the uterus and, as a result, provoke a miscarriage. It is enough to eat one medium bunch a day to maintain health;
• An overdose (overeating) of the product will be manifested by nausea, rashes, vomiting and dizziness.

You can overeat tarragon if you consume it in large quantities every day. There are no exact criteria for the consumption of this greenery. Greens are not contraindicated for a healthy person and you can eat about one medium bunch of this herb, and always remain in a cheerful mood.

Seasoning is also allowed for children, and a nursing mother can afford it after 3 months of breastfeeding.

Before adding tarragon to food or as a drug, you should be examined by a doctor. In general, tarragon has beneficial properties and contraindications, the former exceeding the harm, which classifies it as a natural healer and an excellent aromatic seasoning.

Tarragon is a spicy herb, also known as tarragon. In our country, this plant is known, first of all, as the main component of the once popular soft drink. Tarragon belongs to the wormwood species, hence its scientific name is "tarragon wormwood".

Tarragon can be grown in the garden and in the garden

Other plant names are:

• Artemisia dracunculus (lat.)
• Dragon, Bertram (German)
• tarragon, dragon on sagewort
• estragon, dragan, herbe dragonne (fr.)

Tarragon is widely used in cooking

Drink tarragon helps to quench thirst in the summer heat

Appearance

Outwardly, tarragon is a bit like the wormwood we are used to: it has a straight, long stem and characteristic oblong, narrow leaves without cuttings.

Tarragon leaves are rich in essential oils

The height of the plant can reach one and a half meters. In late summer - early autumn, tarragon blooms. Its flowers are small, pale yellow, collected in small panicles.

Outwardly, tarragon resembles wormwood

At the end of summer, yellow flowers bloom on tarragon bushes.

Kinds

There are the following types of tarragon:

• Russian- the flowers of this species are pale green, and the stem and leaves are more massive. It has a strong, rich aroma. It is mainly eaten fresh.
• French- a plant with a thin stem and small leaves. It has a light, spicy aroma, and therefore is valued by culinary specialists more than other types.
• Ordinary- This is a large plant with irregularly shaped leaves. It is distinguished by a rather weak smell and a bitter taste.

French tarragon is widely used in cooking

Common tarragon has an unpleasant odor that repels insects.

Russian tarragon has a rich aroma

Where does it grow?

Tarragon is widely distributed in Europe, Asia and North America. This herb grows in large quantities in the following countries:

• Mongolia;
• China;
• Pakistan;
• India;
• Mexico;
• Canada;
• Russia.

Tarragon can be found in the fields of Europe, Asia and America

Preparation method

Tarragon begins to be harvested for the winter in August or September, after the first buds appear. The grass is cut at a distance of 10-12 cm from the ground. Cut grass can be tied into bundles, hung on hooks or ropes, and left to dry in a dry, well-ventilated area.

True, many culinary specialists claim that dried grass quickly loses its taste and aroma, so they prefer to make vinegar based on it.

Fresh tarragon is added to drinks, second courses and even pastries.

In order to prepare this unusual seasoning, you need:

• Arrange the collected grass in bottles (one stalk per container),
• Fill it with vinegar
• Put in a dark place.
• After two weeks, the vinegar should be filtered and poured into a clean container.

In retail chains, you will find it on the counters with seasonings and spices.

You can grow tarragon in pots and use it all year round.

Characteristics

• sharp-spicy taste;
• spicy, tart aroma;
• dark green color.

Tarragon has a tart and spicy aroma and a rich green color.

Nutritional value and calories

Nutritional value and calorie content of 100 grams of dry product

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of 100 grams of dry product

Beneficial features

• strengthens the immune system;
• is a source of vitamin C and antioxidants;
• normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
• improves metabolism;
• enhances potency;
• normalizes the menstrual cycle;
• relieves stress and calms the nervous system;
• has anthelmintic action;
• relieves inflammation.

A decoction of tarragon normalizes the digestive tract and relieves nervous tension.

Contraindications

• the use of excessively large doses may be accompanied by symptoms of acute poisoning: nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness and convulsions;
• tarragon is strictly forbidden to use by pregnant women, as it can provoke a miscarriage;
• people with peptic ulcer and gastritis are strongly advised to refrain from using it.

Tarragon in large doses can negatively affect the general condition of the body.

Oil

The essential oil obtained from tarragon retains its unique aroma, as well as all the beneficial properties of this plant. The oil is not recommended to be used in its pure form, it is better to dilute it with water or add it to other medicinal products.

Tarragon oil can be taken orally, inhaled, applied to the skin to massage or relieve inflammation. It helps fight muscle and joint pain, certain allergies, constipation, and a slow metabolism.

Essential oil is used for medicinal purposes, in cosmetology and aromatherapy.

Juice

Tarragon juice is less popular than spice or essential oil, primarily because it cannot be stored for long. Since ancient times, the fresh juice of this plant has been added to strengthening and tonic drinks. Nowadays, it is used in the production of non-alcoholic carbonated drink "Tarhun".

The juice of this medicinal herb can also be used for medicinal purposes, for example, to relieve inflammation of the gums, as well as a laxative and antipyretic.

Homemade tonic drink with tarragon juice will save you from the sweltering heat

Application

In cooking

• it is customary to add fresh leaves and stems to jars when preserving vegetables, fruits, mushrooms and berries;
• with the help of this spicy herb, you can cook savory sauces for meat and fish dishes and salad dressings;
• freshly picked tarragon can be added to vegetable salads;
• dried tarragon is used as a seasoning for meat, poultry, fish and various soups;
• dried and crushed tarragon can be added to baked goods to give it a spicy flavor;
• tarragon is often used to make homemade alcoholic beverages.

Chicken with tarragon - a classic of French cuisine

Pasta with salmon and tarragon will fill the kitchen with Mediterranean flavors

Tarragon-infused olive oil and vinegar - a fragrant salad dressing

Salt with tarragon will give dishes a new taste and aroma.

Recipes

• Pour 0.5 kg of gherkins 2 tbsp. salt and mix.
• Put the vegetables on a towel and hang over a deep container or sink for a couple of hours.
• Put a branch of tarragon in a sterilized 3-liter jar, put the gherkins in the next layer, then half a glass of cocktail onions and a clove of garlic, cut into 4 parts. Then add a little more tarragon, a few black peppercorns, a bay leaf and 3 cloves.
• Boil 3 cups of vinegar and pour it into a jar, leaving 1 cm to the lid. Roll up the jar and leave in a cool place for 3 weeks.

Homemade lemonade "Tarragon"

• Rinse 200 g of fresh tarragon and tear into large pieces.
• Pour half a glass of chilled boiled water, add fresh juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime.
• Fall asleep 1 tbsp. sugar and mash with a rolling pin, pestle or mojito muddler (you can beat all the ingredients in a blender).
• Strain the juice and add 4 parts of water to it.
• Add sugar if necessary. Before serving, pour ice into glasses, add 1 tsp. honey and garnish with mint leaves.

Homemade lemonade with tarragon - the lightest and low-calorie drink

In medicine

Tarragon can be used as an aid to combat the following types of ailments:

• acute respiratory diseases;
• pneumonia;
• tuberculosis;
• bronchitis;
• insomnia;
• violation of the menstrual cycle;
• loss of appetite;
• toothache;
• headache;
• indigestion;
• vascular diseases;
• depression;
• overwork;
• impotence.

For medicinal purposes, tarragon essential oil, fresh plant juice, and various decoctions based on dried herbs are used.

When losing weight

Nutritionists often recommend using tarragon instead of salt for people suffering from various diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. In addition to adding spicy, spicy notes to food, tarragon is able to remove excess fluid from the body.

cultivation

Before planting, the soil should be fertilized, loosened and well moistened. Sprouts or seeds are laid in holes at a distance of not less than 0.5 m from each other. The seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil, and the seedlings are deepened by about 8 cm.

Tarragon should be watered about 2 times a week. Every 3 months it is necessary to feed the plant with a fertilizer containing superphosphate, potassium sulfate and urea. When the grass reaches 20 cm in height, you can begin to cut it and harvest it for the winter.

Before cold weather, the stem is cut off, leaving 5-6 cm above the ground. You can dig a plant out of the ground, plant it in a pot and grow it at home as a houseplant.

Tarragon can be grown in garden pots, and taken indoors for the winter

seeds

On a personal plot, tarragon can be grown directly from seeds. Seeds can be sown in the fall "under the snow" or in the spring. Seedlings are planted after the snow melts and the ground begins to thaw.

In the Non-Black Earth Region, tarragon does not sprout from seeds, so seedlings must first be grown. To do this, the seeds are planted in containers at a distance of 5 centimeters from each other. Seedlings will be ready for planting in the ground in two months.

In the markets and shops you can find seeds of various varieties.

• The Latin name for tarragon is Artemisia dracunculus. According to legend, the first word is associated with the name of the Greek goddess Artemis, and the second - with the dragon. In Russia, this plant is called "dragon-grass", and in Poland "wormwood-dragon". Associations with a mythical creature arise due to the shape of the leaf, reminiscent of a forked dragon tongue.
• In ancient times, people chewed fresh tarragon leaves to freshen their breath and relieve toothaches.
• Top perfumers use tarragon to create fragrances.
• Grilled meat lovers can use an tarragon brush to glaze the meat.

Tarragon will help freshen your breath.

Eau de toilette with hints of tarragon

A tarragon grill brush will give meat or fish an unusual flavor

Watch the video of the TV show "Life is great!" - you will learn a lot of interesting things about the benefits and uses of tarragon.

In the article we discuss tarragon - the use of spices in cooking. What does the plant look like, what is the taste and smell of the spice. You will learn how to use tarragon for salads, first and second courses, as well as for preservation and drinks.

Tarragon is a perennial spicy plant with green leaves. Only the upper part is useful. The people know other names of tarragon - tarragon, dragoon-grass and stragon. Tarragon belongs to the genus Wormwood, but does not contain bitterness at all, although it looks like it. The plant grows on mountain slopes and fields. Flowering occurs from August to September.

Appearance

The stem is straight, the leaves are green, oblong without cuttings. In height, the spice grows up to one and a half meters. The flowers are small, yellowish in color, are inflorescences resembling baskets. Only a few green shoots are allowed to be cut from each bush so that the plant does not die.

Taste and smell

Tarragon has a specific smell and taste

The taste and smell of tarragon is ambiguous. In the spice, you can feel notes of anise and mint. The taste is refreshing, invigorating. The aroma of tarragon is not to be confused with other spices. Tarragon in cooking adds zest to the dish and improves appetite.

What dishes add tarragon

Add fresh or dried tarragon to a variety of dishes. The use of tarragon herb is relevant for Asian, European and Russian cuisine. The spice is well suited for lamb, fresh salads and cocktails. Add tarragon to seafood dishes and watch the fishy smell disappear.

Salads

Tarragon goes well with fresh vegetables.. Add only whole leaves to your salad. To prepare salad dressing, add fresh tarragon greens to mayonnaise. This will give the salad freshness and a bright taste.

First meal

Use tarragon seasoning for soups. Spicy spice goes well with meat, vegetable and fish soups. The winter season for tarragon is off-season, so use ground dried grass. In the summer, add fresh leaves to soups 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

Main dishes

Tarragon is well suited for cooking lamb. Combine spicy spice with any Mediterranean or Provence herbs. For cooking meat, use ground and dried tarragon, mixed with other spices. Rub the meat with the mixture and bake.

Sauces

Tarragon sauce is fragrant and tender. Making sauces is not difficult, try it and you will love the bright taste. To prepare the sauce, use fresh or dried tarragon at a dosage of 1 tbsp. on a dish.

Conservation

For preservation, use fresh tarragon. When laying cucumbers, tomatoes or horseradish in jars, add 2-3 fragrant tarragon sprigs along with vegetables. The spice will not change the taste of vegetables, but, on the contrary, will add piquancy. Pairs well with garlic and black pepper.

Beverages

The most popular use of tarragon herb in cooking is in the preparation of drinks. An emerald-colored drink quenches thirst in the heat. In drinks, tarragon is combined with lemon and orange. The taste of tarragon will appeal to adults and children. To make tarragon-based drinks, add it to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients, blend, and then add water.

What spices goes with

Tarragon is added to the first and second courses, salads, sauces and drinks. It goes well with other spices.

Tarragon is combined with the following spices:

• rosemary;
• thyme;
• oregano;
• marjoram;
• lavender.

How to prepare and store tarragon

The edible part of tarragon is stems, leaves and inflorescences. Produce the blank in the budding phase. In the first year of growing tarragon, cut it in August or October. In the second year of cultivation, pruning is carried out between April and October. Cut parts of the plant no more than 5 times per season. Harvest in dry weather in the morning or evening.

Until processing, store the herb in a dark place. In the refrigerator, fresh tarragon is stored for 15-20 days. When frozen, tarragon retains its beneficial properties and appearance for 1-2 months.

dried tarragon

After collecting, dry the grass under a canopy, after collecting it in bunches. Hang the grass evenly on the twine, tops down. You can dry the spice in the oven. To do this, rinse the tarragon, divide into leaves and put on a baking sheet. Dry in a low heat oven, stirring the leaves occasionally. Store dry herbs in tight containers.

frozen tarragon

Wash and dry the herb on a towel. Lay portions of tarragon on cling film. Wrap the spice in cling film and place in the freezer. Plastic bags can be used instead of film.

For more information about tarragon, see the video:

What to remember

1. Tarragon grass is a fragrant spice that is used in cooking for cooking first and second courses, salads, preserves and drinks.
2. In cooking, fresh or dried tarragon is used.
3. Properly store the harvested crop in the refrigerator, cupboard or freezer.

We rarely think about how many inconspicuous plants and herbs are around that bring great benefits. Many of them are used not only in folk recipes, but also in industrial production in the form of dry raw materials, additives, extracts, oils. In this article we will talk about the tarragon plant, familiar to many, we will find out how it is useful and where it is used.

Description

Tarragon wormwood is a well-known plant of the Aster family, it grows almost everywhere, preferring dry soil or pebbly slope surfaces.

It is a green plant up to half a meter high, with long, thin green leaves, dissected at the end, the foliage is located along the entire length of the grass stem. The flowers of the plant are small, yellow. Flowering and fruiting occurs at the end of summer - the beginning of autumn.

Did you know? It turns out that tarragon, also known as dragoon-grass, is also called the "little dragon." Most likely, this is due to the appearance of the leaves of the plant, which bifurcate at the end, like the tongue of snakes.

Tarragon leaves have a specific aroma due to the high content of essential oils in the stem and foliage.

Compound

As you know, tarragon grass was previously used as a medicine, and this is not surprising, because it has the richest composition. First of all, tarragon is distinguished by a high content of carotene, and tannins.

Tarragon is characterized by a high content of ocimenes and phellandrenes, specific compounds that impart a strong distinctive aroma to the oil and extract that is obtained from the plant.

Medicinal properties

The rich composition of tarragon tarragon allows it to be used in the treatment and prevention of various diseases, because even the notorious Tarragon drink was originally a drug.

• Tarragon is a powerful antioxidant due to the high content of ascorbic acid and has a stimulating effect on the immune system.
• It is successfully used to stabilize the nervous system, has antidepressant properties.
• It is an antispasmodic, which allows its derivatives to be used for headache, toothache, painful menstruation.
• Reduces appetite, which is very valuable for those who are on a diet.
• Contributes to the normalization of intestinal motility, successfully fights increased gas formation.
• According to some reports, the substances contained in tarragon grass have an anthelmintic effect.

Important! Children suffering from hyperactivity and increased excitability should not use tarragon and its derivatives, as they have a powerful tonic effect on the body.

Application

Tarragon is a unique plant that is used in various areas of human life, let us consider in more detail in what form and how this happens.

In cooking

Perhaps the most famous way to use this herb is culinary. We all at least once saw how our grandmothers threw a sprig of tarragon into a jar of cucumbers so that the “cucumber crunched”.

• Dried, finely chopped tarragon leaves are widely used in cooking meat along with basil and rosemary, giving the dish a piquant taste and an unusual, pungent aroma.
• Fresh leaves can be used in salads, dressings, sauces that do not undergo heat treatment, because with it, fresh grass releases substances that give bitterness to the dish.
• If you throw a sprig of tarragon grass into a bottle of vegetable oil, after a while the oil will be saturated with its aroma and will perfectly complement various salad dressings.
• Some craftsmen add tarragon wormwood greens to bottles of alcohol, it is believed that essential oils add piquancy to drinks.
• The well-known non-alcoholic soda "Tarhun" was originally nothing more than a herbal tincture diluted with water.

In medicine

In medical practice, the plant is used in the form of tinctures, extracts, oils, dry product.

• Decoctions based on tarragon herb in folk medicine are taken orally to relieve various spasms, headaches, and toothaches. Healers claim that the phytohormones contained in the decoction are able to restore male potency and increase fertility in women, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and thin the blood.
• A solution of tarragon tincture is used in the application of compresses to the joints for the treatment of arthritis. With varicose veins, the tincture is rubbed into the affected areas.
• On the basis of the herb, ointments are made that allow you to fight skin diseases, in particular, eczema and dermatitis.
• Steamed with boiling water, tarragon helps well with neurosis, has a mucolytic effect.
• An ointment based on butter and tarragon is used to relieve toothache and in the treatment of stomatitis. It is believed that with severe toothache, it is enough to chew a couple of leaves of the plant to ease the pain.



Important! It must be remembered that an overdose of products made using tarragon tarragon is dangerous by aggravating the condition.

In cosmetology

There are many plants used in the cosmetic industry, and tarragon herb is no exception. The most common form of cosmetic use for tarragon is as a lotion.

It is prepared not only in industrial, but also at home. To do this, insist 1 teaspoon of dry grass in 1 cup of boiling water. You can wipe your face with a ready-made strained lotion, it will have a healing, anti-inflammatory and soothing effect.

Adding cucumber juice to the lotion will not only have a rejuvenating effect, but also slightly brighten the skin, hiding minor defects. The essential oil of the plant has very powerful nourishing and rejuvenating properties, it is useful to add a few drops of it to your daily face cream.




Harm and contraindications

Like any plant, this culture has contraindications for use.

• It is not recommended to use tarragon with increased acidity of gastric juice, as well as with acute gastritis of various origins.
• It is strictly forbidden to use tarragon for pregnant women, since it has a high abortive effect.
• Caution should be taken with herbal medicines for people with allergies.
• Do not forget that the plant is a wormwood, which means that it contains a poisonous psychoactive substance, therefore, the recommended doses of use should not be exceeded.

Procurement and storage

Perhaps the most important mission is the preparation of tarragon at home. For long-term storage, dry raw materials are best suited. You can dry absolutely everything in the plant, from the roots to the flowers.
For home harvesting, it is better to collect grass in ecologically clean areas, remote from roads and hazardous industries. The plant must be harvested at the peak of its development, that is, at the time of foliage blooming, the formation of flowers, or when it bears fruit, since it is during these periods that tarragon contains the maximum amount of useful substances.

It is important to know that the branches and flowers of the plant cannot be washed before drying, and the roots, on the contrary, are thoroughly washed and cut into pieces. It is necessary to dry the green part of the plant in a dark, dry place with good air circulation, and it is better to dry the fruits and the root part in the sun.

The finished raw materials are stored in linen bags or paper to ensure ventilation of the product. There is another method of harvesting tarragon, it is especially good for culinary purposes: the foliage of the plant is dried, ground to a fine fraction and sprinkled with fine salt, similar to dill.
Such a mixture can be stored in a tightly closed jar and used in cooking as a seasoning. Thus, having considered the features of tarragon wormwood, we learned about its extensive beneficial properties and methods of application.

Did you know? The original legendary drink "Tarragon", in fact, has a natural yellow tint. It became green after 1981, when they began to produce it on an industrial scale and add food coloring.

There is no doubt that the proper use of this herb will not only help in the fight against various ailments, but also add flavor and aroma to your dishes.