Parsley - More than a Garnish
Once relegated to the buffet table as mere decor or wide-rimmed plates of monochromatic food for a touch of colour, parsley can be the star of the show. If given a chance, the herb’s subtle grassy, peppery and bitter flavour can hold its own as the base for a sauce or vinaigrette, enhanced by a solid supporting cast — added sweeteners, acids, good fats, garlic and herbs. The stunning emerald green colour grabs your attention, and the flavour may surprise you.
While attending culinary school in Vancouver, I ate at several West Coast restaurants serving dishes featuring parsley in a leading role — a sweet, sour, spicy and herbaceous marinade for shrimp and pasta, a bright parsley vinaigrette for a simple salad and parsley sauce made with a head of roasted garlic to complement seared wild salmon. I make these dishes often, using the following recipes, especially when the parsley has outgrown my herb garden.
Seared wild salmon with new potatoes, broccolini and parsley sauce - Serves 6
The first time I ate at SoBo in Tofino, it was a food truck in a parking lot that was hard to notice through the fog. While I ate a smoky white chili and polenta fries that day, I would have been just as happy to eat anything served with this parsley sauce. “This is a wonderfully basic and tremendously tasty dish, Lisa Ahier writes in her latest cookbook, Together at SoBo. “Parsley is full of nutritional value and is completely underused in most kitchens (but not in SoBo’s).”
Parsley sauce
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 shallot, quartered
1 head roasted garlic
½ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Potatoes and broccolini
1 lb (454 g) new potatoes
1 bunch broccolini, cut in bite-sized pieces
Seared wild salmon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Four 8 ounce fillets wild Chinook salmon
2 teaspoons salt
1 lemon, halved
2 tablespoons butter
Chive flower blossoms, for garnish (optional)
Prepare the parsley sauce: In a blender, blend all the ingredients until very smooth. Set aside until ready to serve.
Prepare the potatoes and broccolini: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes, cover and turn the heat to medium low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until cooked through. Drain and let cool to room temperature. Slice into medallions. In a separate medium saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Drop the broccolini into the water and cook for 2 minutes. Broccolini is quite nice nearly raw, so it doesn’t need much cooking time. Remove from the water and set aside.
Cook the salmon: Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with the salt. Place the salmon in the pan, one piece at a time so that the pan stays hot enough for a good sear. Do not overcrowd the pan. After 2 to 3 minutes, the salmon will start to release from the pan (see note). If it’s still sticking, give it another minute or so.
Carefully flip the salmon pieces over. Squeeze the lemon on top, add the butter to the pan and transfer to the oven. Bake the salmon for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish and desired doneness (see note).
To serve: While the fish is baking, reheat the vegetables in the oven alongside. (Don’t reheat the parsley sauce: it’s meant to be served room temperature and will turn brown if heated.) Divide everything among four plates, garnish with the chive flowers, if desired, and enjoy.
Notes: A good sign that fish or seafood is ready to turn is that it has released from the pan. If you struggle to flip it over, the fish tears apart. I usually tell my cooks that the fish will tell you when it’s time.
Some salmon testing tips: I insert a metal skewer or thin knife into the cooked salmon for a couple of seconds, then withdraw it and feel the blade. If it’s cold, the salmon needs to cook a few more minutes; if it’s hot, the salmon is ready. I also lightly press down on the sides — like temperature-testing steaks. Rare is super soft, and the flesh firms more as it cooks. Careful: if it’s totally firm, you’ve likely overcooked it.
Cajun rock shrimp pasta - Serves 6
In Seattle, the now-closed Icon Grill was an eclectic space with a large pink- and red-hued dining room, artwork covering every inch of the walls and blown glass orbs suspended from the ceiling. The menu was described as aroused Americana — molasses-glazed meatloaf, wedge salad with ranch dressing, fried chicken and rich mac 'n' cheese. Executive chef Nick Musser shared this recipe for my favourite dish, the cajun rock shrimp pasta. The dish is still served at Icon's sister restaurant , Zephyr Grill, in Brentwood and Livermore, California.
1 lb. shrimp, such as Matane shrimp from Quebec, cleaned and rinsed
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 tablespoon rosemary
½ bunch parsley, chopped roughly
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
¼ lb. butter, cut into cubes
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon thyme
1 cups olive oil
3 tablespoons basil, chopped
Purée the garlic, honey, soy sauce and lemon juice in a food processor. Add the cayenne pepper, chili flakes, salt, rosemary and thyme. Process on high for approximately one minute, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches a "gravy-like" consistency.
Add the shrimp to a bowl and cover with 1 cup of the sauce and let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for several hours. Set the remaining sauce aside to add before serving or pour into a clean jar and freeze for another time.
Add the marinated shrimp to a large pan over high heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp are mostly cooked. Add the tomatoes and basil. Cook for another minute. Turn the heat off then add the butter (and any remaining sauce if you like) and stir until the butter is incorporated. Serve over pasta or rice.
Parsley vinaigrette
Before my wife and I would go to a movie at Fifth Avenue Cinemas in Vancouver, we'd try to have dinner at Incendio Pizza. If we managed to get a table at the busy restaurant, we would order a salad to go with our pies. It was made of only a handful of ingredients — chopped romaine, chunks of cucumber, Roma tomato and plenty of parsley vinaigrette. This salad is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
1 to 2 cups oil, such as avocado or light olive oil
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup parsley leaves, firmly packed
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 head of romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped
1 cucumber, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
Add the vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse a few times to start breaking down the parsley. Slowly drizzle in the oil until combined. Add more oil, as needed.
Combine the lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with the parsley vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, toss and serve.
