Add a burst of flavor to foods with parsley

    Parsley is the 2021 Herb of the Year and one of the many plants being sold by the Ozaukee Master Gardeners at its annual sale.
    While parsley is often used as a garnish, the herb is so much more. It brings a grassy flavor to foods, and helps brighten the flavor of any dish. It’s used in everything from soups to sauces to vegetables.
    It’s common in Middle Eastern cuisine, where it’s one of the main ingredients in dishes like tabbouleh, and is the main herb used in stuffed grape leaves.
    Parsley is a natural for salad dressings — just combine it with olive oil and vinegar  to dress lettuce. Add herbs such as oregano, thyme or marjoram for a more complex flavor.
    Add finely chopped parsley to a little garlic sautéed in olive oil and you have a flavorful sauce for cooked plain pasta. Parsley can make a good stand-alone pesto or can be added to pestos made from basil or other herbs.  
    Chimichurri is a similar sauce that benefits from the addition of parsley.
    Parsley has quite a bit of nutritional value. It contains iron and calcium as well as vitamins A, C and folate. A single tablespoon of parsley provides 75 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin K.
    And herbalists recommend chewing parsley to freshen the breath.
    There are two main types of parsley, curly leaf and flat leaf. Curly leaf is most recognizable, since it’s often used as a garnish on restaurant dishes, but both curly and Italian parsley are widely used in cooking.
    Both fresh and dried parsley are used in cooking. Fresh parsley is commonly added at the end of the cooking time to provide a burst of flavor, color and texture.
    But fresh parsley only lasts about two weeks in the refrigerator. To store it, sprinkle the leaves with a small amount of water and keep it in a plastic bag.
    But dried parsley, like many other dried herbs, lasts about a year.
    A common grocery store item, parsley is also easy to grow.  Both curly and Italian parsley are among the offerings at the Ozaukee Master Gardeners sale. Orders will be taken through 5:15 p.m. Saturday, May 15. To view the plants for sale and place an order, visit https://www.ozaukeemastergardeners.org/heirloom-herb-plant-sale.
    Following are recipes featuring parsley from kalynskitchen.com and tasteofhome.com.

tasteofhome.com

Chicken With Citrus Chimichurri Sauce

4 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
For sauce:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley sprigs
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

    In a large bowl, whisk water, salt, honey and zests until salt is dissolved. Add chicken, making sure it’s submerged. Refrigerate as long as two hours.
    Pulse sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for serving.
    Remove chicken from brine, rinse and pat dry. Brush chicken with sauce. Grill, covered, over medium-high heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for four to six minutes per side, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees. Serve with reserved sauce.

Grapefruit-Gremolata Salmon

2 medium grapefruit
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar, divided
4 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

    Finely grate enough peel from grapefruit to measure 2 tablespoons. In a small bowl, mix parsley, garlic and grapefruit peel.
    Cut a thin slice from the top and bottom of each grapefruit, then stand grapefruit upright on a cutting board. With a knife, cut off peel and outer membrane from grapefruit. Cut along the membrane of each segment to remove fruit. Arrange sections in a single layer on one half of a foil-lined 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with one tablespoon brown sugar.
    Place salmon on the other half of pan. Mix cumin seeds, salt, pepper and remaining brown sugar and sprinkle over salmon.
    Broil three to four inches from the heat for eight to 10 minutes, until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork and grapefruit is lightly browned. Sprinkle salmon with parsley mixture and serve with grapefruit.

Pork Meatballs With Chimichurri Sauce

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 pounds ground pork
For sauce:
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup packed Italian flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

    In a large, combine breadcrumbs, milk, onion, cumin, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add pork and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-inch balls.
    Place meatballs on a greased rack in a 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Let stand five minutes.
    Place garlic in a small food processor and pulse until chopped. Add parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped. Add vinegar. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.
    In a large bowl, toss meatballs with half of the chimichurri sauce. Transfer to a platter. Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.

Parsley Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon minced chives
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
Dash pepper

    In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate leftovers.

Chicken Piccata With Lemon Sauce

8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
5 tablespoons lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

    Flatten chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. In a shallow dish, combine egg substitute, two tablespoons wine, two tablespoons lemon juice, garlic and hot pepper sauce.
    In another shallow dish, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt. Coat chicken with flour mixture, dip in egg substitute mixture, then coat again with flour mixture.
    In a large nonstick skillet, brown four chicken breast halves in 1-1/2 teaspoons oil for three to five minutes on each side, until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. Drain drippings.
    Repeat with remaining chicken and oil. Remove and keep warm.
    In the same pan, melt butter. Add remaining wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, until sauce is reduced by a fourth. Drizzle over chicken.

Quick Bacon Potato Salad

4 cups cubed red potatoes
1 cup chopped onion
7 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1-1/3 cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons prepared ranch salad dressing
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

    Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Drain.
    In a large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, bacon and parsley.
    In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over potato mixture; toss to coat. Refrigerate one hour, until chilled.

Lemon-Parsley Baked Cod

3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
4 cod fillets (6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400°. In a shallow bowl, mix lemon juice and butter. In a separate shallow bowl, mix flour and seasonings. Dip fillets in lemon juice mixture, then in flour mixture to coat both sides; shake off excess.
Place in a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice mixture. Bake 12-15 minutes or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork. Mix parsley and lemon zest; sprinkle over fish.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Transfer to a bowl; cool completely.
Add the beans, cucumber, red pepper and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients; drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until chilled.