Tarragon

Anyone I know who has tasted fresh tarragon for the first time is instantly converted by its clean licoricelike flavor. Tarragon is a natural with chicken and seafood, especially shellfish.

To use tarragon in soups, chop the leaves at the last minute with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent them from turning black. Add them to the soup about 2 minutes before serving so their flavor has time to infuse. You can also include sprigs of fresh tarragon in a bouquet garni, but this uses up a lot of tarragon, so if you’re buying tarragon by the sprig—it can be expensive—chopping it and adding it at the end is more efficient. I never bother with dried tarragon.