Parsley

Parsley is a herb from the Mediterranean region in Europe. It’s one of the most commonly used herbs in the kitchen with the Curly Leaf and Flat Leaf varieties being the most widely available. The Flat Leaf variety is also sometimes called Italian Parsley. Parsley is a biennial plant which is easily grown in pots and can be grown in most climates. No self respecting home cook should be without their own constant supply of fresh homegrown parsley!

It is widely used in dishes throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean, but is also commonly used throughout the world. It can be dried and kept for a long period of time but it’s so easy to grow, even if you live in an apartment or a cold climate, so there’s no excuses.. none! 😛 The image below is of flat leaf parsley or Italian parsley.

Parsley is filled with a whole bunch of things, including Flavonoids, Antioxidants, folic acid, apigenin, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K. It’s fine in regular amounts but pregnant women should avoid parsley in large amounts. So if you eat a kebab a day, take it easy with the tabbouleh! In large doses it has been linked to birth defects and miscarriages.

A lot of Beef Dishes and Lamb Dishes will use parsley.