Tarragon

We've been down this road before: what to do with tarragon?

This plant continues to really flourish and I can't bring myself to uproot it even though I seem to use like 6 pieces a year.  I had to give it a major trim yesterday because it was starting to shade some of my other herbs.  I decided to go ahead and make something out of it - something that would use quite a bit of it and was easy to do.  Tarragon vinegar!

You will note 3 jars... one for me, and one for each of my sisters if they read this post!  Just checking to see if you are following, ladies...

I found multiple recipes online and all were very similar and very simple.  Perfect!  Here is what you will need if you'd like to make this yourself:

• fresh tarragon
• vinegar (I used white vinegar since it is what I had on hand... white wine vinegar would certainly impart a more delicate flavor, and I also saw some recipes using apple cider vinegar)
• a clean jar (or several - I used 3 pint-sized jars as I was dealing with a major heap of tarragon!)

Wash the tarragon and allow to dry slightly - while I doubt it matters for recipe purposes if the leaves are totally dry, it does make it a lot easier to remove them from the stalks if they are not clinging to your fingers while trying to do it! 

Fill each jar or container about 1/2 full with tarragon leaves.  Then muddle (or "smush") the leaves with a wooden spoon or other utensil.  This will release some of the flavorful oils.

Pour vinegar over the leaves until the jar is almost full and the leaves are submerged.

Close up the jars and store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks (I have these on a shelf in our basement pantry).

This makes an excellent addition to any homemade salad dressing!