Tarragon: how to use the leaf, the infusion and the oil

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Tarragon is the anise-scented herb behind béarnaise sauce, but the kitchen is only half its story. Its long, narrow leaves make a pale, sweetly bitter infusion, they season food well enough to stand in for salt, and herbalists have used them after meals for centuries. Here is what tarragon is, what tradition credits it with, and how to prepare it tonight.

A herb with a long back-story

• In older European and Mediterranean herbal practice, tarragon was chewed for toothache and for hiccups, and applied to bites.
• Greek and Roman writers list it among the plants used in the protective remedies of the day, at a time when epidemics were met with aromatic herbs.
• It reached Western Europe in the Middle Ages, and only became a kitchen herb from the XVI^th century onwards.
• Marie-Antoinette is said to have taken a few tarragon leaves steeped in hot water with lemon juice each morning.
• Arab herbalists gave it a reputation as an aphrodisiac and used it in love potions.

What it is credited with

• Appetite and digestion — tarragon is traditionally taken before or after a meal to wake up the appetite and settle heavy digestion.
• Bloating and wind — herbalists class it among the carminative kitchen herbs, used for a full, gassy stomach and sluggish transit.
• Cramping and spasms — naturopathy credits it with antispasmodic properties, and it has a long reputation for easing muscle cramp and period discomfort.
• Tension and restless evenings — an evening infusion, or the diluted oil rubbed over the solar plexus, is a traditional calming ritual for feelings of tension and oppression.
• Sore throat and mouth — chewing a leaf is an old country habit for a scratchy throat, aching tooth or bad breath.
• Hiccups — folk practice says chew a sprig slowly.
• Travel queasiness — the scent of the essential oil on a tissue, inhaled before setting out, is a traditional trick for car and boat journeys.
• Skin comfort — used externally and well diluted, tarragon essential oil is traditionally credited with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy properties, and herbalists have a reputation-based use of it for itchy, reactive patches of skin.
• Seasonal pollen sensitivity — as the sun comes round, so does pollen; aromatherapy tradition credits tarragon essential oil with moderating the body’s histamine response, histamine being the molecule behind sneezing and itching. This is a practitioner’s business, not a self-service one.
• Antioxidants — like most aromatic leaves, tarragon supplies antioxidant compounds that tradition associates with slowing the wear of time on the body.

How to use it

The everyday infusion

• Put a small handful of fresh leaves — or a heaped teaspoon of dried — in a cup of water just off the boil.
• Cover and steep 10 to 15 minutes. Covering matters: the aromatic oils leave with the steam.
• Strain. The liquid is pale gold and tastes sweetly of anise; a squeeze of lemon lifts it.
• One to three cups across the day, typically after meals. Take it as a short course of a week or two rather than year-round.

Fresh leaves, straight up

• Chew two or three leaves slowly after eating, for breath and for the digestive habit. It does not replace brushing your teeth.
• Snip leaves into the dish at the very end of cooking — heat flattens the flavour fast.

Flavoured oil and vinegar

• Drop a clean, dry sprig into a bottle of olive oil or white wine vinegar.
• Leave it in a cool, dark cupboard for two to three weeks, then use as normal.
• Keep the sprig fully submerged, and use flavoured oil within a couple of months.

Essential oil, external only

• Always dilute in a plant-based carrier oil (sweet almond, sunflower, apricot kernel) before it touches skin — never neat.
• Massage the diluted blend in slow circles over the solar plexus, the lower back or a cramping muscle.
• For a bath, disperse the oil in a spoonful of milk or a neutral bath base first, or it will simply float.
• To inhale, a tissue is all you need: a trace of oil, held under the nose for a few breaths.
• Internal use of essential oils is not a home practice. Leave that to a qualified aromatherapist or healthcare professional.

Cooking with tarragon

• It is the backbone of béarnaise, and belongs in omelettes, chicken, white fish, ratatouille, soups and mixed salads.
• Fresh, chopped, powdered or on the branch — all work, but go easy. Tarragon overpowers a dish faster than almost any other herb.
• Because it carries so much flavour of its own, it is a useful way to cut back on the salt cellar.
• Tarragon yogurt dip: Greek yogurt, a trickle of olive oil, finely minced tarragon. Serve with cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, radishes and cucumber.
• Tuna rillettes: a can of tuna, three tablespoons sour cream, one minced shallot, a tablespoon each of mustard and cottage cheese, three tablespoons chopped tarragon, pepper to taste. Spread on toasted wholewheat bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: a covered infusion of a small handful of leaves for 10 to 15 minutes after a meal is the simplest, safest way to get to know tarragon.

What does tarragon tea actually taste like?

Sweet anise and liquorice, with a peppery, slightly bitter finish, in a pale gold liquid. It is gentler than fennel and less medicinal than aniseed. A squeeze of lemon and a few leaves in hot water is the way Marie-Antoinette is said to have taken it.

Can I use tarragon essential oil straight on my skin?

No. Always dilute it in a plant-based carrier oil such as sweet almond or sunflower. Tarragon can provoke a rash on sensitive skin, so test the diluted blend on a small patch inside the forearm and wait a day before going further.

Is it safe to swallow drops of tarragon essential oil?

Not as a home practice. Internal use of essential oils belongs with a qualified aromatherapist or healthcare professional, whatever the carrier — sugar, honey or otherwise. If you are diabetic, the sugar-cube method is out in any case; inhaling from a tissue is the sugar-free alternative.

When is the best time to pick tarragon?

From late spring to early autumn, ideally before the plant flowers, in the morning once the dew has dried. Leaves picked at that point have the most aroma. Use them fresh within a few days, or dry small bunches in a shaded, airy place.

French or Russian tarragon — does it matter?

It matters a great deal. Russian tarragon grows faster and taller but is close to tasteless, while French tarragon carries the anise flavour and the aromatic oils. Rub a leaf between your fingers before buying: if there is no scent, it is the wrong one.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.