Herb
Anthriscus cerefolium
S tier
Anthriscus cerefolium is true garden chervil—a delicate annual with ferny leaves tasting of mild anise and parsley. Heat destroys its perfume in minutes, so French cookery treats it as a finisher in omelettes, butter sauces, and fines herbes mixes. Species identity separates culinary chervil from wild lookalikes that can be toxic. Grow in cool seasons; summer heat bolts plants fast. Use lavish handfuls raw—the flavour is gentle compared with tarragon.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Butter SauceFines HerbesOmelette FinishRaw GarnishSpring Soup
Traits
Anise-ParsleyDelicateFines HerbesFreshGreenHeat SensitiveMild AniseTrue Species
History
FR
Medieval European gardens cultivated Anthriscus cerefolium for kitchen use.
FR
French classical cookery made chervil a fines herbes pillar.
Botany fixed Anthriscus cerefolium as garden chervil.
Chefs rediscovered fresh chervil as a spring delicate herb.