Curly Leaf Parsley

Parsley can really divide people. It’s a contentious issue: flat or curly?
Supporters of the flat kind berate the texture of curly, which can tickle the roof of your mouth, not to mention its associations with clumsy 1970s garnishes. Chefs often defend it though, saying it has a better (not stronger) flavour. We don’t want to take sides in this ongoing drama, so we grow equal amounts of both, but we will say we know the dried stuff is made from flat leaves and that our curly plants always seem to get themselves muddier! If we were forced into a pros and cons list we’d say go for curly if you’re planning to make a traditional British sauce or something like tabbouleh where it’s ‘bounce’ will only be a benefit, whereas choose flat-leafed if you’re not so keen on finely chopping it and predict using it more as a final flourish when plating up, than an ingredient. The truth is, you won’t be able to tell the difference in a bouquet garni (just a fancy way to describe a bundle of mixed herbs used to flavour stocks) or when using it to make an aromatic, vivid-green concoction which will make everything from bread to beans insanely delicious. In France this is called sauce verte, while in Italy there’s salsa verde and gremolata and in Argentina chimichurri -which just illustrates a multinational consensus on the power of herbs, not to be underestimated! One last word from us: don’t waste those juicy stalks!