Chervil is not as common or well known as some of the other more popular herbs such as parsley, sage or oregano, yet it is just as flavoursome and delicious when used in your everyday cooking.

Chervil is a member of the parsley family and is actually very similar in appearance to the parsley herb.

Otherwise known as "cicily", "sweet cicily" and sometimes "gourmet's parsley", it is mild in flavour with a slight aniseed taste.

Chervil is native to Eastern Europe and Western Asia but it is immensely popular in French cuisine. Along with parsley, chives and tarragon, chervil is also one of the main components of the French herb blend "fines herbes".

Chervil is used in a similar way to parsley and blends well with chicken, fish and egg dishes. Much of the delicate flavour of chervil is lost when cooked or heated to a high temperature, so it is best to add chopped chervil at the end of cooking time or when serving the meal.

The history of chervil

Chervil has been around for about the last 2000 years. It was introduced to Europe by the Romans and was used by the ancient Greeks as a rejuvenating tonic.

It was taken as a drink that was a mixture of dandelion, chervil, watercress and water. Due to being rich in minerals and vitamins, this concoction was vital during the winter months when many types of fruit and vegetables were out of season or hard to find.

Vitamin and mineral content of chervil

Chervil is not a particularly overpowering herb and therefore can be consumed in larger quantities than some of the stronger flavoured herbs. Consequently, as larger quantities are consumed, the nutritional value will be greater and you can really benefit from the vitamin and mineral intake.

Chervil is rich in a number of different vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well as calcium, iron, manganese, potassium and zinc.

Chervil also contains smaller but significant amounts of a number of the B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, copper and phosphorous.

How chervil may benefit your health

As with many of the common herbs, chervil too may help with stomach disorders, particularly with stimulating the digestive system and relieving any mild stomach pains.

As well as this, chervil is also known to:

Clear up skin complaints such as reducing puffiness caused by allergies and alleviating problems such as acne and eczema. It can also be used as a skin tonic and freshener.
Benefit the circulation when taken as a herbal tea.
Reduce cellulite.
Treat varicose veins.
Clear up haemorrhoids.
Relieve fluid retention caused by menstruation or the menopause.
Lower high blood pressure.
Help with bladder disorders, particularly kidney stones and cystitis. When combined with celery, the symptoms of cystitis disappear much quicker and chervil added to a mild potato soup is good if suffering from kidney stones.
When prepared as a tea, chervil may help to soothe tired or irritated eyes.
Clear up and aid liver problems.
Relieve symptoms of flu and colds.

Buying and storing chervil

Chervil is always best if used fresh in cooking. Dried chervil loses much of its flavour and tastes very weak.

Chervil is quite a delicate herb and it loses its flavour quickly, especially when heated.

It should be added to a dish at the end of cooking time or added raw, just before the dish is about to be served.

Store fresh chervil in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to a week.

Ideas for using chervil in the kitchen

As with tarragon, chervil is an excellent partner for chicken and fish dishes in particular. Due to its light flavour, chervil works well in mild flavoured dishes. Below are a few ideas on how to use chervil in your kitchen:

Add chopped chervil to your omelettes or scrambled eggs.
Sprinkle freshly chopped chervil over your salad.
Add chervil as a garnish to soup.
Add to a homemade potato salad.
Substitute parsley for chervil.
Add fresh leaves to white wine vinegar and use as a salad dressing.
Crush leaves, mix with melted butter and pour over grilled fish or poultry.
Add to cottage cheese to eat with a jacket potato.
Mix with egg mayonnaise to eat in a sandwich.
Add to any creamy soup.
Use the leaves to stuff fish or chicken before cooking.

Back to Introduction to Herbs.