Chervil
Chervil or kupyr, kerbel, snack is an annual plant of the Kupyr genus, the Umbrella family. Chervil's appearance resembles parsley with more delicate and thin leaves, exuding a pleasant anise scent.
Chervil grows in almost all European countries, with the exception of Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and England. Found in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Transcaucasia and Central Asia. In Russia, it is distributed in the Krasnodar Territory and the Rostov Region.
Chervil prefers light forests, sunny slopes, doing well on neutral, light, well-drained soils.
Applying chervil
For its high vitamin content and delicate aniseed aroma, chervil is recognized as a valuable spice widely used in cooking. Combining notes of parsley, anise and tarragon, chervil serves as a seasoning for meat, fish dishes, salads, curd paste, having a unique ability to enhance the taste of existing seasonings in a dish. Chervil is especially loved by the French, who have included the spice in their traditional mixture of aromatic herbs fin-erb.
Drying chervil leaves is not recommended, as they quickly lose their taste and aroma characteristics. In some cases, you can prepare the plant leaves in the freezer.
The best use of chervil is to serve freshly picked leaves as a seasoning for salads, first and second courses 2-4 minutes before they are ready, since the spice aroma quickly evaporates when heated. In some countries, green salads are poured with wine vinegar infused on chervil grass.
The root of some species of chervil is also eaten: it is similar in shape and taste to parsnips, however, it has a pleasant aniseed aroma. Chervil roots can be harvested for the winter, using for the preparation of salads and vitamin cheeses.
It should be noted that chervil pairs well with onions, parsley and tarragon, but does not mix with herbs such as thyme (thyme) and cloves.
In addition to eating, the household function of the chervil is known: the plant is often used for economic purposes, as an effective insect repellent: it is enough to spread the chervil twigs in the places of their accumulation and wait for unwanted "guests" to leave.
Useful properties of chervil
Chervil greens are a source of protein, rutin, vitamin C, provitamin A, glycosides, mineral salts and other useful substances.
The composition of 100 grams of chervil greens includes: water, ash (7.2 g), dietary fiber (11.3 g), vitamin C (50 mg), B vitamins (1.99 mg), vitamin A (5850 mg) as well as zinc (8.8 mg), copper (0.44 μg), selenium (29.3 μg), manganese (2.1 mg), phosphorus (450 mg), iron (31.95 mg), sodium (83 mg), calcium (1346 mg), magnesium (130 mg) and potassium (4740 mg).
The calorie content of chervil is 237 kcal per 100 grams of spice.
Due to the high content of provitamin A in the leaves of chervil, the plant is widely used in folk medicine. The value of carotenoids lies in their powerful antioxidant function: regular consumption of chervil in food will help restore metabolism, solve the problem of excess weight, get rid of depression and forgetfulness.
Chervil has stimulating, tonic, diuretic, astringent and expectorant properties.
The beneficial properties of chervil are also manifested in the plant's ability to normalize blood pressure indicators, playing an important role in the formation of a healthy cardiovascular system of the body. The use of chervil in food helps to stimulate the function of the kidneys and respiratory organs.
A decoction from the leaves of the plant is recommended for people suffering from liver disease and gout, it is used as a means to wash and relieve tension from the eyes. In addition, chervil juice in lotions is used to treat arthritis, edema and persistent skin problems. The crushed leaves of the plant have a good wound healing effect.
Tincture of fresh leaves of this fragrant spice is an excellent tool for those who want to quickly and safely lose excess weight.
Contraindications
Care should be taken when collecting chervil leaves: the plant resembles a poisonous hemlock.
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