Tarragon is an amazing herb. Bright intense flavors with complex
undertones and a beautiful aroma should place this herb as my main contender
for most used herb in the garden. Sadly
this has not been the case for far too long, but no more! This summer I have found the perfect partner
for my flourishing tarragon plants, the bright and citrusy snap of lemon.
What better format to express these two perfectly paired
partners than a cocktail? Introducing
the Tarragon Lemon Fizz; tarragon infused lemonade mixed with Hendricks Gin,
topped with prosecco and finished with a tarragon sugar rim. The tarragon adds a beautiful herbal balance to
the tart and sweet lemonade while the gin provides a subtle spice and a fresh hint
of cucumber. The dry prosecco finishes
the drink with a smooth bubbly tingle on your tongue. The
sugar rim completes the drink with a hint of sweetness to make this cocktail a true classic. 
The beauty of tarragon is that it plays well with others in
both savory and sweet applications. Here
we present our newest savory bite, smoked goat cheese rolled in tarragon in a
crisp prosciutto cup. This is then
topped with a warm lemon blueberry compote and finished with diced preserved
lemon. This is a culinary journey neither
you nor your taste buds will soon forget!
The salty and crispy prosciutto cup is perfect textural balance to the
warm and smooth goat cheese with its hint of smoke accentuated by the sweet
tarragon. The intense blueberry lemon
compote adds yet another fresh and bold layer and texture with the diced salty
bits of preserved lemon finishing off the journey. A perfect expression of the season in every
bite.
Tarragon is also a very delicate herb, soft and sweet but
regal and classic. It also adds a French
influence to any dish it graces. With
that in mind I ventured back to an old classic, oil poached lobster tail, and
started to rework the recipe. Presenting
our Lemon and Tarragon Oil Poached Lobster tail on roasted fingerling potatoes
tossed with shaved white onion and fennel, garnished with oven roasted grape
tomatoes and finished with a warm drizzle of the poaching oil. The lobster was moist and delicate with a
sweet and delicate aroma wafting from the plate coaxing you to dive right in. Each bite of the sweet lobster was perfectly
balanced with the herbal hits of tarragon and the bright citrus bite of
lemon. The roasted potatoes were the
perfect textural balance, adding a slight crunch from the roasted edges and the
raw shaved fennel and white onion. The final drizzle of the poaching oil
brought the whole party together for a perfectly harmonious orchestra of
flavors. 
If there is any other ingredient that could add to the
perfect culinary chemistry that is tarragon and lemon it would have to be
blueberries. They
are the sweet fruity connector that makes great dishes possible. Let me introduce our newest dessert sensation,
sautéed lemon and tarragon blueberry Tea cake paired with preserved lemon ice
cream, drizzled with hot toddy syrup made of lemon, honey and bourbon, then
sprinkled with preserved lemon. Breathtaking! This dish has everything you need, the cake
takes a beautiful crust with the sweet and salty preserved lemon ice cream
acting as a perfect foil to the blueberries and tarragon in the cake, but the
finisher here is the hot toddy syrup adding a hit of honey and bourbon brings
each bite to life! The final bites of
diced preserved lemon add a great salty pop to keep your taste buds engaged
with every forkful.
Some pairings are just too perfect, they need to be
explored expanded and played with in such a way to bring out the best in every
flavor. Tarragon and Lemon have kept us
inspired and will be playing a major part in this summer’s culinary adventures.
Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research
and Development Department!
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