Like many fresh herbs, fresh tarragon’s flavor will not withstand prolonged exposure to heat. Because of this it should be added either at or near the end of the cooking process.
Tarragon is most commonly paired with chicken, fish, shellfish, eggs, tomatoes, potatoes and/or lemon. It’s particularly popular as a flavoring for infused vinegar, mustard and vinegar-based sauces. The most famous tarragon sauce, béarnaise (essentially a tarragon vinegar-flavored hollandaise) is particularly good on beef, seafood, and potato dishes.
Generally tarragon’s use is limited to savory applications rather than desserts, but some chefs are experimenting with using it with chocolate, apricots, melons (particularly muskmelon), or in ice creams.
Fresh Herb Recipes