According to the book, Modern Cafe, this is one of Salvador Dali’s favorite dishes.  In the book it is served with regular lemon but this is MEYER LEMON WEEK so I had to adjust and what a fantastic adjustment it was.  I have never tried to fry an herb before but after this little experiment I am going to fry the hell out of every herb I see.   The crunch, the taste, the bright green color, and getting the crap scared out of me when it popped on entry into the deep fryer (wasn’t thinking about the whole water content of parsley and hot oil thing…..be careful!).

The following recipe is an adaptation of Modern Cafe’s Fried Parsley Recipe.  I have broken it down further and I suggest you try it but be very careful.

Equipment:

• Deep fryer
• Spider
• Deep fryer/candy thermometer

Ingredients:

• Canola oil
• 1/2 lb. flat leaf parsley (Italian Parsley), stems removed and reserved for a stock
• 1 meyer lemon, zested (for presentation), and juiced.  About 1/8 tsp. per handful of parsley fried
• Salt, a pinch per handful fried
• Pepper, to taste
• Plate with paper towels over it

Procedure:

1. Heat oil to 370F
2. Divide parsley into 8 portions then place each portion in deep fryer for 3 to 4 seconds then remove parsley and place on plate with paper towels and immediately salt, pepper, and juice it
3. Repeat steps to finish remaining portions.
4. Serve with zest of lemon as garnish.
5. Enjoy

Notes:  It’s great to eat alone but I plan on serving this over a fish or chicken dish next time.

Eric