Parsley is good mainstream ingredient to add color as a well as a little extra flavor to a creamy white sauce like Alfredo’s.
Start with the basic ingredients for Alfredo sauce. This usually includes salted butter, heavy cream and parmesan cheese, or your favorite recipe. Once the sauce has thickened, there is a large variety of spices and seasonings you can add. Parsley is one of the most popular.
Flat Leaf and Curly Parsley
Take time to select fresh, good quality parsley from the store, garden or your local farmer’s market. There are 2 main types of parsley: flat-leaf parsley and Italian, or curly, parsley. Italian parsley has a stronger flavor, but flat-leaf parsley is easier to chop and eat.
Chop the parsley, by first removing it from the stem. This is easily done by holding the bunch lightly by the leaves down on the cutting board. Run your knife lightly down the leaves, pulling them off the stems in a quick motion. Discard the stems and chop the parsley leaves to the size you desire.
Add the parsley to the sauce after the sauce has thickened and you remove it from the heat. Parsley is best enjoyed in a dish or sauce fresh. If you add it too soon, it could wilt and lose its taste. Toss the sauce with pasta noodles and your other favorite ingredients for a great meal.
Choppping Parsley
Chopping parsley is a step that nobody should overlook, as the attention you give when doing so will have a big importance on the texture of your meal. There are two ways two properly chop parsley:
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If you are going to use a knife to chop parsley, hold the tip down with your non-dominant hand. (The dominant hand will obviously be holding the handle of the knife!) Then, holding the tip in place, move your dominant hand up and down, working around the pile of parsley until it is cut to your liking. If you don’t hold the tip down, the parsley will go flying around the room! |
Another way to chop parsley is by putting it in a bowl and with kitchen shears, start snipping. Kitchen shears are a great addition to any kitchen. They won’t rust the way regular (desk) scissors would if they got wet. This is a fast and easy way to chop parsley. Keep snipping until the parsley is all chopped. |
Sources: eHow – How to Add Parsley to Alfredo Sauce, Kathy Maister – Chopping Parsley on startcooking.com
