Continental Parsley

Petroselinum hortense filicinum. The French use both leaves and stems of the flat-leafed variety in cooking. Italian cuisine uses only leaves; the stems are reserved for making stock. The French have their famous persillade, a finely chopped mixture of parsley and garlic, which is sprinkled on to all manner of dishes, such as meat or fried potatoes, just before serving. Then there is gremolata (without which osso bucco would not be complete), a finely chopped mixture of parsley, garlic and lemon zest, sprinkled on a dish before serving.