You’re welcome! The plants were very interested in producing seeds, and only semi-interested in producing leaves. I had to pivot from guacamole and chimichurri sauce to other stuff.
A local Mexican restaurant serves a Margarita made with muddled cucumber and cilantro, rimmed with Tajiín. We’ve started making them at home. REALLY good!
5 Likes
That sounds delicious. I’m a big fan of cucumber drinks and cilantro sounds like the perfect accompaniment.
1 Like
Vodka, juiced cucumber, muddled cilantro and mint. shake, enjoy.
Can be cut with seltzer too.
3 Likes
I love, love, love cilantro. Most of my family will treat it as a regular veggie for homemade hotpot and throw this into the broth to blanch and then eat in bunches. I’m with @PHREDDY that it is excellent in banh mi. I always ask for extra cilantro when I can.
One of my favorite cilantro forward dishes is probably West Lake Soup. My favorite renditions of this are very light (chicken broth, thickened), with small, fairly fine minced beef thrown in toward the end to just cook, and then a crap-load of chopped cilantro! Taste should be (IMO) 50% light, yummy broth, 48% cilantro and 1.5% soft, mild beef, and then I add my own ground white pepper for the final .5% flavor.
3 Likes
I have tried everything @Rooster, but I haven’t been satisfied with anything so far. I do usually take the twistie off when I get it home and wrap the bunch in paper towels, then in a plastic bag. It seems to help a little.
However, typically the cilantro I buy at the Asian markets lasts incredibly longer! I believe it’s due to the handling of the product. The Asian store cilantro is dry when you buy it and is already in a plastic bag. I think regular supermarkets drown their’s constantly in those sprays.
Thanks. I frequent a local Asian market and they sell fresh cilantro but dry boxed and small bundles in a cellophane bag. I will give both a try.
Cilantro with roots tends to last longer. It will be fresher where turnover is faster, that helps too.
I remove the rubberband, wrap loosely with newspaper and then back into the produce bag - loose / slightly open even.
1 Like
My neighbor swears by this special Rubbermaid container for her homegrown microgreens, and said they are very well reviewed. We borrowed it a few days and the greens stayed very fresh and crisp.
2 Likes
I almost always buy cilantro with the roots still attached and I plop the whole bunch in a mason jar of water and keep it on my kitchen counter or in the fridge. I do a change of water every now and then if they don’t get used and freshen up the leaves with a sprinkle of water. I do this with many fresh herbs (basil, perilla leaf, mint, etc). They keep forever like this.
3 Likes
Great help! I’m going to give all suggestions a try.
What I did not tell you that Mrs. Phreddy, has the “gene” that makes cilantro taste like woody mush to her…None the less she does pick it up in the market for me…and I do enjoy it…
I have a similar system with glass container with a tray at home, but I use it mostly for meat and cheese, forget to test with herbs and vegetables too. Thanks for reminding.
1 Like
Bahn Mi sandwiches, we load up the fresh cilantro.
The water bouquet tip is working out well.
3 Likes
Glad that method is working for you @Rooster. Did you get some with the roots still attached?
I’ve never run across cilantro with roots attached at any super, Asian or FM markets. Wonder why?
I’m getting ready to post my favorite cilantro recipe shortly.
Mine pretty much always have the roots attached
Cilantro Chutney
2 cups cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 large jalapeño with seeds *
2T dry roasted peanuts
1 tsp sugar - cane or agave syrup (any sugar really)
1 tsp cumin seeds or 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
4 T fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Put all in the food processor and purée until smooth
Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste
If it’s too thick add a teaspoon of water
Excellent garnish for curried soups, to use as a dip for samosas, a spread for naan bread, or a dip for pita chips or bread.
- substitute Serrano’s for the jalapeño if you want it spicier
I used to buy frozen samosas at Costco which were delicious and came with a similar tasting dip. I think they were Amy’s organic brand & they were so good until they changed up the recipe. I don’t buy them anymore, but I went on a search for the dip. This is adapted from a blog, which adapted a recipe from Mangoes and Curry leaves.
I understand this may be familiar fare for some of you, but we have very mediocre Indian foods up here and I haven’t done much Indian style cooking. And my husband thinks he hates it! May have to reorient him, because I love it. He loves this fresh chutney though…
5 Likes
Interesting @winecountrygirl - our are always lopped off at the stems before they get tortured by those metal twist ties and survived the drownings. Quite puzzling!
2 Likes
HYes, a lot of roots. I trimmed them a bit and like flowers I buy my wife, I created a counter vase and a frig vase. The counter vase did better.
Looking forward to your recipe post.
