Cilantro, not just for salsa

After high school, I took several years and did some exploring. These days, this kind of exploring has a name, ‘the gap year’. Well, my gap was much longer than a year. For a while I spent time working on organic farms. While living on a farm in Virginia, one of my many jobs was to harvest cilantro in the early morning. It was a pretty easy task; gently breaking the base of each stem and neatly bundling the delicate leaves together into small bouquets. During those early morning hours, I did not appreciate all the qualities this herb has to offer. In fact, several years passed before I began enjoying it again.

Cilantro is actually the name given to the leaves of a coriander plant. It looks similar to parsley, but is a little more succulent and very aromatic. Cilantro doesn’t store very well, so either pick it shortly before using or wrap it in a paper towel and refrigerate in a plastic bag. I leave the top of the bag slightly open. These tricks help extent it’s shelf life. After flowering, it produces the beloved coriander seeds so popular in Indian recipes. This week, my garden is producing gorgeous cilantro.

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Cilantro Pesto Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons or more pecorino sheep cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend. To store, put in glass jars leaving space for expansion and freeze. Remember to label the jar.

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4 replies
  1. Darcy Pace
    Darcy Pace says:

    LOVE it! This is my new go to. I put it on everything from eggs to veggies. I even sneak a spoonful when nobody is looking. YUM!!!!!!!!!

  2. Michael
    Michael says:

    A better way to store Cilantro is to submerge the cut ends of the stalks in a small glass of water, in the Fridge. If you bought it at the Grocery store, cut off about a half inch of the stem before putting it in the water. Cilantro stored this way will last up to two weeks in the Fridge. Just make sure to keep water in the glass.

    • Mignon
      Mignon says:

      Thanks for this note. I will be sure to forward this to my friend who loves cilantro, but says it just doesn’t last long in her climate.

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