Cilantro surplus
November 22, 2015 4:08 PM Subscribe
Quick! I l love it but what can I do with 6 bunches at peak freshness?
Need either a storage solution, or a low-fat, low-carb dish/condiment to keep in fridge.
Best answer: Chop, freeze in an ice cube tray (that you aren't planning on using for ice) covered with water or oil. Thaw as needed.
posted by Weeping_angel at 4:15 PM on November 22, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by Weeping_angel at 4:15 PM on November 22, 2015 [6 favorites]
(Oil works best, but you did say low-fat....)
posted by Weeping_angel at 4:17 PM on November 22, 2015
posted by Weeping_angel at 4:17 PM on November 22, 2015
Make Rick Bayless's Green Chile Adobo, keep it in your fridge, and put it on everything.
posted by willbaude at 4:24 PM on November 22, 2015
posted by willbaude at 4:24 PM on November 22, 2015
If you don't have ice cube trays to give for the cause, you can stir it up in a little oil and put modest amounts in sandwich bags and lay flat, pressing all the air out so you make a thin sheet of oily green. Once frozen, you can break off bits as you need them.
I suspect if you do it with water you're going to get something that tastes like soapy freezer burn. The oil protects, but you don't need a massive amount.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:25 PM on November 22, 2015 [3 favorites]
I suspect if you do it with water you're going to get something that tastes like soapy freezer burn. The oil protects, but you don't need a massive amount.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:25 PM on November 22, 2015 [3 favorites]
I also thought chimichurri.
This storage method seems sound, too.
posted by ApathyGirl at 4:25 PM on November 22, 2015
This storage method seems sound, too.
posted by ApathyGirl at 4:25 PM on November 22, 2015
Response by poster: God a'mighty, this is great. Thanks all!
posted by LonnieK at 4:31 PM on November 22, 2015
posted by LonnieK at 4:31 PM on November 22, 2015
Madhur Jaffrey's Chicken in Coriander Sauce is totally delicious, and not something I've ever seen on an Indian restaurant menu.
posted by w0mbat at 4:37 PM on November 22, 2015
posted by w0mbat at 4:37 PM on November 22, 2015
Cilantro aioli:
Crap-ton of cilantro (~1 bunch or 2), can include most of the softer stems
1 egg yolk
1/2c cider vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice (optional)
2+c olive or canola oil (I haven't measured it in a while, you might need more, add to desired consistency)
Salt + pepper + chili flakes to taste
--- Blend all ingredients except oil together into a paste
--- Slowly emulsify with oil until a thick consistency, just a little thinner than mayonnaise.
I like to use a stick blender (immersion blender) for all of the steps including emulsification, but a regular blender or food processor may work provided you can add the oil in slowly.
This keeps for a week or so in the fridge
posted by token-ring at 4:45 PM on November 22, 2015
Crap-ton of cilantro (~1 bunch or 2), can include most of the softer stems
1 egg yolk
1/2c cider vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice (optional)
2+c olive or canola oil (I haven't measured it in a while, you might need more, add to desired consistency)
Salt + pepper + chili flakes to taste
--- Blend all ingredients except oil together into a paste
--- Slowly emulsify with oil until a thick consistency, just a little thinner than mayonnaise.
I like to use a stick blender (immersion blender) for all of the steps including emulsification, but a regular blender or food processor may work provided you can add the oil in slowly.
This keeps for a week or so in the fridge
posted by token-ring at 4:45 PM on November 22, 2015
Cilantro pesto! Take a regular pesto recipe and swap in cilantro. Yum.
posted by nevercalm at 7:05 PM on November 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by nevercalm at 7:05 PM on November 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
Storage: Put in a wide mouth jar with a few inches of water in the bottom and cover the leaves with a plastic bag, place in fridge. It lasts for an insanely long time (I swear I had the same bunch in there for most of the summer, it lasted at least a month with water changes and removal of any browning leaves)! A friend told me about it, but I've seen this tip on Kitchn, linking to this article (includes pics so you can see what I'm talking about).
I love that you can use the stalks of cilantro, which works well in blended soups like this, Sopa de Cilantro.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 7:14 PM on November 22, 2015
I love that you can use the stalks of cilantro, which works well in blended soups like this, Sopa de Cilantro.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 7:14 PM on November 22, 2015
You can make a tomatillo sauce with your cilantro and freeze it in plastic bags or ice cube trays too. Roast tomatillos (fresh is great but canned is fine) some thick slices of onion and a couple halved and seeded green chilies (I like anaheims and poblanos which are usually mild, you can go anywhere on the heat scale, but if you stick to green your sauce will be pretty) with a little oil and salt. When they're all roasted with yummy brown spots, let them cool and dump them in a food processor with your cilantro and garlic. Use the stalks of your cilantro, they have tons of flavor. Whir it up mostly smooth. At this point depending on your needs, you can either call it done or dump it in a pot with chicken or veggie stock or a little salt water and let it simmer and reduce until it nicely coats a spoon. Taste it! You might want to use a tortilla for dipping and tasting... and snacking...
Then just freeze in plastic bags or ice cube trays as above. When you melt some of it for a dish, squeeze lime juice into it and it will really make all the fresh flavors bright again. Great for things like enchiladas but really any protein can be improved with it, you can use it in marinades or soups or on corn or whatever is good that day.
posted by Mizu at 7:24 PM on November 22, 2015
Then just freeze in plastic bags or ice cube trays as above. When you melt some of it for a dish, squeeze lime juice into it and it will really make all the fresh flavors bright again. Great for things like enchiladas but really any protein can be improved with it, you can use it in marinades or soups or on corn or whatever is good that day.
posted by Mizu at 7:24 PM on November 22, 2015
You don't even have to cover it with water or oil. When I lived in Morrocco, the locals I lived with just chopped it finely and stuck it in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Stayed green, easy to break off a pinch, not messy.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 7:38 PM on November 22, 2015
posted by PorcineWithMe at 7:38 PM on November 22, 2015
I store fresh herbs of all kinds wrapped in wax paper inside a ziploc bag, in the fridge. This usually extends the freshness up to two weeks.
posted by monospace at 8:18 PM on November 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by monospace at 8:18 PM on November 22, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you really love cilantro (and I do!), it's actually pretty tasty stir-fried on its own as a side dish for Chinese/Thai meals.
You could also use a bunch making Larb: a Laotian dish of ground meat, roasted rice powder, and herbs. When I make larb I use either ground chicken or beef, saute it, then at the end throw in chopped cilantro, green onion or shallot, chilies, and lime juice. I don't know how authentic that all is -- I was trying to reverse engineer a dish I'd had at a Thai restaurant -- but it's tasty.
posted by Janta at 8:56 PM on November 22, 2015
You could also use a bunch making Larb: a Laotian dish of ground meat, roasted rice powder, and herbs. When I make larb I use either ground chicken or beef, saute it, then at the end throw in chopped cilantro, green onion or shallot, chilies, and lime juice. I don't know how authentic that all is -- I was trying to reverse engineer a dish I'd had at a Thai restaurant -- but it's tasty.
posted by Janta at 8:56 PM on November 22, 2015
I have not had great results from freezing cilantro -- according to this we should all be blanching it first? Hmm.
However: for now, avocado salad with a boatload of it, and, sofrito -- that link is closest to what I make ingredient-wise, a mess of peppers, tomatoes, and onion stewed in olive oil (I cook it) with enormous quantities of cilantro (chop fine, use the stems). I use this primarily to flavour rice, and beans, and rice and beans, which will freeze beautifully.
And, now would be a perfect time to try changua, which a friend in Bogotá tipped me off to. Perhaps an acquired taste, but very soothing stuff.
posted by kmennie at 8:59 PM on November 22, 2015
However: for now, avocado salad with a boatload of it, and, sofrito -- that link is closest to what I make ingredient-wise, a mess of peppers, tomatoes, and onion stewed in olive oil (I cook it) with enormous quantities of cilantro (chop fine, use the stems). I use this primarily to flavour rice, and beans, and rice and beans, which will freeze beautifully.
And, now would be a perfect time to try changua, which a friend in Bogotá tipped me off to. Perhaps an acquired taste, but very soothing stuff.
posted by kmennie at 8:59 PM on November 22, 2015
I am obsessed with green harissa - I use the recipe here. Although it calls for parsley, mint, AND cilantro, I have definitely made it with just one or two of those herbs and upped the quantities to meet the total amount (about 2 cups), and it turns out delicious. I might not do all mint, but all parsley or cilantro seems to work. So yummy! I like it on eggs, roasted veggies, and salads (as a salad dressing).
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:27 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:27 AM on November 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
This turkey burger recipe takes half a bunch of cilantro, but it's superior to many a beef burger and is soooo quick and easy to make!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/t/tu/tur/turk/turkey-burger-recipe.html
I imagine it would taste divine slathered with chimichurri!
posted by forasong at 11:56 AM on November 23, 2015
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/t/tu/tur/turk/turkey-burger-recipe.html
I imagine it would taste divine slathered with chimichurri!
posted by forasong at 11:56 AM on November 23, 2015
I make a sauce base using cilantro that involves a lot of chipotle in adobo, garlic, and lime juice. I freeze it in a bag, spread out into a thin sheet so I can snap off pieces. I have also done this with cilantro and lime juice alone. When I want to make a sauce for grilled chicken I snap off a piece of the chipotle sauce and mix it with a little mayo and fresh lime juice. It freezes so well and you only have to process the cilantro and chipotle in one big shot once a year. PM me if it sounds like something you might want.
posted by Foam Pants at 1:28 PM on November 23, 2015
posted by Foam Pants at 1:28 PM on November 23, 2015
Response by poster: You guys ...
I knew I shunt have marked it resolved. Everything before and since is great knowledge. I'm upping my cilantro game big time.
Thanks to all.
posted by LonnieK at 4:19 PM on November 25, 2015
I knew I shunt have marked it resolved. Everything before and since is great knowledge. I'm upping my cilantro game big time.
Thanks to all.
posted by LonnieK at 4:19 PM on November 25, 2015
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Make it a chimmichurri sauce, easy on the oil.
posted by slateyness at 4:10 PM on November 22, 2015