Favorite Ingredient: Cilantro
29 Apr 2010 Leave a Comment
in food traditions, from the garden, recipe Tags: chimichurri, cilantro, quick and easy, salsa, sauce
Cilantro is easily, hands-down, my favorite herb. I use it in nearly everything. Below are a few of my favorite go-to cilantro based recipes. If you’re not a cilantro fan, all of these techniques / recipes work well with basil also.
Cilantro Sauce
It’s great over fish or grilled chicken and can be used for finishing soups.
Ingredients
2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves; salt; 1 clove garlic, peeled; 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as peanut, grapeseed or corn; 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Directions
Combine the cilantro, a pinch of salt, the garlic, and the oil in a food processor or blender. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. And the lime juice and blend for just a few seconds. Add a tiny bit of water, if necessary, to thin out the mixture. Puree.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. This can be refrigerated for up to a couple of days.
Cilantro Dipping Sauce
This dipping sauce is also super-easy. I’ll whip this up to have as an alternative to a spicier red sauce with just about any meal.
Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced; 2 Tablespoons soy sauce; 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar; 1 Tablespoon sugar; 1 small jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced; 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves; 2 Tablespoons water
Directions
Whisk all the ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Let sit for at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Cilantro Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a mixture that is used as both a sauce and a marinade for meat, and is said to have originated in Argentina. Its consistency is like that of a pesto. What I like best about it is its extreme versatility. The initial recipes I learned were made with parsley rather than cilantro, but I prefer the cilantro versions. This is a variation that I use in my kitchen. I *think* I initially saw it on BBQ-University on PBS and have tweaked it some to fit our tastes.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh cilantro, packed; 1 cup fresh mint, loose; 3 cloves garlic; 1/4 medium onion; 3 Tablespoons white vinegar; juice from one lime; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 serrano (or jalapeno) pepper; salt & pepper, to taste; water, as necessary
Directions
Put everything except for the water into a blender, and blend. Only add water as necessary. You want for the final product to be finely blended and have the consistency of pesto — you do not want for it to be runny. Be certain to taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
We serve this over fish, chicken, beef and grilled Portobellos, and as an alternative topping for tacos.
