These cilantro recipes bring cilantro to the forefront and make it the make-or-break ingredient.

I tend to meet people who either love cilantro and its unique aroma and fresh taste or simply can’t bear its “soapiness”. Cilantro is just one of those herbs – it’s hard to get a passive response. If you love it, you’re in good company, as this article focuses entirely on this often under-appreciated green. If you aren’t fond of it, perhaps it’s time to learn more about the herb and try out unique cilantro recipes that introduce it in a lighter, more palatable light.

Before we get into the delicious cilantro recipes, let’s take a look at cilantro’s origin and various health benefits.

Cilantro is also known as coriander, Chinese parsley or dhania. The seeds of cilantro are used as a spice, commonly known as coriander powder. It is native to areas stretching from southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. The leaves have citrus overtones and are traditionally used as a garnish or in Indian, Central Asian, and Mexican recipes, such as in chutneys, salsa, guacamole and salads.

As far as health is concerned, cilantro bears some incredible antioxidant power, which is crucial in promoting overall health. Cilantro has also been shown to have anti-bacterial properties, which help defend the body against disease. Additionally, cilantro has been cited to fight against type 2 diabetes as well as promote heart health by lowering levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.

Here are 3 cilantro recipes to get started:

1. Cilantro Chimichurri

Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Juice 1/2 lime
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

Blend all ingredients except olive oil. As they blend, drizzle with olive oil. Add enough salt to satisfy your taste buds.

2. Cilantro and Ginger Hummus

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

• 15 ounces canned chickpeas (or cooked dried chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-inch nob fresh ginger, peeled
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Add the tahini and lemon to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the chickpeas, garlic, ginger, cilantro, water, salt and pepper. Blend. While blending, drizzle the olive oil into the food processor. Once the hummus is smooth, serve it with toasted pita bread slices and a garnish of fresh cilantro leaves.

3. Shrimp Cilantro Marinade

For about 1 lb of shrimp

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 6 garlic cloves
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Pour into a zip-lock bag with prepared shrimp and let soak for at least 1 hour (best for 4-6 hours). Cook shrimp as you’d like.

Related on EcoSalon

Sunday Recipe: Marinated Cilantro Cucumbers

Sunday Recipe: 5 Seed Crackers with Olive and Cilantro Tapenade

Raw Corn Salad with Cilantro, Lime and Jalapeno

Photo Credit: Jamie

The post 3 Cilantro Recipes: Are You a Cilantro Lover or Hater? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Giving up some love for the legumes.

It may be silly to suggest cooking dried legumes when you can get them ready to eat in a can. But I still insist that there are so many benefits to cooking them yourself that it’s worth every step. And it’s pretty easy to do. You can also cook large quantities at a time and store smaller portions in your freezer.

Legumes like lentils or beans work all year round in different ways. Cold in salads and warm as a side to eggs, beets or with any green vegetable. Chickpeas are wonderful as a starter together with toasted almonds. Green lentils with beets, feta and parsley create a simple and delicious salad alone or together with baked vegetables or meat. Hummus or any other dip (see below) are perfect treats and easy to whip up with any fresh produce that the summer can provide.

I always cook my legumes together with some herbs, vegetables and salt (see simple version below). Sometimes I add bones or small pieces of meat when cooking the legumes. It gives a specific flavor but it’s far from necessary. Cooking time depends on what type of legumes you have, for example cooking lentils is far quicker than chickpeas. It also depends what you are planning to do. If you are making hummus you may want to cook the chickpeas until they are almost mushy but for a salad they should just be soft.

Some legumes such as most beans and chickpeas you will need to soak for at least 8-10 hours (but longer is better). Change the water a couple of times to keep them fresh (it can smell really bad). Lentils, split peas and mung beans do not need soaking.

The lentil dip below can be served together with fresh vegetables such as raw carrots, cucumber and celery. Slightly cooked cauliflower and broccoli also work well. You can also use the dip as a spread on freshly baked bread and crackers. Enjoy!

Lentil Dip
(Plenty of dip)

One cup dried french lentils (almost 2 cups cooked)
1-2 bay leaves
A sprig of sage
½ onion (and/or other vegetable scraps such as carrot, celery or fresh fennel)
About one tablespoon of salt

For the dip
About 2 cups cooked lentils (as above)
One shallot
Chili (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
2-3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoon coriander*
2 teaspoons cumin*
One teaspoon fennel*
Reserved lentil liquid
Juice from a ½ lime

Seasoning
Smoked paprika powder (e.g. bittersweet Pimentón de la Vera)
Sea salt
Some olive oil
Cilantro

First step is to cook the lentils. Rinse the lentils and cook them gently together with about two cups water, bay leaves, sage, salt and onion (etc) until soft (about 15-20 min). You may need to add a little more water. It’s important that you don’t cook the lentils dry and there should be about a cup of tasty liquid left when the lentils are done. When done reserve the liquid as it will be used later. Let the lentils cool and remove all bits and pieces of the sage, bay leaves, onions etc.

Chop the shallot into tiny pieces. Saute on very low heat until it starts to caramelize. Raise the temperature a little and add chili together with the spices. Stir everything together and add the lentils to the pan. Poor some of the water over and let cook for just a little bit. (You could stop the cooking here and just enjoy the lentils as a side to eggs, meat or vegetables).

Let the lentils cool a little before blending together with garlic in a food processor. Add lime juice plus some of the reserved lentil liquid to create a smooth texture. Season with flakes of sea salt and smoked paprika powder. Lastly add as much cilantro as you wish. Just before serving add a splash of olive oil on top.

* I prefer to toast whole coriander, fennel and cumin in a skillet at high heat. When they start to “pop” remove them immediately from the pan into a mortar and pestle. Grind until fine. The flavor will be richer.

Illustration by Johanna Kindvall

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Prep your mason jars. 

Pickling is in, but quite frankly, who has the time?

I grew up on a steady Swedish summer diet of marinated cucumbers, always kept on hand by my grandmother. They remind me of her kitchen, and unlike pickles, only have to sit for an hour for the flavor to absorb. The classic version uses dill, but for a slightly different taste that’s perfect for warm weather, cilantro hits the spot.

Light and refreshing, you’ll find that this recipe will soon be a staple.

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber
• 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch of ground pepper
• 2 pinches salt

Directions

Remove the ends of the cucumber, and thinly slice.

In a bowl combine vinegar and water and stir in sugar until dissolved. Add in pepper, salt and cilantro.

Place in sliced cucumber and let chill in refrigerator for one hour before eating.

Store in the refrigerator.

Every Sunday we bring you a new recipe, perfect for kicking off the new week. Check out the full series here. 

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I still remember a friend of mine telling me about a visit to Italy when she and a new Italian friend were cooking dinner. He went out on the fire escape to grab some fresh basil for the pasta, which she found awe-inspiring. Maybe it was only because she was a young, impressionable college student at the time or the aura surrounding Italians and food, but she thought to herself, “Now THAT is living!”

Enjoying an herb garden is indeed living at its best. Growing herbs is not very difficult and can truly transform your daily cooking experience (don’t miss our Pesto recipe from yesterday). Especially if you’re lacking space, an herb garden doesn’t take up much room and can work almost anywhere: straight in the backyard in and amongst flowers, in potted plants on your deck or fire escape or even right in your kitchen.

Not only is it profoundly satisfying picking a few herbs to accompany a favorite meal, I’ve found that I save money and no longer suffer the guilt of throwing away mounds of rotted cilantro because I only needed a few sprigs the day I bought it. I use what I need, as I need it and herbs are always more flavorful when freshly picked.

An herb garden is also a great entry into gardening because you don’t have to invest much into it. It’s not like waiting three months of patient nurturing for your beefeater tomatoes to finally start producing, only to have them get a disease and wither before you can taste a single one.

Herbs vary in how they grow. Rosemary and thyme tend to grow more like bushes and may take longer to establish, whereas basil, cilantro and parsley grow relatively quickly in large sprigs. Mint on the other hand, can grow like ground cover, spreading quickly. Herbs can be grown from seeds or if you’re impatient like me, I suggest buying small plants already started and transplant them. Here are a few details about what herbs to consider and what you might expect.

Basil

Basil is imperative during the summer months and especially at the end of the summer when tomatoes are in season. It is particularly virtuous freshly cut and scrumptious in bruschetta or pasta. It thrives in sun and warmth and does better with frequent trimming. When Basil starts to flower- be sure to remove the flowers quickly, as the plant will produce fewer leaves with less flavor if allowed to flower completely.

Italian Parsley

Parsley doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. I grew up with the kind of parsley that was only meant to be a garnish, a sprig on the side of chicken for decoration purposes only. Parsley is versatile herb that works well in all kinds of dishes, from pasta to Indian curries.

Of all the herbs I’ve grown, my greatest success has been growing Italian parsley, which I prefer over other varieties. It can grow into a large, strong plant that withstands frequent cutting. (Cut stems close to the base of the plant.) Parsley likes the sun or partial shade and bi-weekly watering. Eventually it will “bolt” or “go to seed” growing straight up into a flower, which like lettuce, means it’s reached the end of its usefulness. Best if grown in large pots or directly in the ground.

Cilantro

Cilantro, not to be confused with Italian parsley, has a distinct flavor that seems to elicit passionate responses of either love or hate. While it was an acquired taste for me, I fall firmly into the “love” camp, as this herb works well in so many recipes, including salsas, Asian stir-fries and with fish. Cilantro likes sun and can be tended much like parsley, cutting sprigs as needed. Trim flowers if they start to appear.

Rosemary

Rosemary grows well in many climates and is often used as an ornamental flowering bush in people’s yards. There is nothing quite like fresh rosemary with roasted chicken. Rosemary is a hardy plant that grows quickly and lasts a long time with little tending. Grow directly in the ground or in a large pot.

Thyme

Nobody should live without thyme. I may use thyme more than any other herb. It is particularly aromatic and goes well with everything, such as tomato sauces, bouquet garni’s for soup stocks or meats and vegetables. In fact, thyme makes an excellent alternative for basil in bruschetta. Thyme loves the sun and does well with little tending. It grows well in pots and can be trimmed frequently once established.

Mint

I have developed a new love for mint. I once had enough mint outside my back door that simple syrup and a muddler were always on hand. While most people recognize its crucial role in drinks like mint juleps or mojitos, it can be overlooked as a fabulous addition in concert with other herbs in frittatas, fish pistous, vegetable sauces or pasta dishes. Mint grows readily and quickly and may be best grown in pots unless you’re ready to live with it in abundance.

Sage

Sage is an excellent herb for flavoring stuffing. It’s also amazing toasted in butter and served as a garnish with butternut squash soup.  Sage is a shrub-like plant that grows well indoors or out and can get quite large if given the opportunity. It prefers lots of sunlight and loose, fertile soil.

Dill

I used to shy away from dill, but no more. Dill is a great herb for potatoes, fish or egg dishes. It grows well in containers and does best with ample sunlight, plenty of water and tall pots to accommodate its deep roots.

Images: stvno, auntsue, other_andrew, cocoen, myfrenchcuisine, raeallen, raeallen

The post Now That is Living! Planting an Herb Garden is Très Bien appeared first on EcoSalon.