I feel really sorry for you people that don't like cilantro. I remember the first time I tried it, several years ago, I thought it was horrible. I got the whole "soap flavor", really, it tasted like dishwashing liquid. I couldn't understand the attraction. But then something happened, the next time I tried it, I loved it. Isn't that weird? What I'm saying is if you don't like it now, don't give up, try it again sometime. Now, this doesn't work with everything...lima beans...still bad, they will always be bad. So, if you don't like lima beans, I give you permission to never let those fat, weirdly flat beans cross your lips again.
Back to cilantro. The love of my life. I always have cilantro in my fridge. I don't always have tomatoes or tomatillos, so my quick and easy go-to salsa is a simple cilantro salsa. I used a recipe from The Best Recipes in the World
by Mark Bittman, which I modified to not use ginger (he does).
Cilantro Salsa
makes 1 cup
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice (I just used the juice from one lime)
Combine the cilantro, garlic, chile, and oil in a blender or food processor. Puree. Add more oil if necessary to make a smooth paste.
Spoon into a bowl and stir in the lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until use (keeps for about a day in the fridge).
This will be my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging which is hosted by Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook.
Laurie Constantino says
Lima beans are an abomination. Horrible. Cilantro, on the other hand, is wonderful and your salsa looks like an incredible way to use it. Yummy.
Pam says
Joanne - it would be great on sandwiches!
Natashya - lima beans - always bad.
Judi -I buy it routinely. As soon as I get it home, I wash it, spin it dry, wrap it in a paper towel and store it in a ziplock bag, it keeps for about 2 weeks like that.
Terri - I wish I could grow it, it seems to go to seed on me.
dp - I'm with you, I love it.
Paula - an ode to cilantro!
Debbie - I buy it as soon as I run out.
Pam - it's mine too, or at least tied with basil.
Marjie - it's fascinating, isn't it.
ts - everyone needs to be converted.
Katherine - I love beets!
Leanne - I'm glad I'm not the only one who grew to love it.
Doris - it does seem to be either love/hate, no middle ground.
Tins - try it and let me know what you think.
Susan - I know, you can see the bowl is almost empty.
Grace - everything is better with cilantro.
Mary - oh yes!
Noble - I almost forgot to save some for the picture.
Sherry - I'm kind of iffy on brussels sprouts, I'll have to give that a try.
Katie - try once more.
Kevin - I'm sure you'll kick it up a couple of notches.
n.o.e. - well, I'm not going to hold my breath on the whole lima beans thing.
n.o.e says
Ooh, I love cilantro (although my husband and daughters have that soapsuds thing). I used to despise limas but now I love them too - so you might like them some day! This salsa looks delish.
Nancy
Kevin says
Cilantro salsa sounds good! Cilantro is one of my favorites herbs.
sherry says
I like cilantro but I don't love it. We're on good terms though.
I thought I didn't like brussel sprouts due to how they tasted during childhood. Well, I made Ina Garten's super easy roasted brussel srouts and I'm a convert. Yum.
I with ya all the way about lima beans. They're no good.
katiez says
Okay...I'll try it again. You've convinced me!
noble pig says
I love cilantro, this sounds divine. I love the almost finished bowl.
Susan says
Crazy about cilantro. One cup of this salsa wouldn't be enough for me.
Thanks for the simple, snappy recipe for WHB!
Mary Coleman says
so good with grilled swordfish!
love it!!!
Grace says
i pity the fools too. 🙂 i could probably simply eat this by the spoonful, and i would happily drain that bowl into my mouth. 🙂
Tins and Treasures says
I love Cilantro too...thanks for sharing the recipe! Have a great weekend, Natalie
leanne says
I get what you are saying. I hated cilantro but lately I buy fresh almost every grocery trip. I am in need of a good salsa fix.
doris says
Cilantro makes me wanna gag ... literally. It really does taste like soap. I understand that so many of you love it, but I wish there would always be salsa with a no-cilantro alternative. The newest thing that someone told me is that some smart people think a dislike of cilantro is genetic.
Katherine Aucoin says
I'm with you Pam, cilantro is one of my loves. I like this salsa it's so different. I would have been scared to add the ginger.
Yours is lima beans, mine is beets - sorry Natashya.
Debinhawaii says
I always have it in my fridge--LOVE it! This looks like a great sauce for just about anything.
dp says
Life would be meaningless without cilantro!
Okay, an exaggeration. But it tells you how much I love cilantro. I use it almost on a daily basis. And if I eat something particularly garlicky, I chew on cilantro leaves to tone done the garlic breath 🙂
Terri and Bob says
I love cilantro... I grow it in the summer and in the winter you will find me sniffing it in the produce aisle. Love the stuff!
_ts of [eatingclub] vancouver says
LURV cilantro! CSC said she didn't like it... but we slowly converted her. 😉
(I like your books posts, btw.)
Marjie says
There was just an article in the Wall Street Journal last week about cilantro. Front page and everything! Some folks love it and some hate it. Who knows!
Joanne says
It's almost like cilantro pesto...minus the nuts! This would be great on sandwiches or as a marinade for chicken.
Pam says
Cilantro is my favorite herb - I use it all the time. This salsa sounds wonderful.
Paula says
Ah, cilantro. How do I love thee, let me count the ways ... 1) cilantro salsa!!!
Judi says
I love cilantro! Regarding the cilantro you keep in the refrigerator, do you grow cilantro year-round in your garden, freeze it, buy routinely at the grocery store, what? There must be a secret to keeping cilantro fresh that I don't know. I doubt you use a paste but I wouldn't think less of you:-)