Cilantro

[leelanau_ferg]

My cilantro last summer was spindly and went almost straight to flower last summer. Should I have been nipping it back more often?

[zebraman]

Hey leelanau_ferg;Cilantro is a cool weather crop.I don't know where you live but here in Venice,CA I plant small amounts every 1-2 months but not July or August.Anyway Cilantro produces a boatload of seeds.Try planting in Spring /Fall.

[leelanau_ferg]

Ohhhh-gotcha. I'm way up in N. Mich-it's so doggone cold here that I figure that my herbs will be happiest if i wait until Memorial Day to put them out! The rest of them did well-but not the cilantro. I'll get it out in the beds earlier this year. Thanks for the tip!

[Izzy Bluestar]

Leelanau......re: cilantro: I live in zone 5 and love to grow cilantro. Starting in April I plant cilantro seeds almost every two weeks until Sept. Some varieties seems to go to seed faster. Sometimes I plant a slo-bolt variety. I just try to keep the cilantro picked; which isn't hard because I make fresh salsa daily when tomatoes and peppers are ripe. I recently read that eating fresh cilantro helps to remove heavy metals from the body.
Peace, Izzy

[leelanau_ferg]

Oh yeah-fresh salsa with cilantro is the reason I grow it (or try to!) The gardener women in my family say I'm nuts to even consider putting anything out until the end of May-but I'm going to follow your advice and start in April. Sometimes it takes a young upstart to change older minds! Thanks so much.

[cecropia]

You may want to try something different. It has a great cilantro flavor and does not bolt. Check out culantro or spiny cilantro. Best to try to find plants locally. Once established it will self seed and come back every year. It's wonderful! (http://www.caribbeanseeds.com/culantro.htm)

[Izzy Bluestar]

cecropia....i bought a herb/cilantro seed packet this year called, Delfino. have you heard of it? i was wondering if it was the spiny cilantro you mentioned. the photo in the seed catalog showed a "fern-like" plant.
izzy

[Pharmerphil]

Our cilantro bolted last year too, unusual heat, at the wrong time! I have a market for it this year, so I hope to keep it growing!

[cecropia]

Hi Izzy - check out the site I attached to my post. It shows the Culantro (Erygium foetidum) plants. I'm looking forward to some yummy salsa when my tomatoes come in. I have 24 tomato plants in the ground and hope we get no more frosty morns. Good growing!

[cecropia]

Culantro information http://newcrop.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-506.html

[Izzy Bluestar]

Thanks Cecropia for the web site. Looks interesting. Wish it was warm enough here to put my tomato plants in the ground. I'm in zone 5, with spring coming on...thank goodness! What tomato varieties did you plant?
Peace,
Izzy

[Playoutside]

my cilantro already has tons of flowers on it, its almost kinda of pretty growing out of that landscaping timber. You should have smelled my garden this spring the first time i turned the soil. cilantro reseeds very easily and i had a nice winter cover of cilantro. who needs clover? it reseeded in my lettuce so it was already a nice table nice mix. so with your bolting cilantro let a few of them flower and go to seed and you will have plenty of seedlings in the fall and coriander. strange how they do not taste even remotly similar..

[Helen Wong-Joe]

I was having problems in growing them too and I was going out of my mind! So I know now not to plant them in the summer. I shall plant some in the Fall and thanks zebraman for the tip.

[sunmad strawgirl]

If you start it on a windowsill or other protected place to keep it damp enough to germinate and then put it out in the shade where you grow summer greens/lettuce, you should be able to keep cilantro growing during the summer (though it will bolt more quickly).

[Helen Wong-Joe]

I usually don't like to grow lettuce in the summer because either they died from the heat or the slugs would get them first. I tried to utilized my garden areas with tomatoes, tomatillo, melons, squashes, eggplants, beans and hot peppers.

[GrowTheSeeds]

I got some seeds and found this recipie

Cilantro Lime Glaze
Use as a glaze over chicken or pork.

Serves: 4

I N G R E D I E N T S
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Lime Juice
2 tbs. Mustard
2 tbs. Cilantro
(roughly chopped in food processor)
1/4 tbs. Rib Rub (or any premix spice mixture with chiles, pepper, thyme, etc)

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Blend honey, lime juice and mustard; add cilantro and rib rub. Serve at room temperature.

[louanne]

huge thank you on the cilantro tip...planting in fall....

[GrowTheSeeds]

from this link (from the link ghostwriter supplied in another post)
http://www.peakmarket.com/v2_viewRecipe.cfm?RN=2213&hilite=cilantro

Black Bean Burgers
Metric Ingredient Imperial
3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained 3
1 medium onion, choped 1
375 ml uncooked rolled oats 1 1/2 cup
175 ml fresh cilantro, chopped 3/4 cup
30 ml jalapeno peppers, seeded & minced 2 tbsp
5 ml salt 1 tsp
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2
50 ml all purpose flour 1/4 cup
50 ml yellow cornmeal (not self rising) 1/4 cup
15 ml vegetable oil 1 tbsp
In a large bowl; add beans. Mash with a fork leaving a few whole. Add onion, oats, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and eggs. Mix well. Shape into 8 patties.
In a medium bowl; combine flour and cornmeal. Dredge patties in mixture.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add patties and cook 5 minutes each side until lightly browned.

Place on a bun with lettuce, tomato slice, cheese or salsa if you like.

Serves 4

[GrowTheSeeds]

here's another

Cilantro Carrot Soup
Metric Ingredient Imperial
6 large carrots 6
50 ml onion, grated 1/4 cup
50 ml butter 4 tbsp
40 ml flour 3 tbsp
750 ml chicken stock 3 cup
500 ml light cream 2 cup
5 ml salt 1 tsp
1 ml pepper 1/4 tsp
- pinch cayenne pepper -
30 ml cilantro 2 tbsp
Pare and chop carrots. Boil in water until tender; drain. Puree in food processor.
Saute onion in butter. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 2 minutes over low heat. Add chicken stock, cream and carrot puree. Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in seasonings; simmer for 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Serves 6

[GrowTheSeeds]

Zesty Chicken Salad
Metric Ingredient Imperial
75 ml rice vinegar 1/3 cup
30 ml soy sauce 2 tbsp
30 ml sugar 2 tbsp
30 ml fresh cilantro 2 tbsp
15 ml gingerroot, grated 1 tbsp
1 clove garlic, minced 1
2 ml crushed red pepper 1/2 tsp
2 ml toasted sesame oil 1/2 tsp
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 4
500 ml broccoli florets 2 cup
2 medium carrots, cut into thin strips 2
3 green onions, sliced 3
4 lettuce leaves 4
In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cilantro, gingerroot, garlic, crushed red pepper and sesame oil; mix well.
Pour 1/4 cup (50 ml) of soy dressing into shallow baking dish. Place chicken breasts in dish. Turn to coat on both sides. Let chicken stand at room temperature to marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine broccoli, carrots and onions. Pour remaining soy dressing over vegetables. Let stand 30 minutes.

Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Place chicken on unheated rack of broiler pan. Broil chicken for 5 minutes; turn and brush with marinade. Broil about 5 minutes more or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Cut chicken into slices.

Line four plates with lettuce leaves, top with vegetable mixture. Place sliced chicken breast on each plate.

Serves 4

[GrowTheSeeds]

Tomato & Avocado Tostadas
Metric Ingredient Imperial
375 ml tomatoes, chopped 1 1/2 cup
250 ml avocado, peeled & chopped 1 cup
10 ml fresh lemon juice 2 tsp
7 ml sugar 1 1/2 tsp
5 ml lemon peel, grated 1 tsp
- tortilla chips -
125 ml sour cream 1/2 cup
15 ml fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1 tbsp
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, lemon juice, sugar and lemon peel. Mix lightly. Place about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) mixture on top of each tortilla chip.
In small bowl, combine sour cream and cilantro, mixing well. Place about 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) sour cream mixture on top of each tostada.

Serves 6

[GrowTheSeeds]

Tortilla Black Bean Bake
Metric Ingredient Imperial
500 ml onions, chopped 2 cup
2 garlic cloves, crushed 2
375 ml green peppers, chopped 1 1/2 cup
175 ml salsa 3/4 cup
2 cans diced tomatoes 2
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed 2
500 ml monteray jack cheese, shredded 2 cup
250 ml cheddar, shredded 1 cup
125 ml fresh cilantro, chopped 1/2 cup
1 package corn tortillas 10 inch (25 cm) 1
In skillet; combine onion, green peppers, tomatoes, salsa and garlic. Simmer 10 minutes; add beans and cilantro stirring well. Put half of bean mixture in a casserole dish, top with half tortillas and half cheese. Add remaining bean mixture and top with tortillas and cheese. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 35 minutes and serve with fresh sour cream.
Serves 6

[GrowTheSeeds]

Salsa Omelettes
Metric Ingredient Imperial
- SALSA -
250 ml tomatoes, seeded & diced 1 cup
250 ml cucumber, diced 1 cup
75 ml red onions, chopped 1/3 cup
50 ml fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped 1/4 cup
25 ml lime juice 2 tbsp
- salt & pepper to taste -
- OMELETTE -
4 eggs 4
15 ml water 1 tbsp
- salt & pepper to taste -
5 ml butter or vegetable oil 1 tsp
SALSA: In a bowl; combine tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain well.
OMELETTE: In a bowl; beat together eggs, water, salt and pepper. In a small 8 inch (20 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) of the butter. Making one omelette at a time, pour half of the egg mixture into pan. As eggs begin to set at edges, use a spatula to gently push cooked portions to the centre, tilting pan to allow uncooked egg to flow into empty spaces. When eggs are almost set on the surface but still look moist, fill half the omelette with some of the salsa. Slip spatula under unfilled side, fold over filling and slide omelette onto plate. Top with additional salsa. Repeat with reamining butter, egg mixture and salsa.

Serves 2

[GrowTheSeeds]

Thai Noodle Salad
Metric Ingredient Imperial
227 g linguine 8 oz
75 ml chili sauce 1/3 cup
40 ml soy sauce 3 tbsp
30 ml fresh lime juice 2 tbsp
15 ml honey 1 tbsp
30 ml fresh cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp
30 ml fresh mint, chopped 2 tbsp
2 carrots, shredded 2
2 red bell peppers, slivered 2
1 rib celery, cut into julienne strips 1
115 g firm tofu, diced 4 oz
30 ml unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp
In a large pot of boiling water, cook linguine until tender. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together chili sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, honey and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water. Whisk in cilantro and mint.

Add carrots, peppers, and celery to the dressing and stir well to coat. Add linguine and toss to combine. Add tofu and gently toss again. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Serves 4

[Ohiorganic]

I grow a lot of cilantro for market and what I have found is if you are serious about cilantro you have to succession plant it to get good cilantro in hot weather because it will want to bolt to seed in about 20 to 25 days.

it does over winter well in zone 5/6 with a row cover over top. one year I over wintered a 10' x 3' area of it and in march I have plants that were 1' tall and by April they were 2' to 3' tall. I had a CSA at the time and they got waaaay too much cilantro for waaay too long. So I made a game out of it called how will we use the cilantro this week that most of the member seemed to enjoy.

I wish I had all these recipes posted here back than. :)

[strong eagle]

I live in zone 6[approaching 7] and if I plant the cilantro seed in the late fall, it will germinate whenever it wants in late winter, coming up before I plant lettuce even, but tends to bolt, if I plant later in the Summer. There is a young fella coming to the Spring Show at Baker Creek who may have "Vietnamese Cilantro" [no relation to Coriander] that he says tastes the same, but can be grown in pots all year round. Strong

[HerbalBetty]

I grew "Santo" cilantro last year and it was very slow to bolt. It was pretty amazing. Grew tall, lush and flavorful.