Fresh Cilantro
Fresh cilantro is a must in the Madness household. The dried stuff just doesn’t cut it. I keep fresh cilantro around for a number of different dishes – fresh, homemade guacamole, tacos or burritos, even sprinkling over tilapia fillets with a bit of melted butter and lime juice. It is one of those unique, versatile herbs that lends such a delicious flavor addition to so many meals.
The problem is that it doesn’t last very long. It might keep a week if you keep it wrapped up in a baggie, but oftentimes I’ll shoot into the fridge to pick a tablespoonful or two to find it has degraded beyond usability. Luckily, there is a better way to store your cilantro to keep it fresh for longer. Here’s how:
- When you bring your cilantro home, rinse thoroughly and cut about 1/2 inch from the stems.
- Fill a large, flat water glass with water.
- Set the cilantro bunch into the glass, stem sides down.
- Store in the refrigerator for longer storage, and if you want even LONGER storage, cover it all with a plastic bag to seal it in.
Yes, this is a bit like how you treat fresh flowers. The concept is the same. Storing it this way will keep your cilantro fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Hi Mike. We grow Cilantro, but it always matures before our tomatoes and tomatillas, and we grow it for Salsa. So, what we do (what my wife is doing at this very moment) is to chop it up, put it in a container, fill the container with water and freeze it. When we thaw it it is still great for making salsa. Thought you and others might appreciate this.
Bob
Excellent advice, Bob. Thanks for sharing.