Keeping cilantro fresh

[Mad Cook]

As an experienced Cilantro Farmer I can tell you that cilantro does NOT like to be transplanted or messed about with in any way.

I used to grow my own cilantro. Although fairly easy to grow in milder/cooler temps it will bolt (grow tall and go to seed) at the drop of a hat. I always cringe when I see nurseries offer seedlings of cilantro for sale.

I tried growing some from seed last summer. It wasn't a bad summer but the cilantro wouldn't play. I've also tried growing on the stuff in pots from the supermarket without success. The potted supermarket stuff we get here is so immature that it doesn't taste of anything much.

 

[cave76]

I tried growing some from seed last summer. It wasn't a bad summer but the cilantro wouldn't play.

Not that you asked but here's what I did to grow my cilantro.

First I took those really hard round seeds and put them between 2 paper towels and ran a rolling pin over them to lightly. (My form of scarification--- which means to nick or weaken the hard seed coat that cilantro has.) Some seed have seed coats so hard that they cannot absorb moisture.

Then I put those seeds between two dampened paper towels in a petri dish or CLEAN cottage cheese carton or ?? that had a lid and waited. Sometimes a week, sometimes less and sometimes more. Depends on temp.

Within a few days a radical (root foot) starts appearing and when a lot of the seeds do that then I spread the seeds on the prepared soil, VERY lightly covered them or just pressed them in lightly. I then put a damp burlap sack or some of that black shade cloth over them and kept it lightly misted until most of them germinated.

Now that I've astounded you with my tenacity you can believe me when I say I really like cilantro!

It actually doesn't take much effort and just a little time; just describing it is harder than doing it.

I kept a steady supply going by succession plantings. And I learned not to even consider growing them in a large pot or box!

 

[taxlady]

Not that you asked but here's what I did to grow my cilantro.

First I took those really hard round seeds and put them between 2 paper towels and ran a rolling pin over them to lightly. (My form of scarification--- which means to nick or weaken the hard seed coat that cilantro has.) Some seed have seed coats so hard that they cannot absorb moisture.

Then I put those seeds between two dampened paper towels in a petri dish or CLEAN cottage cheese carton or ?? that had a lid and waited. Sometimes a week, sometimes less and sometimes more. Depends on temp.

Within a few days a radical (root foot) starts appearing and when a lot of the seeds do that then I spread the seeds on the prepared soil, VERY lightly covered them or just pressed them in lightly. I then put a damp burlap sack or some of that black shade cloth over them and kept it lightly misted until most of them germinated.

Now that I've astounded you with my tenacity you can believe me when I say I really like cilantro!

It actually doesn't take much effort and just a little time; just describing it is harder than doing it.

I kept a steady supply going by succession plantings. And I learned not to even consider growing them in a large pot or box!

Why? What happens?

 

[cave76]

TL----- Sorry, I''d already written so much I just knew that people wouldn't want to read any more.
[growing cilantro in pot or box]

This is just my experience with growing cilantro in containers so if anyone has had luck then please post that.

The plants will do their bolting 'thing' really fast. Or just plain ol' not thrive. Some leaves would appear and be usable but not nearly as much as if in the ground.

Cilantro is in the parsley family and has really deep roots. Maybe that's why they don't like pots. Having said that I DID grow a parsley plant in a pot one year and it did great! But in future tries, same pot/same type of soil/same weather----- just bolted or sat there looking sad. Go figure. I can't.

 

[taxlady]

TL----- Sorry, I''d already written so much I just knew that people wouldn't want to read any more.
[growing cilantro in pot or box]

This is just my experience with growing cilantro in containers so if anyone has had luck then please post that.

The plants will do their bolting 'thing' really fast. Or just plain ol' not thrive. Some leaves would appear and be usable but not nearly as much as if in the ground.

Cilantro is in the parsley family and has really deep roots. Maybe that's why they don't like pots. Having said that I DID grow a parsley plant in a pot one year and it did great! But in future tries, same pot/same type of soil/same weather----- just bolted or sat there looking sad. Go figure. I can't.

Ah! So for me, who doesn't really want the leaves, just the seeds, growing it in a pot should be okay.

I usually mean to grow stuff from seed, but I usually have to buy seedlings. I bought a pot of parsley with a few small plants. I put them in the garden. They grew well and came back the next year, it's a biannual. It's been going for a while now and taking over a corner of the garden. I moved some chives into a pot and a parsley plant came along for the ride. I planted into a 10" deep pot full of compost. The chives did okay. The parsley went gang busters. I have never seen such a large, leafy parsley plant. In fact, I brought the pot inside and the parsley is still putting out new leaves, even though it isn't looking very happy.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I tried growing some from seed last summer. It wasn't a bad summer but the cilantro wouldn't play. I've also tried growing on the stuff in pots from the supermarket without success. The potted supermarket stuff we get here is so immature that it doesn't taste of anything much.

Seedlings are getting so expensive for all vegetables, I decided last summer to save seeds from things I like. Store bought vegetable seeds.
I started with some red bell pepper seeds and they grew great. But I put them in so late, I ended up with immature fruit. I did get a few that were starting to turn in late October. It was just a test anyway to see.
So it looks good to go this spring with seeds I am collecting.

I also use containers as I cannot work a regular garden. I was able to obtain many large plastic pots a few years ago from our local nursery. Now that they realize these pots are worth money, I cannot get free ones anymore.

 

[cave76]

TL sadi:
"Ah! So for me, who doesn't really want the leaves, just the seeds, growing it in a pot should be okay."

I'm sure they'll stay alive, bolt, flower and produce some seeds. Maybe. (grin)
If you only use a few coriander seeds during the year then you may get enough.

Now, next summer----- prove me a liar! LOL

 

[Janet H]

To extend storage life in the fridge I usually wash cilantro and trim off part of the stems, cleaning out any thing turning yellow or brown. Then I loosely roll the damp cilantro in a couple of paper towels and put back in food storage bag making sure to loosely gather then of bag but not seal. This goes into the fridge and will usually keep for about 10 days - best of all it's clean - fully prepped for quick use.

 

[cave76]

Janet----- that makes a lot of sense. My only problem is after going shopping I'm so whupped that it's all I can do to get cold things into the fridge before I have to sit down and rest. Once it's in the fridge----- out of sight, out of mind. LOL

 

[Kayelle]

I've tried to grow it here, where anything will grow and I just gave up.

I use it often, and just around the corner is a Mexican market that sells it for a quarter a bunch, so why bother? Like Janet, I just wrap it in a damp paper towel and leave it in the crisper drawer in the plastic bag from the market. I even use it in green salad, so it never goes bad before I run out.

 

[cave76]

I've tried to grow it here, where anything will grow and I just gave up.

I use it often, and just around the corner is a Mexican market that sells it for a quarter a bunch, so why bother? Like Janet, I just wrap it in a damp paper towel and leave it in the crisper drawer in the plastic bag from the market. I even use it in green salad, so it never goes bad before I run out.

The cilantro here in OR, where it seems as if all food is more expensive than in other states!!! even though the climate in the Valley is mild-ish! cilantro is sometimes about $1 a bunch!!!

We have one fairly good Latino Market, but it's across town from me and I don't get there as often as I want to---- but it's never as cheap as .25 cents either!

Our climate here would be the absolute best for growing cilantro and yet-----why so expensive?

Kayelle, cilantro is really easy to grow if you don't mind following a few pointers. But at .25 cents a head, I wouldn't bother either!

 

[Lisa Mac]

In South Africa we call Cilantro Coriander whether its the seeds or the leaves. Or we call it Dhania, which is the Indian word. Cilantro is never used except by "foodies" who've travelled to the states.

What I normally do is use what I need and if I know I won't be using any more for a couple of days, I don't even TRY to keep it fresh. I just chop it up and put it into ice cube trays to freeze, and then use it in recipes like curries etc. that call for the herb to be cooked in.

 

[cave76]

I just chop it up and put it into ice cube trays to freeze, and then use it in recipes like curries etc. that call for the herb to be cooked in.

Ya know-----I've found that the special pungency that I love so much about cilantro is mostly lost after freezing or drying. That's just my experience.

But then I just LOVE Marmite (Vegemite). (Nice segue, huh?)

 

[Kayelle]

Ya know-----I've found that the special pungency that I love so much about cilantro is mostly lost after freezing or drying. That's just my experience.

But then I just LOVE Marmite (Vegemite). (Nice segue, huh?)

I find that special aroma is gone after a few days in the fridge also Cave.

When I send Steve to the Mexican market to get more, I tell him to smell it so he doesn't mistake it again for Italian parsley. I love that aroma. I know I'm very lucky to get it for a quarter a bunch there, and also the white onions I love to cook with are a quarter a lb. In fact, all of their produce prices are remarkable when the supermarket charges at least four times the price.As you can imagine, they do a fabulous business
.Besides I like dealing with a family owned business since I was raised in one.

 

[Lisa Mac]

Ya know-----I've found that the special pungency that I love so much about cilantro is mostly lost after freezing or drying. That's just my experience.

But then I just LOVE Marmite (Vegemite). (Nice segue, huh?)

I agree about the drying and I never get the jars of dried coriander, but if you freeze it fresh it still retains a fair amount of flavour/aroma. You just have to use a little more than usual.

I love marmite too. So does my husband. My son on the other hand thinks it's the most disgusting stuff in the universe. No accounting for tastes. And my sister hates coriander. Thinks it tastes soapy. I think it tastes divine. It's one of my favourite herbs.

Nice segue indeed. That's how threads go off the rails. Imagine if in 'real life' we had to communicate in threads.

But you got something there. The connection between Marmite and Cilantro/Coriander is that they are both tastes that you either love or hate.

 

[Lisa Mac]

.Besides I like dealing with a family owned business since I was raised in one.

[/QUOTE]

I'm the same. Always support the independents if I can. Not always possible of course. So many small butcheries and bakeries have just not been able to survive the large supermarkets. Especially here in SA where the market is so much smaller.

 

[cave76]

Lisa Mac said:
" Imagine if in 'real life' we had to communicate in threads."

LOL----- men might like linear-speak that but I doubt if women could talk in a straight line for the life of them!

Oh, and here I am again, hi-jacking a thread! Mea culpa.

 

[CraigC]

I bought 2 bunches of cilantro for a fresh sausage recipe I made yesterday. I guestimated, by volume, what I needed. I ended up going by weight. Called for 48 grams. I ended up using every bit of the leaves from both bunches to get that amount. So nothing left to save!