Best Way to Store Fresh Cilantro
If you want some kick in your kitchen, cilantro is the herb for you. The pungent smell and taste of this versatile plant is a must-have for anyone who wants to turn up the volume on their cooking. While it doesn't take copious amounts of this herb to rev up a meal, it's generally sold in bunches that can go to waste if not stored properly. If you love cilantro but don't love wasting it, here are some of the best ways you can store this aromatic herb.
Instructions
The Best Way to Store Fresh Cilantro
1. Grow your own cilantro in the garden or in a container in your kitchen. Cilantro is a fast-growing, easy-maintenance herb that will keep bringing you the flavor as long as you want to grow it. Keeping your own supply of cilantro eliminates waste, saves you time and money and gives you endless flavoring options.
2. Line the bottom of a clay pot with a few stones, then add some potting soil and a bit of sand (about 1/2 cup). Moisten soil and stir to incorporate water. Add more soil and sand if you get too much water.
3. Scatter seeds across the top of the soil and gently push down into the soil. Cover with clear plastic wrap and place in a warm, sunny location. Within three to five days, sprouts should be forming and you can remove the plastic wrap. Once the first set of leaves have formed, weed out spots where there are excessive sprouts. Leave at least one sprout every inch or so across the surface of the soil.
4. Water as needed. Within 60 to 90 days, there should be a good selection of leaves to begin harvesting.
Storing for Later Use
5. Freeze cilantro into easy-to-use cubes for future use. Begin by thoroughly washing cilantro under cold water, using a strainer if necessary. Shake off excess water and spread out on clean towel to dry just a bit. Remember that store-bought cilantro is packed and shipped almost straight from the fields, therefore it's filled with mud, sand and other elements you don't want to eat.
6. Grab a handful of cilantro and gently tear the leaves from their stems. This is not an exact process; you just don't want a lot of stem with the herbs. With a sharp knife or food processor, chop cilantro to your preferred consistency, adding a few tablespoons of broth to help hold things together when freezing.
7. Scoop a tablespoon of chopped cilantro into each section of a clean ice-cube tray. One store-bought bunch of cilantro, chopped, will fill at least half of the tray. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least an hour or until cilantro is set. Remove from the ice-cube tray and transfer to a plastic storage bag or container. Kept in an air-tight, freezer-safe container, cilantro will keep for at least six months if not longer.
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