Cilantro one of my very favorite things to add to salads, salsa, basically anything that its flavor will mesh with. I LOVE it! Along with my love for cilantro I am on a bit of a quest this year to learn more on how to preserve food. I will share some of my findings with you as this is definitely something that goes along with shopping smart. We all know we that the way to save is to buy when things are cheap (if only that pertained to the shoes and purses i "need" haha). This last week at Smiths (sale ending tonight) Cilantro was on sale for a great price. I have always wondered if there was a way to preserve it for later use, and just never got around to checking it out. Well, after a little bit of research I took advantage of the great sale price on it and bought some extra to use later.One of the easiest ways I learned that you can store it is to simply wash, dry and trim it, then lightly coat in olive oil, place in plastic freezer bag, and pop the bag into the freezer.
The reason for the olive oil is to make it easy to seperate the leaves again when frozen. 
Those bags of cilantro look beautiful to me! lol. The goal is just to keep myself from using all of it this week to make salsa! Now to do some more research on some other things I have been wondering about preserving....I will let you know how it goes.
The reason for the olive oil is to make it easy to seperate the leaves again when frozen. Those bags of cilantro look beautiful to me! lol. The goal is just to keep myself from using all of it this week to make salsa! Now to do some more research on some other things I have been wondering about preserving....I will let you know how it goes. The above pictures come from a blog called Subsistence Pattern. I wish I had 3 bags worth in my freezer, I just dont think I could have found room for more than the one bag I do have :) The blog I found the pictures on have a garden that is just beautiful, and makes me very excited for spring to come so I can get planting!
5 comments:
i LOVE cilantro too. We've been sick this week but I may just have to run to Smiths tonight just to grab some. I've frozen it inside a container when I make pork for green chile burritos but this is great to know I could have "fresh" cilantro just waiting in a bag for a meal. Since I usually don't use a whole bunch for meals (even though I should just cook with cilantro all week). heavenly! can't wait to have it growing in my little garden in a few months!! now I will know how to preserve it--thanks!
Another idea is to dry it out. Just put it in a paper bag and leave it for a few days
Does it get soggy or lose flavor when you defrost it like other produce?
Will the flavor be as strong? For some reason, when i store it in the fridge for just a few days, it loses a bit of flavor. Can't wait to try it. Thanks!
Hi Readers! Thanks for all your comments! I am new to this way of cilantro storing so I don't have any "long term" storage answers- at my house I dont think even a bag of it in the freezer will last us more than 2 months. When I know we have some around I cant keep myself from using it. lol. BUT So far, I have not had any problem with it being soggy or mushy, and the recipe I used it in the other night had plenty of flavor. - I pulled some from the freezer that had been in there for 3-4 weeks.I will say do make sure to let it be totally dry after you wash it before you package it for the freezer. If any one has found any other methods I would love to hear them as it is a favorite flavor of mine, and want to be using whatever method will work best! Thanks again for your comments, I love hearing from you readers.
-Emily
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