Happy Valentine's Day!! I should really be posting a "red" recipe today, but I have a lovely "green" one instead!
I have to say that one of my pet peeves is buying a bundle of an herb for a recipe that calls for a tablespoon or so, chopped. Nearly every time 99% of the bundle gets wilted or crunchy sitting in my fridge before I can think of a creative way to use it. Last week I made a curry dish that called for some cilantro. Determined not to let it all go to waste, I immediately separated and washed the whole lot of it and gave it a good whirl in my salad spinner.
BEAUTIFUL! Using my method for keeping greens from the garden fresh in the summer, I wrapped the cilantro in a clean dish cloth, popped it in a baggies and popped it in the fridge. At this point I was still unsure what to do with it all!
Fast forward a day or two and there I was, chugging along on the elliptical at the gym at work, watching Jaime Oliver cook up some of his wicked 15 minute meals. And what type of condiment did he made? Why basil pesto! The light bulb shone bright above my head and I knew I would be making cilantro pesto just as soon as I got home. :)
I'm sure there are many cilantro pesto recipes out there, but here's what I did:
Cilantro Pesto
-2 cups packed cilantro
-1/2 cup of walnut pieces
-3 crushed garlic cloves
-1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese
-1 tbsp of lime juice
-1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
-salt & pepper to taste
*add first 5 ingredients to a food processor and pule until all is well combined
*add EVOO, S&P and set food processor to low, allowing ingredients to combine until you get to your desired consistency.
*Makes 1 cup
I like mine a little "chunky" per se, but you get to decide what is best for your taste buds. :)
I have no picture, but I used half of mine as a topping for a pork roast. It was wonderful! I actually froze the other half for a future meal. I plan to use it as a sauce with pasta and grilled chicken breast. Yum!
So there you have it. I know cilantro isn't for everyone, but if you do like it, give this a try!
Bye for now!
