The Enchantment of Cilantro

I lived in Anchorage, Alaska for a year and a half many years ago. The time was an adventure and truly something one should do in their 20's.  But as a foodie even then, I was a tad bereft.  At the time, there was not much good food to be had. Restaurant fare was generic, and raw ingredients, especially produce, were more than a challenge.  I do remember paying over $10 for a honeydew melon that I simply HAD to have.  The check-out clerk stopped with her hand on the melon after weighing it and seeing the price. "You sure?" she said. I was.

For some reason, I developed a craving for cilantro and there was none to be found.  I scoured the Mexican  and Asian grocery stores and occasionally found a sad, shriveled, muddy little bunch.  But not often.  Then miracle of miracles, I finally I found a Mexican dive - a hole in the wall, with the best mole I've ever had (even today) and a generous hand with the cilantro.

I grabbed my then boyfriend now husband and dragged him to this little place, gushing about the fantastic food, and wonderful mole.  We went on a very rainy, dreary night, good sport that he was.  This night, THIS night, the owner had taken the night off and had put the restaurant and the kitchen in the hands of 2 kids that I'm sure he just grabbed off the street.  The kids looked slightly hysterical with fear as the place got busy.  They had absoluteley no idea what they were doing.  No table got bussed, I can't remember how long it took to get served. And the food was a dim echo of what it should have been.  We finished, left, and quietly went out for a margarita somewhere else.  I was embarrassed and angry, and my sweet man never said a thing.

My friend Patricia Jinich a master Mexican cook and teacher does a lot of wonderful things with cilantro in her blog as does Monica Bhide in her blog on Indian food and spices  You will find many wonderful recipes using cilantro. I bow to these pros.  I just want to give you one of my favorites here.

Salsa Verde/Chimichurri

This is one of my very favorite condiments and once I've made a batch, slather it on anything that makes sense.  It's superb on a thinly sliced flank or skirt steak, wonderful on top of a vegetable frittata, and a spoonfull stirred into a bean soup is bliss.  As usual with my recipes, they aren't really recipes at all but suggestions - quantities will vary according to your taste.

Wash carefully parsley and cilantro in equal parts.  Chop to equal about 1/2 cup of each.  Add a clove of peeled garlic, and Tbsp or so of drained capers and 1/2 tsp of Kosher or course salt.  Continue chopping or transfer to a mortar if you have one, and smash to a rough paste with the pestle.  I have added anchovies in the past, but as much as I love them, I think it confuses the green flavor of the salsa.  Add enough good olive oil to make a thick sauce and taste for saltiness.  You may want to add a splash of vinegar to brighten it up. But the main flavor is an intense GREEN.  Lovely.

Golden Globes of Another Sort

Tangelos have always been magical. During each of my pregnancies, I consumed enormous quantities of them, coming home from the market double-fisted with bags of the fruit. "And what will you do with all of those?", my husband would say, only to have them gone by the next day. That subtle, sour tang underneath the sweet citrus is so tantalizing.


Said to have originated in Southeast Asia over 3500 years ago, they are a hybrid of tangerines and Pomolo or grapefruit. Juicy, a tad mishapen with a nob on the stem end, they are in season from November through March and tend to get sweeter as the season progresses. Minneolas and Orando varieties are the most frequently seen in markets, but there are more and more types appearing recently.

I spent some time at my local nursery to see if growing tangelos in Northern California was an option. It's not, not really. Lemons, meyer lemons do well, but tangelos need hotter heat, as do oranges,grapefruit, and Uglis. One of the produce managers at Berkeley Bowl also smiled when asked about them. Minneolas in Feb. and March - it doesn't get any better. I agree.


Tangelo Olive Salad
One of those wonderful examples of the whole being far greater than the sum of its parts

1 cup dry-cured olives pitted and halved

4 tangelos sliced cross wise into thin slices

good fruity olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

fennel or cumin seeds, sliced red onion all optional

Layer sliced fruit and olive halves on a plate. Splash generously with olive oil, salt lightly and pepper. Let sit for a bit so flavors can blend. You can add either of the seeds above, and/or plate on a bed of arugala or mixed greens, and all of that will be lovely, but will take away from the purity of the flavors. I never do anything but the basic, and am happiest. Mark Bittman has another varation.




Tangelo Curd

Ah citrus curd. Best eaten with a spoon, also great on buttered brioche toast or English muffins. Oh, all right, in tarts and between layers of genoise. Tangelo curd has that additional tang that sets in apart.

3 large eggs

1/3 c. fresh tangelo juice

1 Tbsp grated tangelo zest (opt)

3/4 c. granulated white sugar

4 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temp

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and tangelo juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the zest if desired and let cool. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately to prevent skin from forming and refrigerate for up to a week.
Makes 1 1/2 cups


A footnote. I'm looking for gardeners, aggie types, and specialty produce experts, to connect with. If you know of anyone with a website, blog, store, or wholesale business that you can recommend, I'd love to start a dialog. Thanks in advance