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All about cilantro/Guest writer

Posted by lk on June 25, 2008, 7:41:53

This week I am so happy to have a guest writer! Jessica Ferguson gardens locally. She is a master gardener who can be found working in the downtown Woodbury library. A true gardener who has a real passion for plants Jesse answers the many cilantro questions readers have been asking of late. Cilantro + Coriander = Coriandrum sativum By - Jessica Ferguson Coriandrum sativum is one of the oldest herbs and spices on record dating back to the Egyptian tombs and biblical references. A native of the southern Mediterranean, it is reported to have been brought to North America in 1670 and to be one of the first spices cultivated by the settlers while the Spanish introduced it to its South American colonies much earlier. Remember those "visions of sugarplums" from Clement C. Moore's 1882 story "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ("The Night Before Christmas")? At that time sugarplums were candied coriander seeds or corianders seeds coated in sugar. Like dill and fennel, the plant can split itself into the categories of both herbs and spices but unlike dill and fennel the two categories have been given different names. The cooking herb cilantro refers to the leaves of the plant Coriandrum sativum while the seeds make up the cooking spice coriander. (Just as a refresher, the basic rule of thumb is that herbs are the leaves of herbaceous plants while spices are obtained from roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, and bark from herbaceous or woody plants. Of course rosemary would be an exception here.) Cilantro is used in many types of cooking but it is most known for its liberal use in Mexican salsas and dips and in Asian stir frees and curries. It is sometimes referred to as Chinese parsley and is best used fresh as it loses is flavor quickly. Cilantro is very distinctly scented and flavored and there is a love it or hate it attitude towards its use in cooking. Coriander, on the other hand, lends itself more to flavoring breads, cookies, cakes and sausages and is used dried. It has historically been used to treat nausea and stomachaches and it is reputed to have an anti-bacterial action against E. coli. It has been considered an aphrodisiac by many cultures for centuries and is mentioned as such in "Tales of the Arabian Nights". It is alleged to lessen the intoxicating effects of alcoholic beverages. Its oil is used commercially to flavor tobacco. Whether you call it cilantro or coriander, Coriandrum sativum is a hardy annual in the carrot family (Umbelliferae / Apiaceae). It has a long taproot that does not like to be disturbed and so should be seeded where it is to grow. It should be grown much like parsley and as a companion plant in the vegetable garden it is said to act as an antibacterial and larvicide. It can be used to slow the formation of fennel seed allowing a longer harvest of that plant's fresh leaves. It encourages growth of spinach and makes a good under planting for fruit trees as it attracts beneficial pollinators including honey bees and tachinid fly. It also repels aphids, spider mites and carrot rust fly. It can help repel potato beetles when it is planted with eggplant, potato and tomato. To prolong the cilantro crop, pinch off flower heads as they develop and/or plant a new batch of seeds every three weeks in the spring and again in the fall. The plant's use as cilantro usually lasts a short eight to ten weeks as it is a cool weather annual and will bolt quickly in warm weather. If you want to harvest coriander seeds, allow the flower heads to bloom and die. Harvest seed heads when they have browned by either removing the entire plant or by cutting off the seed heads (do this in the morning to avoid having the drier seeds scatter all over the garden) and hang them upside down in a brown paper bag until they are completely dry. The seeds will drop right into the bag and you can then separate them from any chaff. Store coriander seeds in a cool, dark place so they will retain the most oil and freshness. Cilantro lovers often mourn those hot days that make their plants bolt but two tropical annuals can extend the cilantro season until the fall. Both Pologonum odoratum (aka Vietnamese coriander) and Eryngium foetidum (aka culantro, fitweed, or Mexican coriander) retain the very strong scent of Coriandrum sativum and are used similarly in cooking. And further add to the confusion by being called corianders even though they taste like cilantro! Vietnamese coriander is a fast growing sun lover. It needs well drained soil and should be brought in for the winter. Older plants may become a bit tough or pot bound but cutting them back or re-potting will easily refresh the plant. The leaves can be used fresh anywhere regular cilantro is called for but it does contain just a hint of lemon flavor to its leaves which is typical of Southeastern Asian cuisines. Mexican coriander is thistle-like in appearance with a very unfriendly looking leaf however the stems are smooth, not spiny. It is a native of Central and South America as well as the West Indies and while it likes tropical heat it cannot take full sun. A part shade location will help keep the plant producing fresh growth and delay flowering so that harvest can be extended. Flowers can be pinched to encourage more leaf growth. The sawtoothed basal leaves at the bottom of the plant are the most tender and are best for fresh use but the spikier leaves will soften when cooked. Leaves can be harvested individually or the entire rosette can be cut to ground level. Mexican coriander has more of a true cilantro taste and is the authentic herb used for ceviches and arroz con pollo. It is also considered to be an anti-inflammatory and an analgesic. Both Vietnamese and Mexican corianders are warm weather tender perennials that will extend the harvest season of fresh leaves for cooking and can even be brought in as houseplants over the winter. So feel free to let your spring cilantro go to seed and collect those lovely corianders - and plant some Pologonum and Eryngium to extend your cilantro harvest. Just a note about the cilantro/coriander conundrum. Cilantro and coriander have very distinct and separate flavors and cannot be used interchangeably. Many European recipes call both the herb and the spice by the term coriander so make sure to read the recipe in full to determine if you want fresh cilantro leaves or dried coriander seeds - amounts will be a good tip offs (cilantro may be added in cups or sprigs whereas coriander would be added in teaspoons or pinches) as are things like "chopped" (referring to cilantro) vs. "crushed" (referring to seeds). Visit Lorraine’s plant talk July 19 at 9:30 AM, coffee and other complementary refreshments, walk in Triple Oaks Nursery Franklinville display gardens, and ask garden questions. No charge, but registration is appreciated. 856-694-4272 or email Tripleoaks@aol.com

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Message Thread: All about cilantro/Guest writer - lk June 25, 2008, 7:41:53 Re: All about cilantro/Guest writer - David MD zn 7 June 25, 2008, 10:40:42 Re: All about cilantro/Guest writer - erk120 June 25, 2008, 14:13:34 Re: All about cilantro/Guest writer - David MD zn 7 June 26, 2008, 1:11:23 Re: All about cilantro/Guest writer - Jessica Ferguson June 26, 2008, 10:33:59 Re: All about cilantro/Guest writer - Joe K June 25, 2008, 20:19:00 Re: All about cilantro/Guest writer - Jessica Ferguson June 26, 2008, 10:37:31 « Back to thread

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