Cilantro is a perennial in frost-free areas and is a fun herb to grow. I planted cilantro last year and mulched it well, I summer in Maine, and when I came back this year, up through the mulch I saw green, I was so excited as it was one lone cilantro leaf growing with pride– now that is what I call a hardy plant.
You can use cilantro in many recipes to spice them up, chopped and used in salad dressing, mixed in sour cream to top a baked potato with a sprinkle of color, and my favorite is in ground turkey.
Turkey Burgers
To rev up your ground turkey, use about two tablespoons of finely chopped fresh cilantro for 1-lb of ground turkey. Then add two cloves of minced garlic, black pepper, and salt to taste, a couple of shakes of cumin and mix well. It sure changes the flavor– you go from bland to grand! And instead of making a regular size burger, I make little round balls and then flatten them and cook in a little Olive oil in a frying pan. The small turkey patties cook quicker and more thoroughly, and are a big YUM! Serve with a side vegetable and rice or potato. I enjoy them in pasta and a marinara sauce, too.
Are cilantro and coriander the same thing?
The leafy portion of the coriander plant is the cilantro, and the seeds that come from the plant is the coriander. That’s right…two spices in one plant. Super cool!
Do cilantro and coriander taste the same?
No. While cilantro and coriander come from the same plant, their flavors are very different. Cilantro, the herb, is a bit bold with a peppery to sage type flavor with a hint of lemon, and to some, described as having a soapy taste. While coriander, the seed, is sweet and also described as having a nutty, warm aroma and an orange-like flavor.
Why does cilantro taste like soap to some people?
According to an article, I read online by Melissa Petruzzello at Encyclopaedia Britannica, the “soapy” taste that some people describe when eating cilantro leaves is coming from their olfactory-receptor genes and that this perception is only found in a small percentage of people.
Parsley is a good alternative for that small percentage of people who find cilantro soapy tasting. :-)
