Herbal Remedies

TAME A HOT TUMMY WITH CILANTRO.

Talk about an herb with staying power. Coriander, the seeds of the cilantro plant, found in Egyptian tombs, is so viable the seeds are still able to germinate even today. Cilantro, the leaf portion of the herb, is closely associated with Mexican cooking, yet traces its roots to India, Egypt, Greece and China. It didn’t reach the Americas until brought by Spanish explorers.

GROWING CILANTRO

This annual of the parsley family is easily grown from seeds or small plants. Plant it early, because it will bolt in the heat. Even better is to plant seeds in late fall for an early spring start. After plants are established, let nature water. For a continuous harvest, plant every couple of weeks. Cilantro looks like Italian parsley with beautiful green leaves that grow smaller as the plant matures to a height of over two feet.

HEALTH BENEFITS:

Tame a hot tummy. Ayurvedic herbalists claim cilantro “cools” a hot stomach, banishes intestinal gas and generally aids digestion. It provides a contrast to hot flavors like chilies and ginger. Cilantro contains large amounts of nutrients, too, including carotene, calcium, protein and minerals.

COOKING

Even though they come from the same plant, cilantro and coriander are not inter-changeable in cooking. The first dish I tasted with cilantro was so overpowering (too much cilantro tastes like soap) that it took years for me to venture cooking with it. Cilantro, with its citrus, somewhat piney green taste, goes well with more food than you’d think. Just don’t use a heavy hand with it. Stews, salads, corn, marinades, sauces, grains, soups, fish and potatoes all benefit from a sprinkling of this leaf. The root is used in Thai and Asian cooking, finely grated and added to foods. Coriander seeds tastes lemonier and less piney. Ground into curries or sprinkled onto root vegetables and vegetable dishes, coriander lends a slightly spicy taste. Today we’re concentrating on the leaf and not the seed portion. If possible, add cilantro toward the end of cooking time for the best flavor, as the leaves lose their character somewhat with heat.

CILANTRO HERB SPREAD WITH BELGIAN ENDIVE

Double or triple for a large crowd. Go to taste on herbs.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ stick butter, softened
1-2 teaspoons cilantro, minced
1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1-2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced
several sprigs fresh parsley, minced
½ to ¾ teaspoon garlic, pressed
Squeeze of lemon juice

3-4 heads Belgian endive

Blend all together well. Separate endive leaves. Place herb cheese on round platter. Shape into slightly mounded disk. Insert largest leaves on bottom of mound, working your way around in a circle. The next layer use smaller leaves, inserting them so that petals begin to form. Keep inserting leaves until you get to the top of the mound. Garnish with edible flowers such as pansies, violas, violets, carnations, fushias, mums, roses, day lilies, impatiens, petunias, etc. and a few sprigs of thyme and cilantro.

I hope you enjoy using all these natural foods to make cooking fun and your food beautiful!