Making Pesto from Cilantro. Mama Mia!

by Toni Leland

I always thought I hated cilantro. Really, the strong scent convinced me that it would taste bitter. But the stuff is very pretty growing and blooming, so last spring I tucked a small plant into the garden.

It grew. And grew. And grew. I gave away gallon storage bags of the stuff, but still it grew. And grew.

Come late summer, I decide I'd cut it all down and possibly plant something else there next spring. But Mother Nature had another idea. All the seeds I'd knocked off began to grow. And grow.

Last week, I sheared it off and promised a batch of pesto to my daughter. She loves cilantro and it
seemed like a shame to not use that new, fresh growth.

I can't cook without tasting. Oh boy! This stuff is fabulous! I tried it on crackers, then some on a bit of French bread, then a little on a slice of cheese. I'm sure it would be wonderful on pasta, or just about anything. And it freezes beautifully.


Long story short: I wasted a lot of years "thinking" I didn't like cilantro.

The recipe I used came from Food.com, but I see lots of variations in next year's crop of pesto.