Cilantro Oil

Cilantro Oil....

I thought I would share with you a really quick and tasty oil.... cilantro oil. Of course, you can also use parsley, basil, mint, etc. This oil keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge but can get darker in color as it sits. Many recipes has you throw away the solids, after straining. I like to use the solids (usually that day) to marinate some sort of meat. It gives wonderful flavor, so why throw it away? Mix it with some seasoning, lime juice, garlic and you got yourself some amazing marinade! The cilantro oil is perfect for drizzling over pasta, pizza, quesadillas,....it can also be drizzled on top of cream soups, used as a salad dressing, as a marinade, etc... There are many recipes out there, and amounts really are up to you. You can put more oil, add more cilantro, add some garlic, etc. The oil itself is bland without salt, so add a pinch or two. Taste it and adjust to your liking. It will come alive! For this post, I blanched the cilantro in some boiling water for a few seconds, you can probably skip that step if you like. Also, if you don't really want to go through all that trouble of straining it, use it as a base for a marinade instead...season it of course. Here are a few links on cilantro oil...Recipezaar, Epicurious , CdKitchen and Emeril Lagasse and a couple of links on the variations of Cilantro Oil... Green-Chile Cilantro Oil or Garlic Cilantro Oil

Hope you enjoy...

You will need:

1 bunch cilantro

water

1/2-1 cup oil

salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

In a pot add some water. Bring to a boil. Add cilantro bunch . Blanch for a few seconds.

Remove and place in cold water. Drain cilantro and pat dry. Place cilantro in a food processor or blender. Pulse a few seconds. Turn on and drizzle oil until smooth. Let sit for a few hours.

The oil will separate and come to the top. Drain oil through a fine strainer(trying not to disturb the solids at the bottom). You can also strain it over a coffee filter...it might take a while to filter, but you will get a nice clean oil. Season oil with salt. It brings out the flavor. Use the solids for a marinade....

You can try adding some garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice.