28 December 2007

For Melisa

A few years ago, this plant was the subject of yet another British/American Moment of Extreme Embarrassment when I exclaimed loudly the little green leaf was called cilantro. Not, what did you say? Coriander?

I know spend my time clearing cultural mind fields. Americans should know where not to step. I can be your guide. It’s called Coriander over here. Cilantro back home. That’s about as cartographic as I’m going to get. I never said I was a good guide. But now we know what its name, we can use it to save Fantasia! Oh Atreyu!

[ten points for spotting the reference above]

Of the thousand of uses for coriander, my most recent concoction is a simple salad to be eaten with humus. Yum!

The Tool Kit:

Handful of flat parsley leaves
Half the size handful of Coriander leaves
Juice of half a lemon
smidgen of Olive oil

Roughly chop or tear the leaves into a nice pile and add the lemon juice. Sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and serve with crusty or flat bread and humus.

This takes 2 minutes, and tends to be an “Oh sh*t” moment solution when you’ve had that extra drop of sherry before finishing off the dinner.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Delightful! and for me...awe!

They call it cilantro to distinguish the leaves from the flower which is called by the proper name, coriander. At least thats what the invading wild growing sweet smelling plants in my unkempt garden tell me. That and the seed makes for a fine cure for a toothache. Bite and press firmly but don't chew.

I'm going to try the salad and i'll let you know what i think...

adoration always,
Meli