Cilantro is a unique herb that goes by a a few names, Cilantro, Chinese Parsley and Coriander.  The leaves are typically the part called Cilantro and are used mostly fresh.  Typically the berries of the plant are dried and sold as Coriander in either seed or ground as a powder.  While they come from the same plant, the seeds bring a little more subtle flavor, more in line with Cumin.

STYLES
Cilantro is an herb that is found in many cuisines from Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean, Indian, Mexican, Chinese and Caribbean cuisines.  It is native to most continents and is one of the first herbs that was cultivated to be used as an herb.

FLAVOR PROFILE AND USES
The flavor of Cilantro is very unique.  It brings a light lemon/lime flavor with a brightness that lends itself well to acidic foods.  Cilantro’s flavor will deteriorate as it is heated, so it is an herb that is best added just before a dish is finished.

Use with fish, chicken, and other light foods.  It is commonly found in salsas and marinades from Latin American dishes, to being pureed and used as a pesto-like dish called Chimichurri.  (Garlic, Olive Oil, Vinegar and pepper).  Also a big component in Indian cuisine, bringing a lot of flavor to dishes like Masala and other curries.

FRESH vs. DRIED
This herb, being one whose flavor is relatively fresh and bright, also happens to have flavor that is delicate.  Much to McCormick’s dismay,  I cannot recommend using this in its dried form.  I have even tried to dry it myself, but it just does not keep its original flavor close to what the fresh version is like.  If you need to use something, I would add in some lime juice and substitute ground Coriander in a pinch.  Don’t waste the valuable room in your spice drawer with the dry version.

STORAGE
To keep fresh herbs longer, wrap them in a wet towel and store in the the warmer parts of your refrigerator, not the coldest.  On your counter in some water will give you a few hours, but not much more.   If you have to keep for extended times, chop fine or make Chimichurri, and freeze in single serve size bags.  It will keep for up to three months.

GROWING IT AT HOME
Growing Cilantro can be a bit difficult, compared to much more prolific herbs like Basil.  I found that Cilantro, in my Northeast climate, provided a decent amount of leaves when cut back periodically and kept from growing flowers.  It really did not last too long, and replenishment was slow.  So I would say, this is a great herb to buy in the store.  Also be sure to wash it, as it tends to favor growing low, and in sandy soils.

So give Cilantro a chance, and add it to your culinary quiver!
Chris

DRY MARINADE
Also knows as rubs, its the dry marinade’s job can vary depending on the the product. Usually containing salt, one job can be to actually wick moisture out of the product. Moisture can be fats and water. This is how we cure things, for instance. It can also be used as a crust to protect foods from harsher cooking methods.

Usually a dry marinade consists od herbs, spices, salt, and some aromatics. In some cases we will mix the marinade with oil to form a paste which we can spread on the food, then allow to sit and absorb flavors. These marinades don’t really do much to the food itself like its wet counterpart.

A Dry Marinade for Seafood
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup 1/2 cup 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 2 teaspoons 1 tablespoon 2 tablespoons

Kosher Salt Brown Sugar Onion Powder Garlic Powder Cumin Black Pepper Coriander Olive Oil

1. Mix ingredients together well and spread onto fish.
2. Marinate for at least 1 hour, scrape off the majority of marinade before cooking

WET MARINADE
The wet marinade is most useful when you need to both tenderize a tough cut, and you want to add some flavor. Typically speaking a wet marinade should have salt, oil and an acid. The salt and acids work together to break down the food, kind of a tug-of-war on the connective tissues. The larger the piece, the longer it should marinate to be most effective.

Wet marinades can also be used as the base for a sauce, and for basting during the cooking process. If you choose to make a sauce with the marinade, you have to be sure to heat the sauce-to-be past 170° for more than 30 seconds to be safe. Typically I do not recommend it because of the cross-contamination risks it poses. Keep it for basting, and leave it at that in my book.

A Brine is another type of marinade with a very specific job to do. We will get into that later!

A Wet Marinade for Flank Steak
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon

French Dressing Olive Oil Red Wine Vinegar Kosher Salt Black Pepper Chopped Garlic Chopped Shallots

1. Mix ingredients together well and spread onto fish.
2. Marinate for 2-3 hours in a plastic zip-top bag with air removed
3. Turn once or twice throughout the process.
4. Remove from bag, and use the leftover sauce for basting.
5. Cook as desired. A low and slow grill is my choice!

There are two things that top my list for Best Ever Foods, one is Foie Gras, the other is White Truffles.  There is something about the earthy goodness of the Truffle that just makes them wonderful.  These particular eggs made a splash at my recreation of the Last Meal on the Titanic dinner.

Now before you get scared off by thinking Truffles cost $1,000 a pound (they do at my Wegman’s), there is a great way to get their flavor, without the cost, in White Truffle Oil. 

White Truffle Infused Deviled Eggs
Makes 12, serves 4-6

1. Begin by cooking your eggs, peeling them, and allowing them to cool for at least 3 hours, if not overnight.
2. In a food processor, blend all of the ingredients, except chives, by pulsing a few times, and scraping the bowl, it should be a creamy consistency.
3. Place into a pastry bag, and pip into the egg white shells.
4. Garnish with chives.

Note: If you really want to go all out, sprinkle the top with some Black Truffle shavings.

Egg Salad Provençal
Makes 2 cups, about 4 servings.

Begin by hard boiling the eggs and allowing them to cool in the fridge at least 3 hours, overnight if possible.

Make the Saffron Aoili

1. Begin by soaking the Saffron in the warm water for about 15 minutes. 
2. In a bowl of a cuisinart or one that is deep for using a mixer, place the egg yolks, garlic, dijon, lemon juice, and salt. 
3. Whisk to incorporate the ingredients (or pulse the machine, then set to low)
4. Slowly pour the Olive oil into the mix in a very thin stream.  This should take about 1 minute to pour.
5. Pour the saffron water in a gently whisk it to incorporate.  This can be made ahead.

Make the Salad

1. Mix all of the remaining ingredients except the peppers and the eggs in a bowl with a whisk.
2. Fold in the tomatoes and eggs gently so as not to break the pieces or discolor the salad.
3. Spread on rustic bread, open faced and serve.  Garnish with some finely chopped Chervil or Tarragon.
4. This also makes a wonderful topping for a seared piece of Tuna.
5. Store covered with plastic pressed to the surface tightly.

If you want to make a great, basic deviled egg, delete the celery, add in 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, cut the mayo in half, and mix with the yolks, then pop in the egg white shells!

Chris’ Egg Salad Dijon
Makes 16 ounces, about 4 servings

1. Begin by cooking your eggs, peeling them, and allowing them to cool for at least 3 hours, if not overnight.
2. Mix all of the ingredients except the celery and the eggs well with a whisk.
3. Fold in the eggs gently so as not to break everything apart.
4. Store with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the salad to give it some longer life, for about 4 days.

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
Makes 12, serves 4-6

1. Begin by hard boiling the eggs and allowing them to cool overnight, or at least a few hours.  Cut them in half, and reserve the whites.
2. Place the ingredients, except the chives, in a food processor, and pulse a few times, scraping down in between until smooth.
3. Place in a pastry bag with a medium tip, and pipe into the egg white shells.  Chill and serve with fresh chives on top!

PHYSICAL CONTAMINATIONS
Physical contamination is pretty straight forward, this is when something enters food that does not belong there.  These can be shavings from can openers, pieces of cookware, hair, dirt or plastic.

You can prevent these pretty easily by making sure there are no loose things on your person, making sure your hair is restrained, and that your area is free from exposure to things that could fall in.

In a restaurant, we do take this very seriously, and when I have a complaint that deals with something in food that doesn’t belong, I am more upset than any other time.  These can be prevented most of the time by proper washing and care of food.  A blinding example of this is when glass breaks in a restaurant, we will throw out any and all food that was even close to the event.  It is better to throw out hundreds of dollars in food, than to risk injuring a guest.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINATIONS
Chemical contaminations are usually caused by chemicals getting mixed in with foods.  This can be caused by chemicals being stored near foods, or cleaning overspray around cooked or cooking foods.  As a whole, keep your chemicals away from food at all times.  They should be stored in separate locations, and chemicals should NEVER be stored above foods.  Make sure to not spray any chemicals around foods while preparing them.  Lastly, be sure to rinse containers well after cleaning them.

BIOLOGICAL
Chemicals consist of toxins, chemicals, and even chemical reactions.  Toxins are found in plants like Rhubarb leaves, Hemlock, and certain mushrooms.  Toxins are especially dangerous and cannot be removed by cooking or freezing, therefore, the only way to keep food safe, is to keep free of them.  Never eating a mushroom that is picked in the wild.

Chemical reactions cause toxic reactions depending on situations.  Copper is a prime example of a toxic metal that actually can have a reaction when mixed with acidic foods.  Zinc or galvanized products can also cause reactions.  Only use food grade utensils for preparing and storing food.  I would avoid shopping at Home Depot for cooking supplies.  Toxins can also occur naturally in some fish, so this is one more reason to only buy fish from reputable places.

We covered some of the biologic agents in a previous post on the micro world, and if you didn’t get a chance to read it, check it out.  What Microorganisms Need To Grow.

Read more on specific toxic metals at Wikipedia.

Keep your kitchen safe!
Chris

The key to this recipe is bread choice on this dish.  You need something that is nice and dense, otherwise the dish turns to mush, and that’s just no good.  A solid sourdough is a great choice, but I will always grab Challah anytime I can for this one.  Avoid processed breads and buy from the bakery if you can, not only is it better, it tends to cut back on some of the preservatives in the breads.

MOM’s PINEAPPLE STUFFING
Makes one 9×9 pan, serves 6-8

1/4 cup 3/4 cup 4 each 1 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon 1 can 2 cups

Butter, room temperature Sugar Eggs Vanilla Nutmeg Crushed Pineapple 14 oz. Bread Cubes, 3/4”

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until creamy
3. Add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy, scrape bowl sides
4. Add in Pineapple pieces, including juice.
5. Remove from mixed and fold in bread by hand.
6. Lightly butter a 9×9 baking dish, then add in the mixture.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes until golden brown, uncovered.
8. Remove and serve!