Cilantro Preserved for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you put up fresh cilantro for the winter? This simple recipe will show you how to do it quickly and easily. It has just two ingredients - or three, if you like. The main thing is that the herbs are fresh and young, so the preserve comes out as fragrant and vibrant as possible.

2. Step 2:

   

   Sort the cilantro carefully, removing any wilted, yellow, or spoiled leaves, and cut off the roots. Check especially carefully for insects and dirt. We don't want the former in our food at all, and dirt can spoil the preserve. Soil can also harbor the botulism pathogen, which can have unfortunate consequences. Wash the herbs well and dry them on a paper towel - they should be completely dry.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the glass jars thoroughly in hot water with baking soda and rinse them. Then sterilize the jars however is convenient for you. If the jars are small, I like to sterilize them in the microwave. Pour a little water into the clean jars and heat at full power for 5 minutes, then drain and dry them. You can also do this in the oven or over steam. Boil the metal lids for 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil, then dry them.

4. Step 4:

   

   Chop the dried cilantro as you would for a salad and pack it very tightly into the jars, up to the shoulders. Then pour vegetable oil over the herbs. No air should be left in the jar, or the preserve will spoil very quickly. If you like, you can mix the vegetable oil with coarse, non-iodized salt and pour that over the jars. Use any deodorized (refined) vegetable oil - unrefined oil will overpower the cilantro's aroma.

5. Step 5:

   

   It's best to store this cilantro preserve in the fridge on the bottom shelf. Once a jar is opened, use it up within the next few days. Enjoy!