Cilantro Sauce
“I didn’t like cilantro to begin with,” he said. “But I love food, and I ate all kinds of things, and I kept encountering it. My brain must have developed new patterns for cilantro flavor from those experiences, which included pleasure from the other flavors and the sharing with friends and family. That’s how people in cilantro-eating countries experience it every day.”
“So I began to like cilantro,” he said. “It can still remind me of soap, but it’s not threatening anymore, so that association fades into the background, and I enjoy its other qualities. On the other hand, if I ate cilantro once and never willingly let it pass my lips again, there wouldn’t have been a chance to reshape that perception.”
Cilantro itself can be reshaped to make it easier to take. A Japanese study published in January suggested that crushing the leaves will give leaf enzymes the chance to gradually convert the aldehydes into other substances with no aroma.
Sure enough, I’ve found cilantro pestos to be lotion-free and surprisingly mild. They actually have deeper roots in the Mediterranean than the basil version, and can be delicious on pasta and breads and meats. If you’re looking to work on your cilantro patterns, pesto might be the place to start.
Adapted from “The New Portuguese Table,” by David Leite (Clarkson Potter, 2009)
Time: 30 minutes
1/2 cup whole almonds, shelled
3 cups cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 2 bunches), rinsed
1 or 2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
2/3 cup grated aged sheep’s milk cheese like Nisa, Serpa or pecorino-Toscano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roast nuts on a sheet until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. When cool, transfer to a food processor with the cilantro and garlic to taste.
2. Process until nuts are coarsely ground; scrape sides if needed. With motor on, add oil in fine stream; pulse until smooth. Turn off motor, add cheese and pulse several times until just mixed. If too thick, add oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve right away with pasta, grilled meats, vegetables or soups, or freeze.
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