Cilantro/culantro … ‘tomato/tomahto’
Whether you prefer your salsa mild or caliente, there is one ingredient which stands out in the world of culinary disputes: Cilantro! To some, this flat-leafed, feathery herb is considered extremely flavorful. To others, it is deemed distasteful or even repulsive. How is it possible the vast majority of the population describe cilantro as a fresh, citrusy and tangy enhancement for numerous recipes, while the remaining much smaller group describe it as tasting like soap or dead bugs? Yuk!
If you are part of the latter cohort, you may have a genetic olfactory sensitivity to organic compounds known as aldehydes. Your sense of smell detects the aldehyde and is immediately turned off! The good news is you can overcome this aversion by crushing the leaves prior to adding them to your recipe.
For those of us who love cilantro, growing it in our garden is a bonus, as it is included in many Asian, Caribbean, South American, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. In fact, cilantro has been a tasty ingredient in recipes dating back 8,000 years. Its seeds were said to be found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Cilantro, Coriandum sativum, also known as Chinese parsley, is a cool-season annual herb best planted in Southwest Florida in the fall for harvesting in the winter season. It is a small plant growing to about one foot in height, preferring full sun to part shade and a rich, well-draining soil. Begin harvesting the cilantro leaves when the plant reaches six inches tall. Its pinkish-white flowers form clusters known as umbels which attract pollinators and beneficial insects. After about three months, its brown fruit can be harvested, dried and threshed to reveal its seeds. The seeds are commonly known as coriander, another tasty spice valued in many recipes.
Some describe cilantro as easy to grow. I have not found this to be true for me, in the heat and humidity of Southwest Florida. Instead, I grow its cousin, Culantro, Eryngium foetidum. Culantro is a warm-season, biennial herb which allows it to last longer in our climate. Culantro smells like cilantro and has a similar, but bolder flavor.
Culantro can be added to all recipes which call for cilantro; however, a little culantro goes a long way.
Although similar in smell and taste, culantro looks very different from cilantro. The green culantro leaves are long and slender with serrated edges. I trim these edges off before adding them to recipes as their texture may be unpleasant to some.
Culantro grows well in the ground or in containers with well-draining soil and prefers shade. Harvest the older leaves first and chop finely as the leaves tend to be thicker than the feathery cilantro leaves. Its flowers are cream-colored and if allowed to go to seed, the leaves lose their flavor. Therefore, it is best to remove the flower spikes before they go to seed.
Culantro tends to be relatively free of pests and diseases. Both culantro and cilantro attract beneficial insects such as lady beetles and green lacewings. These predators will help rid your garden of aphids making culantro and cilantro excellent companion plants. Whether planting cilantro or culantro to protect your garden or enhance your salsa, you will not be disappointed.
Deborah Haggett is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. Visit us at www.gardenclubofcapecoral.com
References
Cilantro – Gardening Solutions – University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. (2018, Aug. 7). UF/IFAS. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl. edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/cilantro.html
Culantro – Gardening Solutions – University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. (2019, July 12). UF/IFAS. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/culantro.html
Fact sheet: Culantro. (2022, March 4). UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2017/05/28/fact-sheet-culantro/
Family Health Team. (2021, December 17). Love It or Hate It — The Great Cilantro Debate. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-you-love-or-hate-cilantro-the-reason-may-surprise-you/
Jonael, J. (2018, Jan. 19). Growing Cilantro in your Backyard or Small Farm as a Cool Season Crop. UF/IFAS Extension Hardee County. Retrieved August 27, 2022, from https://blogs.ifas.ufl. edu/hardeeco/2017/10/26/ growing-fresh-cilantro-garden-small-farm/
To reach DEBORAH HAGGETT, please email news@breezenewspapers.com