Cilantro

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Cilantro grows easily from seeds, or you can buy bunches of fresh cilantro and jars of dried coriander seeds in the produce and spice sections of most supermarkets. Cut stems of cilantro will keep in the refrigerator for several days in a plastic bag (clip the stem ends off and set the sprigs in a glass of water before you slip on the plastic bag). You also can freeze leaves that have been rinsed and patted dry. When frozen, cilantro leaves retain much of their flavor; when dried, leaves lose flavor. Store dry coriander seeds whole, in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place; they will keep for more than a year.

GROW YOUR OWN

A fast-growing annual, cilantro thrives in cool weather. You will find seeds widely available on retail seed racks and in mail-order catalogs. Among named varieties, `Santo' is a little slower to bolt than the species (wild) cilantro, and `Festival' and Janta' have large leaves that help them grow quickly to a mature size. When sown in the fall, established plants of any variety often survive winter in U.S. Department of Agriculture Zones 7 and 8. Where hard freezes are frequent, the plants need the protection of a plastic tunnel. In all climates, sow seeds at least twice a year where you want the plants to grow — first thing in spring and again in late summer, for a fall crop. Choose a sunny spot, and use only a little fertilizer-too much can make the leaves taste bland.

For quick germination, soak seeds in water overnight before planting out; bury the seeds about an inch deep. If too many seedlings appear, thin the plants to about 5 inches apart. Cilantro can be transplanted if the operation is conducted with minimal disturbance to the roots, but this plant grows so well when sown directly into the garden that starting seeds indoors is hardly worth the trouble. Begin picking leaves as needed when the plants are about 6 weeks old. Soon afterward (especially in spring, when days quickly become longer and warmer), the shape of the leaves becomes very thin and feathery, and the plants suddenly grow taller and prepare to flower (the process known as bolting). If you like edible flowers, try some of the tiny white blossoms sprinkled onto salads.

To harvest coriander seeds, cut the stems when about half of the seeds have changed from green to grayish-tan. Gather the stems together with a rubber band, and hang the bunch upside-down in a warm, dry place for about two weeks. To glean (harvest) the seeds, place a paper bag beneath the bunch and gently tickle the seeds from the stems. Dump the seeds into a dry pan, sort by hand and store in airtight glass jars until you're ready to plant or eat them.

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