Frozen Cilantro Cubes

Cilantro is a delicious herb that can be included in almost any recipe -- salsa, spaghetti, taco meat, salads, dips, etc. It adds a fresh, bright flavor to your food and also has a few health benefits; it is rich in antioxidants, reduces bad cholesterol, and contains lots of minerals.
The only thing that drives me crazy about fresh cilantro is the limited shelf life. Like most fresh foods, if you don't use it quick enough it will go bad way too fast. Fresh cilantro doesn't contain any preservatives so after a week, I find it in my vegetable drawer all slimy and wilty. Thank goodness it's cheap but I hate wasting food!!
I heard from a friend that Trader Joe's sells frozen cilantro cubes in a little pack, although I'm not sure of the price; all I know is that I can buy a bunch of cilantro at Fred Meyer for .50¢ - .70¢ -- so I wondered, how can I make my own frozen cilantro cubes? Here is my little experiment...


What you need:
2 bunches fresh, perky cilantro
Olive oil
Ice cube tray
Food processor/blender


What to do:

1. Cut off the stems from the end of the cilantro bunch up until the very bottom leaves. The stems are edible so don't worry about removing the leaves from the upper stems. 

2. the cilantro in cold water and pat it dry with a paper towel or spin it in a salad spinner.

3. Put the remaining leaves and stems in your food processor or blender along with a little bit of olive oil.

4. Puree the mixture until smooth. Add additional olive oil if necessary until everything is blended and to your liking. 

5. Fill the ice cube tray with the cilantro mixture and place in the freezer until frozen. If the mixture is a little low in the tray, add a little water or olive oil on top to fill it up. 

6. Pop out the cilantro cubes and store them in an airtight container until ready for use.



**Here is a little follow up:
I have used all my cilantro cubes and I want more! I used them in taco meat, chili and enchiladas and they are excellent. The flavor kept very well and it was so quick and easy. 

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