Fermented Cilantro Pesto, Preserving the Freshness
Got Cilantro? Make Pesto! Then Ferment it!
I leave enough cilantro in the garden each year and it self-seeds. So yes, I have cilantro!
Then, if you leave it too long it becomes coriander. So, while it’s still leafy, I make a fermented cilantro pesto. All the fresh flavour of cilantro, PLUS the value of fermenting it. Bring out the food processor, and put in:
7-8 cups of loosely chopped cilantro, leaves, fleshy stems and all. (discard the woody stems)
3 garlic cloves, peeled.
1 jalapeno pepper, remove the seeds if you want it mild.
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or slivered almonds or sunflower seeds)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
In a food processor, finely chop cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, pumpkin seeds and salt. Add brine (see below) as needed for consistency. Keep at it until you have a smooth paste.
2% brine, as needed (note on brine; 1 tablespoon of fine, pure sea salt in 1 liter of water makes a 2% brine. I keep a jar of this in my fridge)
Pack this into a jar, and top with just enough brine to cover, then top with a plastic bag partly filled with water to hold the pesto under the liquid. Check daily and push the pesto down with a clean spoon (or your fingers) to push out the bubbles that form.
Top with a bit of brine and the washed off plastic bag with water in it. I taste my ferments every day, and in the warm temps of this week, it was ready in 4 days.
Store in the fridge.
What do I do with it? Last night I grilled tomatoes cut in half along the equator and spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the pesto on the top of each before putting them on the BBQ. mmmmmmmmmm