Oh my....you can make some very yummy Salsa OR the best ever Texas Caviar... as follows:

2 (16 oz.) cans Black Eyed Peas- drained and rinsed
1\2 cup Apple Cider vinegar ( No Substitute)
1\4 cup Veg. Oil
1\2 cup finely chopped Onions
1\2 cup finely chopped Green Bell Peepers
1\2 cup finely chopped fresh Cilantra ( No Substitute)
2-4 finely chopped cloves of Garlic
1\2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Mix all ingredeints and marinate for 3-4 days invert and mix 2 or 3 times to mix well.Serve with Tortilla chips or crackers

Enjoy!

3 things I do a lot:

Guacamole - rip up a handful of leaves and mash with 2 avocados, one half a chopped medium onion, juice of 1 lime, salt to taste, and a dash of red pepper.

Chicken and/or veggie Kabobs - make a marinade
* 2/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
* half cup lime juice
* 1/4 - 1/3 cup canola oil
* 2 tablespoons minced garlic
* tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
* tablespoon fresh grated ginger (optional)
* 1/3 cup sugar, honey or agave
* 1/2 tsp salt
Cut chicken into 3/4 inch cubes and a couple of onions and colored peppers into 3/4 inch slices. Thread on skewers and grill or broil about 8 min each side. Simmer extra marinade for 5 minutes to create sauce.

Cilantro- Lime rice - mix a handful of chopped cilantro leaves with white or brown rice. Toss with lime juice, oil, and salt to taste. (this is like the rice they serve at Chipotle).

If you cook a lot, just use it in salads, sauces, soups, salsa, tacos, guacamole, pesto, what ever. I honestly don't like the flavor of the leaves, but I love the stalks and seeds. I use the stalks every time I make stock. I make a big batch once every other month out of what ever I have as left overs, just freeze all your produce scraps and when you have enough buy some oxtail, marrow bone, chicken necks, fish and make some stock. Season however you want and freeze the batch. So much better than the store baught stuff and it's actually cheaper!
You can dry it, freeze it, or give it away, whatever.

Cilantro is an essential ingredient in Latin American cuisine as well as S.E. Asian. The seeds, the leaves and even the root is used. The leaves are best used uncooked, in salads or added to soups just before eating. I use them often in marinades. The seeds (Coriander) are ground and used in many ways, from hummus to pastries. The roots are used in curries in Thai food. I use it a lot, but I have a hard time growing it. :o)
john

Cilantro likes a dry climate, so it doesn't do well here in the summer. I grow it in the winter months. Culantro does much better in the summer here and tastes similar, but I found the leaves sometimes sharp on the tongue unless it's chopped fine, which I am often lazy to do.lol

We grow a lot of cilantro and what we do with it is make Pesto....well technically it would be Pistou as we don't add the pine nuts. Yes I know pesto is made with basil but can be made from cilantro as well. You just add the cilantro to a food processor and drizzle in olive oil until it is a puree and add garlic as well and salt and pepper to taste. We dose it out on cookie sheets by the cupful and freeze it then bag it up. You can use it many different ways in cooked dishes or by itself. If you want cheese in it wait till you thaw individual portions.

Try it, and you will love it. We do the same with basil in the summer.

I chop it very fine, pack ice cube trays with it, pour in water, and freeze. I find that one cube is usually enough for a pot of whatever you're cooking.

Don't forget....the seeds are actually Coriander, but the plant is Cilantro! ;)

I just adore Cilantro. It has such a wonderful and fresh taste. I think it's weird that Ina Garten (the chef- who I adore) loathes/hates it.

We use cilantro to make a kind of salsa fresca for taco and burrito night. I chop a large bunch of cilantro, mix it with an equal amount of chopped tomatoes, and a chopped purple onion (maybe), and add lime juice and salt to taste.

I'm with Ina. I think it tastes like soap, but that's very interesting about liking the stems, Bob1016. I'll have to try them.

Cilantro-Jalapeno-Lime Mayonnaise (great with fish or shrimp tacos!) You could substitute milder chilies if you wish.
-1 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
-2 TBSP lime juice or margarita mix
-2 TBSP white vinegar
-1 rinsed and stemmed jalapeno (seeds removed)
-1 peeled garlic clove
-1/2 c. lightly packed cilantro
-1/4 tsp pepper

*Put all ingredients in blender or food processor. Whirl till smooth add salt to taste.
Makes 2 1/4 Cups.

Oh good LORD have mercy on my soul. I might gain 10 pounds from reading that recipe. I hate mayo - but THAT sounds amazing and worth slopping on EVERYTHING! oh.... especially fish on the grill...mmmmmmmmm

I bet you could use plain yogurt instead of mayo. It would probably be healthier too. I might try that next time.

Indian Mango Chutney

1 mango peeled seeded
1 bunch cilantro stems and all rinsed
1/2 inch ginger peeled (more will make it hotter)
1/2 to 1 tsp cumin to your taste
salt
1 juiced lemon
1 HOT pepper seeded (to your taste)

Blend in blender (add a tiny bit of water if it won't go around)

This is a classic recipie for the green chutney on the table in Indian restaurants and in every home. A tomato can be used instead of a mango, its just less sweet.