Carol: Cilantro – you either love it or hate it! I use it when making fresh salsa and in one of my favorite recipes, Marinade for Grilled Chicken Salad. Why do some people not like the taste and what are some possible substitutions? Cilantro contains a chemical and how you interpret the taste of this compound, according to the latest news, is partially due to genetics. Thoroughly crushing or chopping the cilantro helps break down the chemical. Cooking it, also helps lessen the effects of the herb. I’ve noticed this with the Marinade for Grilled Chicken Salad recipe. The cilantro flavor is not as strong as when it use it fresh in salsa. You can try substituting fresh parsley with a little basil or oregano (depending on the taste that you are trying to achieve). One substitution I have been using with this marinade recipe in particular is chopped, fresh celery leaves. The flavor mixes well with the other ingredients and we like it just as well as the original recipe! If you have been afraid the try the recipe, give this substitution a try.
Carol Santee
Carol is the co-author of the Big Book of Freezer Cooking and the author of 30 Day Gourmet’s Slow Cooker Freezer Favorites, Freezer Lunches To Go and Healthy Freezer Cooking eBooks. She is a computer information specialist and works for a computer software company.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.