ironchef
Executive Chef
jennyema said:I still disagree that they are interchangable. Why would you put parsley in salsa if someone hated cilantro? It would change the taste. Why not leave it out?
I think chicken with tomato sauce, lime and cilantro sounds good. But was there also basil and oregano or rosemary?
I still can't think of a recipe besides that salad where IMO they are interchangeable.
Ok, let's try this again...
Let's just say that I don't like the FLAVOR of Cilantro. I like the COLOR it brings to dishes that it is used in, and I like the FRESHNESS that it brings to a dish as well, but it's a little to strong for my taste.
Now, what could I possibly add to a dish which would give me the same COLOR and FRESHNESS, but is much milder so it would not drastically change the taste of the dish in a negative way. Basil? No. Shiso? No. Tarragon? No. I would use either flat-leaf or regular parsley. Why? It's substantially more mild in flavor, and I can get the same COLOR that I can get with Cilantro without the FLAVOR of Cilantro.
Now if I hated the FLAVOR of ALL types of parsley, I would omit everything. The point for using flat-leaf as a substitue is not for people who LIKE cilantro, it's for people who DON'T like cilantro.
Will adding Italian Parsley change the flavor of the dish? YES! But that in itself, is the whole point because for arguments sake, I don't like cilantro.
Would I substitute it personally? No. But if all I had was Italian Parsley, and/or I was cooking for people who didn't like Cilantro, I would substitute it. Can it work for every recipe that includes Cilantro? Of course not. But you can use it as a substitue for people who DON'T like Cilantro in the following recipes:
Ceviche
Salsa
Soups
Marinades
Vinaigrettes/Mignonettes