Growing cilantro in the summer is difficult

Judi P. David has had her share of problems with growing cilantro but finally has mastered the herb.

In response to the May 18 column, David says, “I’ve had problems with cilantro, too. I’ve never been able to keep it growing for more than a couple of weeks once ‘the Great Heat’ descends. But I think I’ve found the secret.

“Cilantro is a winter herb here. It grows when turnips and mustards do, and like them, it bolts and withers in the heat. To have cilantro thrive through the summer, it needs an air-conditioned location with lots and lots of light, natural and grow-lights.

“For me, it’s just easier to buy cilantro over the summer. I start seeds in August, and it produces through April or May,” she says. “Be sure to let it flower so you can harvest the seeds, too, because there’s nothing like the flavor of homegrown, freshly ground coriander.”

David’s response came just as my daughter was bemoaning that the heavy rains nearly crushed her cilantro, but this week in our garden tomatoes and poblano peppers are doing great.

Elyssa and I enjoyed some fried green tomatoes that came straight from the garden. Most readers know that I love appliances and gadgets. Well, I finally broke down and bought a deep fryer, something I have wanted for years.

It is so much easier that frying them in the skillet. OK, so I can be lazy, but the eating was good.

Sometimes I like to make a remoulade for the tomatoes and add some boiled shrimp or fresh crab meat. This time I just did them as a side dish with a from-scratch meatloaf.

My recipe for fried green tomatoes is a simple one. I like to make a batter of flour, egg, milk and spices and dip the battered tomatoes into cornmeal that contains the same spices used in the batter. Then, the tomatoes go into the fryer or frying pan.

You can serve with or without remoulade. There are two main types of remoulade with a multitude of ingredients: a white one that has no ketchup or tomatoes, and a red one that does have ketchup or tomatoes.

Patsy Switzer offers a white remoulade in her cookbook “Lagniappe: Secrets We’re Ready to Share II.” Emeril Lagasse, in his cookbook “Louisiana Real and Rustic,” shares the red remoulade.

Ready for veggies

“I’m hoping either you or one of your readers might be able to help me out,” Lynn Tuite of Ocean Springs, Miss., said. “The vegetable medley that is served with entrees at Phoenicia in downtown Ocean Springs is absolutely delicious. Seasoned well but gently, and the veggies (zucchini, yellow squash, onion and red pepper, maybe something else) are always crisp, even as leftovers the next day. But I can’t figure out how to copycat the recipe, especially how they get the veggies ‘al dente.’ They do not seem to be sautéed. Could you please help?”

Does anyone have this recipe or a similar one?

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Growing cilantro in the summer is difficult."