Back from La Ventana

I'm back in Hood River, and excited that spring is getting closer everday.  Days are getting longer.  I wandered around my garden.  The Snowdrops are blooming.  That's certainly hopeful.  In my vegetable garden I have cilantro.....  That wonder herb.  Luckily the Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Mexicans use it in their cooking.  I try to make it stretch by making an easy salsa that I can put in all those cuisines.  Heat a metal pan, add garlic to taste, add chiles of choice dried or fresh, (I use whatever I have still from summer), and dried tomatoes from summer (this is optional) and roast them 'til soft.  You can add oil but I never do.  Put these in a blender, add a little water & blend.  At the end add a little cilantro.  I store in a small jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, but you know it goes fast.  I like to make it really spicy so I can punch any dish if I want to.  I learned this from a Mexican, and make it often.  Once you start using it you will add it to everything...... even Italian cooking if you take the cilantro out.  Yum!!