Feb 17 # 6 of 112
Make your own Bouquet Garni
A classic bouquet garni, often called for in French roasts,
soups, and stews, includes:
1 part leaf thyme
1 part whole peppercorns
4 parts finely chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
Fresh or dried herbs can be used, or a combination of both.
Place herbs and seasonings in a cheesecloth square that is
tied up with clean butcher's string. For especially easy removal,
make the string extra long and tie one end to the pot's handle.
For a variation, try experimenting with rosemary, tarragon,
summer or winter savory, and whole cloves.
Feb 17 # 7 of 112
A bit on spices
Keep spices in tightly covered containers, in a cool dry place.
After about a year, spices tend to lose flavor so more may be needed for seasonings.
Overheating can cause spices to turn bitter. During lengthy cooking, add spices during the last half hour of cooking time.
Usually 1 teaspoon of dried herb equals 1 tablespoon of fresh.
Oregano is more flavorful in its dried form compared to fresh.
Rosemary is more flavorful in its fresh form compared to dried.
ALLSPICE: Flavor a blend of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Meat dishes, egg dishes, fish, gravies, pickles, relishes, tomato sauce, fruit preserves.
BASIL: Pungent, sweet aroma. Broiled and roasted meats and poultry, fish, egg dishes, soups, vegetables, tomato dishes, pasta, dressings, sauces.
BAY LEAF: Strong flavor. Stews, soups, vegetables, pickles, gravies, sauces, marinades.
CAYENNE: Red pepper, very hot. Meats, seafoods, egg and cheese dishes, soups, sauces, dips, spreads, French dressing.
CHILI POWDER: Hot, peppery blend of herbs and spices. Spanish or Mexican dishes, bean and rice dishes, barbeque and cocktail sauces, spreads, dressings, dips, egg dishes, vegetables.
CINNAMON: Sweet, spicy aroma. Breads, cookies, cakes, desserts, pastries, beverages, sauces, vegetables.
CLOVES: Strong, spicy-sweet aroma. Pork and lamb dishes, barbeque sauce, pickles, relishes, fruits, breads, cakes, cookies, desserts.
CUMIN: Strong, slightly bitter, lemon flavor. Spanish, Mexican and Eastern dishes, stews, pickles, tomato dishes.
CURRY: A blend of many spices; warm and sharp to hot and spicy. Meat, seafood, egg and cheese dishes, soups, sauces, seafood, salads, dips.
DILL SEED: Mild, slight caraway-like flavor. Meats, poultry, fish, seafood, stews, soups, salads, sauces, dressing, dips, pickles, breads, egg dishes.
GINGER: Pleasant odor, pungent taste. Oriental dishes, meats, vegetables, fruits, salad dressing, pickles, jams, marinades, breads, desserts.
MARJORAM: Spicy, sweet aroma. Roasted meats and poultry, fish and seafood, egg dishes, stews and casseroles, soups, vegetables, salads, gravies.
MUSTARD: Pungent taste.. Pickles, relishes, salad dressings, sauces, dips, egg dishes, marinades, pork and ham, corned beef.
NUTMEG: Warm, sweet, spicy flavor. Vegetables, egg dishes, beverages, breads, cookies, cakes, desserts, sauces.
OREGANO: Strong and aromatic. Italian dishes, pizza and pasta, broiled and roasted meats, fish and seafood, stews and casseroles, egg dishes, tomato sauces, soups, vegetables, salads, salad dressings.
PAPRIKA: Varies from mild, slightly sweet to hot; adds colour to many dishes. Meats, poultry, salad dressings, dips, vegetables, soups and salads.
PARSLEY: Mild flavor. Brings out the flavor of most non-sweet foods.
ROSEMARY: Sweet, spicy, pine-like fragrance. Roasted meat and poultry, fish, stews, casseroles, stuffings, salads, breads, egg dishes.
SAGE: Strong, slightly bitter. Roasted meats and poultry, fish, stuffings, vegetables, cheese dishes, salads, gravies, sauces.
Posted By: The Ironic Chef
Feb 17 # 8 of 112
I cook a lot of Italian Style foods and have noticed many Italian Seasonings of a blend of different herbs on the market. I have at times even used Italian Salad dressing mix for a quick sauce, seasoning for meatballs, a marinade for fish, steak or pork and it even works well at times for a nice spicy pizza. Sprinkle a bit of Italian seasoning over garlic bread or even sprinkle over a dough with a splash of olive oil and roll the dough up jelly roll style, bake your bread and wow!!! Your in for a treat. For years I have used Kraft's Good Seasons Salad Dressing mix. I now make my own and use fresh herbs whenever possible.
1- teaspoon of fresh basil
1- teaspoon of fresh parsley
1- teaspoon of fresh oregano
1- teaspoon of fresh rosemary
2- cloves garlic
2 dry Italian hot red peppers, seeds and all crushed
1/2- teaspoon of salt salt
1 good sized pinch of sugar
I cheat. I like to remove the greens from the stems and course chop them, smash the garlic and then throw all these ingredients into my small food processor. If I want to make a marinade or salad dressing I add the olive oil and vinegar after I have processed the herbs.
Posted By: The Ironic Chef
Feb 17 # 10 of 112
Chili Powder – is a combination of ground spices and dried herbs. It can contain all or only some of the following and in varying ratios.
Allspice, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Ground Coriander, Ground Cloves, Dried Chilies, Ground Cumin, Dried Oregano, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Ground Mustard Seeds, Turmeric.
Chinese 5-Spice Powder –contains cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and Szechuan peppercorns. When purchasing, choose the most finely ground and the one palest in color.
Curry Powder – usually cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, dried red chilies, cinnamon, turmeric, and ground ginger. May also have paprika, cloves, saffron, fenugreek, cardamom, or fresh curry leaves.
Garam Masala – comes from north India where it is home-ground from three to eight of the spices known as “warm” spices in the Ayur Veda book of medicine. These are dried chilies, black peppercorns, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, cloves, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
Pie spice – A traditional mixture of ground sweet spices, usually allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, mace, and nutmeg.
Quatre Epices –(French) Basically a 4 spice. Peppercorns or ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, and ginger.
Curry Powders or Pastes – The English word curry comes from the Tamil work kari which means sauce, because curry powers flavor mostly sauces. In India the curries, once powdered, belong to the general category of “masalas” or spice blends, which are prepared from ground ingredients indigenous to the diverse regions of the country.
Where in India curries always contain a certain amount of sweet spices, in Thailand, only the Muslim curry contains some of those, in addition to a relatively large amount of hot chilies and strong spices.
In Thailand the mixture of curry spices is always combined with some liquid to become a paste before being added to a food preparation. When you purchase curry powder, choose one imported from India.
As curry powders contain all kinds of starchy and ligneous material, it is essential to cook them gently in oil or clarified butter to tame the raw taste of some of them. Never add curry powder to any dish without precooking it in a fat or making a paste of it with water or broth.
Ras el hanout – is used primarily in Morocco and all over the Maghreb (the north coast of Africa). It is a wonderfully fragrant powder with out which the traditional couscous has no soul. Depending on which country (morocco, Algeria, or Tunisia), the ras el hanout will vary in composition, from twelve spices in Algeria to twenty to twenty-four spices in Morocco. In Tunisia the spices are fewer but one adds dried pulverized rosebuds.
If anyone has any variations of these mixtures please share your recipes. I'd love to see them or other mixtures that you use.
IC
Where oh where would we be if not for herbs and spices, and salt??? Our poor old cavemen and women must have started the quest to improve the flavor of food many many centuries ago! I love that each culture has contributed so much....the Chinese and the people of India and the Meditteranian and on and on the list goes!