What can completely change the taste of a dish? The spice! These aromatic ingredients that come in the form of herbs (fresh or dried) and spices, when added to recipes make all the difference in the aroma and flavor of meals. Just as salt and pepper form the basis of spices, supporting the flavors and ensuring that the other ingredients can stand out, herbs and spices bring personality to the dish, transforming recipes and flavors according to their texture, aroma or flavor.
They can often carry a historical heritage or the origin of a recipe, as many are characteristic of certain countries or places and often associated with the cuisine of these regions. On other occasions, they refer to a recipe or dish that we already tasted and that marked in our memory, precisely because it presents that characteristic flavor.
The use of spices in gastronomy could not be more versatile, as the available spice options are numerous and the way to combine them requires boldness and knowledge, skills that one only acquires by practicing. Best of all, there is no right or wrong, it all depends on your taste, your mood and your culinary identity. No rules, no barriers or prejudices.
Getting out of the ordinary has become a common practice when talking about culinary practices. Ingredients not so well known or used become part of the preparation of dishes that sharpen the palate and bring fresh air to even the most traditional meals.
Different seasonings to include in your recipes
For the chefs Helena and Lucio Manosso, both participants of the first edition of the TV show? Masterchef Brasil? and owners of Salt & Pepper Consultoria Culinaria, the use of spices in gastronomy can be compared to paints in a painting: as well as colors, seasoning options are plentiful, varying according to the taste of the cook. Here is a list of spices that are little used but have great possibilities to increase the meal, along with tips from professionals on how to use them and recipe suggestions:
Read also: 14 tips for changing your cooking habits and preparing healthier meals
Celery
Also known as celery, it is a vegetable with a striking and very aromatic flavor. Its stem is widely used in the preparation of broths and bottoms, as well as soups and traditional chicken salpicão. Can leaves come in as a base for a vegetable stir-fry? guides the professionals.
Revenue:
- Chicken Salpicão: In this recipe, celery stalks are used as a resource to bring more crispness to the recipe.
- Celery Risotto: Here, in addition to using the stalks in the recipe, its leaves also complement the decoration of the dish.
Caper
Best known for its preserves, the caper is originally from the Mediterranean region. It goes well with fish and seafood and is indispensable in the sauce that goes with the meat carpaccio ?, explains the chefs.
Also read: 15 Healthiest Supermarket Foods
Revenue:
- Salmon with caper sauce: Great option to accompany a salmon, here the sauce is simple and has practical preparation.
- Carpaccio with caper sauce: The trick of this sauce is to knead the capers: this makes their flavor more pronounced.
Leek
The culinarians clarify that the leek is a bulb of the same family of onion and garlic, but more delicate flavor than their cousins. It can be eaten raw in salads or as a base in sauteed and soups, as well as quiches and pies.
Revenue:
- Leek Quiche: Leek is the star of this quick and easy recipe.
- Carrot and Leek Cloud: Great for those days that require light meals, use few ingredients, and look great with a grilled chicken.
Alfavaca
Known as basil or basil, it is an aromatic herb widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. Its leaves are delicate and should not be subjected to high temperatures, but used to finish the dishes. "It blends well with fish and pasta and is the main ingredient in pesto sauce," says professionals.
Revenue:
- Caprese Salad: With a gourmet look, this salad has a simple execution and accented flavor due to the use of alfavaca.
- Pesto sauce: Italian basic recipe where alfavaca or basil is the main ingredient.
star anise
Of Chinese origin, it has a strong anise flavor and aroma. Mainly used in marinades, broths and soups, it goes well with pork and duck. For Helena and Lucio, this is one of the spice ingredients called Five Spices, widely used in Chinese cooking.
Revenue:
- Shrimp with saffron sauce and star anise: used sauteed in the spice seasoning, adds its characteristic flavor to the accompaniment of the shrimp.
- Aromatic duck with walnut rice and crumbs: A great choice for the New Year's Eve supper, the duck can also be replaced with another bird without changing the end result.
Cardamom
? Spice from India and Sri Lanka, it is from the same ginger family and is usually sold in the form of green or powdered berries. In the case of berries, it is necessary to break them to release the seeds from inside. In Arab countries, it is consumed with coffee, but can be used in marinades, broths and as a component of seasoning mixes, as well as sweets, ice cream and fruits in syrup ?, explain the chefs.
Revenue:
- Chicken with cinnamon and cardamom rice: a typical dish from the Jerusalem region, is all made in a frying pan, increasing its practicality.
- Kanelbullar: sweet bread made with cinnamon and caramom: traditional sweet bread from Sweden, very common in the country. Made with thin dough and accented cinnamon flavor.
Cumin
Professionals clarify that this spice originated from the Mediterranean, is widely used in Mexican and Bahian cuisines. It has strong and striking flavor, can be found in the form of grains and powder. It goes well with red meat and is used as an ingredient in seasoning mixes such as Indian curry.
Revenue:
- Onion and cumin bread: Cumin makes this bread even more aromatic and tasty.
- Beef and Cumin Strips: An easy-to-make recipe that brings cumin as the main flavor enhancer for rump strips.
Curry
In fact curry is a mixture of various spices whose origin goes back to 4000 BC India. Legend has it that every Indian family has its own curry recipe. Among the basic ingredients are cumin, ginger, turmeric (responsible for the yellow color), cloves, cinnamon, anise and peppers of various kinds, among other spices. It goes well with chicken and vegetables, but due to its strong personality, it should be used sparingly,? warn the bosses.
Revenue:
- Lentil Curry with Chicken and Vegetables: Mixing ingredients like lentil, chicken and vegetables, this dish is easy to prepare and serves up to 4 people.
- Indian Curry Chicken: Traditional recipe which has numerous versions. In this, the curry sauce is based on natural yogurt.
Ginger
Professionals report that this is a spice widely used in Asian cooking in general, especially in Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine. It has a spicy flavor and can be used in both salty and sweet preparations. Also found in crystallized form, it is a main ingredient of the traditional Christmas gingerbreads typical of England and the United States. Another tip is to use it in our Brazilian caipirinha, macerated together with lemon and sugar.
Revenue:
- Carrot and Ginger Rice: A great choice for varying your daily meal, ginger leaves a mild aroma. Ideal dish to accompany grills
- Ginger and Rum Cookie: Also known as Joe Frogger, has its origins in Massachusetts and honors a famous resident. They have a crispness to please even the most demanding.
Nutmeg
Originally from the small islands off the coast of Indonesia, it was one of the most prized spices in the Middle Ages due to its culinary and medicinal use. As a warning, practitioners explain that consuming more than 5g of nutmeg powder can lead to hallucinations and motor runaway, but this amounts to consuming more than one whole nut at a time. In usual quantities, it presents no problem. It is sold in the form of fruit (nut) and should be grated at the time of use in order to preserve its aroma and flavor. Combines well with mashed potatoes, bechamel sauce and fruit jams or chocolate mousse.
Revenue:
- Spice brigadeiro: by exchanging chocolate for cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, this brigadeiro gets a new flavor.
- Piamontese rice: a great option to the usual rice, this rice is accompanied by white sauce (bechamel sauce) and mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Paprika
Made from dried and ground peppers, it is widely used in Hungarian and German cuisine. Depending on the raw material used, it may have a milder (sweet paprika) or spicy flavor. Goulash's main ingredient is also widely used in Spanish and Mexican cuisine ?, inform Helena and Lucio.
Revenue:
- Goulash: Original Hungarian recipe, but very popular in Germany, is a meat stew that uses both sweet and spicy paprika.
- Roasted Chicken with Paprika and Garlic: Using thighs and chicken breast, spicy paprika and garlic bring even more flavor to the dish. Ideal for a family lunch.
Poppy
For the bosses, its use is not so widespread because the plant is related to opium, hallucinogenic substance obtained from the stem (latex) of the green plant.Poppy seeds have no connection to opium, are obtained from the mature plant and are mainly used to flavor breads, cakes, cookies and pies, and fruit salads.
Revenue:
- Sicilian Lemon Cake with Poppy Seeds: Combined with lemon, poppy seeds enrich the look and taste of this cake.
- Tagliatelle with poppy seed and raw ham: adds flavor and makes the dough more crispy when tasted.
Cumarí Pepper
Pepper of Brazilian origin, typical of the southeastern states. Its small, rounded grains, green in color, have moderate ardor and characteristic flavor. They are ideal for use in preserves, sauces and marinades for seasoning beef or pork, professionals say.
Revenue:
- Baked and Stuffed Kibe Recipe: Quick and easy to make, simply assemble the kibe and bake it. The coumari pepper in conjunction with the black pepper makes the flavor even more special.
- Shrimp stew with chayote: making the shrimp sauce spicier, the cumarí pepper enhances the flavor of this crustacean so appreciated in our cuisine.
Sage
Pungent flavor, it is widely used in Italian cuisine, where it appears in the classic saltimboca alla Romana. Because it is delicate, it should always be used fresh, preferably combined with a source of fat, such as butter or olive oil. Matches well with pasta, cheese and vegetables. Is a fettuccine finished in butter with a little sage and pecorino cheese among the simplest and most sensational recipes in Italian cuisine?
Revenue:
- Fresh sage and butter sauce: A constant presence in Italian dishes, this sauce is a great choice for pasta.
- Chicken with sage and orange: Added to the sauce and orange and garlic, sage brings freshness and softness to roasted chicken.
Thyme
• Aromatic herb with a pleasant taste, can be found fresh or dried (dehydrated). It can be used to flavor broths, marinades, potatoes and risottos. It also works well as a spice for red meat, poultry, and tomato sauces?
Revenue:
- Rump steak with thyme and garlic: Great choice for adding flavor and beauty to your grill. It is used during the preparation and finishing of the dish.
- Thyme Rice: Used to taste rice, is great accompaniment to meat and salads.
How to mix spices
The bottoms and broths are fundamental preparations in the kitchen, as they serve as the basis for so many recipes, from sauces to marinades and infusions. Contrary to popular belief, preparing them is not complicated and the taste and aroma of freshly made broths are infinitely better compared to ready-made broths. Not to mention that they are much healthier, since they use less sodium and no preservatives.
In the pursuit of healthier eating and the trend toward phasing out industrialized foods and products, making your own spice mix can be a great option. For this purpose, culinary consultants Lucio and Helena teach varied recipes to facilitate when seasoning your meals:
Beef or Chicken Broth
Ingredients
- 1 kg of bone-in meat (for broth, ossobuco or ribs; for chicken broth, carcasses and thighs)
- 1.5 liters of water
- 1 coarsely chopped onion
- 1 coarsely chopped carrot
- 1 stalk of coarsely chopped celery 4 cloves of crushed garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 bouquet garni (herbs such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, leek leaves, wrapped in a bouquet shape and tied with culinary string)
Way of doing
Put all ingredients in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil until boiling begins. At this point, it is important to reduce the fire to ensure slow boiling, as this allows for better flavor extraction and a more transparent broth. With a slotted spoon, remove the impurities (foam) that forms on the surface of the liquid. Boil for about 45 to 60 minutes. Strain the liquid into a fine mesh sieve. If the broth is not to be used immediately, cool in an ice bath to 4ºC and freeze. Lasts up to 30 days in the freezer.
Herbal salt
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dehydrated parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemmon pepper (seasoning with black pepper and lemon)
Way of doing
To prepare the herbal salt, simply beat everything in the processor (or grinder) until the mixture is homogeneous. Store in airtight jar for up to 30 days.
Seasoning Mix for Meat
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ tablespoon spicy paprika powder
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried pepperoni pepper
- 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
Way of doing
Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed container away from moisture. This mixture can be used to season red meats in general, but it goes well with beef. Can be stored in airtight pot for up to 30 days.
Poultry Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- 1 inch piece of peeled and chopped fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon coriander grains
- ½ minced seedless finger pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ orange (juice and zest)
Way of doing
Place all ingredients (except liquids) in a mortar and punch well until you have a fine textured paste. Add the liquids and mix until a homogeneous paste. Use next.
These suggestions make it even easier to introduce these spices into everyday meals and risk discovering new flavors in the kitchen.
Fish Seasoning (Herbs & Spice) Recipe (April 2024)
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