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Posts Tagged ‘spices’

Foodie Wedding Gifts

June 17th, 2009
 by 
Melissa. 3 Comments

Photo by Whirling Phoenix

Cooking as a newlywed couple can be pretty intimidating as well as frustrating if you don’t have the right ingredients or tools to begin with. As wedding season is in full swing, you might have found yourself looking over couple’s gift registries and wondering how to make something rather impersonal, a little more special. Two very creative friends of mine are  getting married this weekend and instead of choosing a lovely gift off their registry, I’ve decided to spice things up and give a basket of creative, lasting ingredients they may not necessarily splurge on themselves. I’m putting together a basket of flavored sea salts, high quality olive oil, gourmets sauces, specialty vinegars and a variety of spices to give them a head start on their pantry.

There is nothing better than cooking with high quality ingredients and for couples who love to cook or for couples interested in learning more about cooking, adding some specialty ingredients by themselves or along with a registry item is a fun way to inspire creativity in the kitchen.  If you would rather give an experience, rather than a tangible gift, you can find a local cooking school or gourmet grocer in their area that offers gift certificates for cooking classes, wine making or cheese making classes. Whether giving lessons, tools or ingredients to fuel inspiration, it’s fun knowing you are offering a little support to the future of  many, many meals together.

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Categories: Seasoning & Spices • Uncategorized • gift ideas 3 Comments
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Chicken Tagine With Couscous

January 18th, 2009
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 3 Comments

Normally tagines are long-simmered dishes, but when your hungry belly can’t wait, or you simply don’t have the time, you can make them relatively fast. We threw this tagine together with leftover chicken and ingredients we already had on hand. The wonderful thing about this Moroccan dish are the many fragrant spices used, creating layers of delicious flavor. We were missing dried fruits so we opted roasted red pepper for added sweetness, and threw in some mild green olives (not the martini kind), which gave it another element of color.

Chicken Tagine With Coucous

2  tablespoons  olive oil
1 chicken, skin removed and cut into chunks
1  medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mild green olives, sliced
4  large garlic cloves, minced
1  tablespoon  minced fresh ginger
1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1  teaspoon  ground turmeric
1  teaspoon  ground coriander
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
2  cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 roasted red pepper
2  small dried red chilies
2 small preserved lemons, sliced
1  teaspoon  salt
4  cups  reduced-sodium chicken broth
5  fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs plus 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2  cups  couscous
1/4  cup  lightly toasted pine nuts
1  teaspoon  grated fresh lemon zest

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from pot and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and sauté until golden. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cardamom pods, chilies, preserved lemons, olives, and salt; stir to combine.

Return chicken to pot and add 2 cups chicken broth, and parsley sprigs. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Take pot off heat and remove parsley sprigs and chilies.

For the couscous:
In a covered medium saucepan, bring remaining 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Turn off heat, stir in couscous, cover, and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover pan and fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in 2 tbsp. minced parsley, pine nuts, and lemon zest and toss to combine.

Mound couscous on a platter. Top with chicken thighs and pour sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Serves 4.

Optional ingredients: 15 apricots, sliced.

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Categories: Meat & Poultry • Moroccan • Pasta & Grains 3 Comments
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Homemade Chai Tea

December 4th, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 7 Comments

There’s something about the cooler months that seem to make spices smell more fragrant. At least to me. Here in Seattle the winter air is crisp and clean. While standing at a street corner waiting for the light to change I catch a whiff of the chai tea I cup in my cold hands. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves all find their way up to tickle my nose with their sweet aroma. Mmmmm…

I was fortunate to recently be the recipient of a little baggie of chai tea spices made by the Indian mother of a friend of a friend. I wanted the recipe but because this woman was too many degrees away from me I didn’t want to be a bother by asking. So I asked my friend Kailash, who also kindly told me how they brew it in India. Whether I can do it properly is another thing, but I certainly will try as I’m sure it’s loads better than my mass-produced teabag version.

Chai Tea

7 cups water
1 tbsp fennel seeds
6 green cardamom pods
12 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp loose leaf Orange Pekoe tea
6 plus tsp sugar
1 cup of milk (you may substitute soymilk)

With a mortar and pestle, slightly grind spices; just enough to pop them open to release their flavor and fragrance.

Add six teaspoons of sugar to the spices, combine with water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, then bring to a boil again. Reduce heat once more, then simmer until the mixture becomes saffron colored.

Add tea leaves to the water and bring to a boil again. Lower and reduce twice as you did in the first step. Add milk and bring to a boil again.

Strain into cups and serve. Add more sugar to taste if necessary.

Makes about 8 cups.

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Categories: Beverages 7 Comments
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Roasted Chicken with Anise, Tarragon and Garlic

October 21st, 2008
 by 
Tracy Sarich. 3 Comments

Photo: adactio

Last night I made an absolutely delicious roast chicken, the recipe for which I must share. It started with the desire to have rice with a yummy gravy – led me to pick up a chicken to roast – and wound up with real prize of a dish that I will certainly share with you and my future guests. The rub I created for this dish was a completely spontaneous concoction that defies exact measurement – so, read the mixture and add/substract/adjust at will. I served this roasted chicken with steamed cauliflower and plain white rice. The gravy this chick created was the best I’ve ever made. If you have suggestions for improvement – please send along.

The picture above is not mine, I did not have a camera last night – but this chicken so pretty I just had to post it.

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken: I only use organic, folks.

Onion and Garlic: 1-2 small to medium onions (cut into quarters) and approximately 10 cloves of garlic (peeled and slightly smashed).

Shallots: 1 shallot, cut into quarters, stuffed inside the bird’s cavity.

Parsley: Smallish bunch – enough to loosely fill the cavity of the bird.

Tarragon: 3 good long sprigs to stuff inside the cavity of the bird.

Chicken Broth: I only use Swanson’s or my own…

Spice Rub: These are rough measures, I was free-wheelin’ when I made this, so feel free to experiment with the amounts.

  • Kosher Salt (1 tablespoon)
  • Black and White Pepper (1 Tablespoon)
  • Coriander Seeds (1/2 to 1 teaspoon)
  • Cumin Seeds (1 teaspoon)
  • Anise Seeds (2 teaspoons)
  • Fennel Seeds (2 teaspoons)
  • Cayenne (1 teaspoon)

Technique:

  1. Wash and dry your bird, inside and out. I also like to cut off any extra flaps of skin/fat. Rub with a little vegetable oil.
  2. Stuff bird with quartered shallots, approximately 5 cloves of garlic (peeled and smashed), tarragon sprigs, and parsley. Sprinkle with a small amount of the above spice rub. You could tress this bird – I did not do so – I simply placed it breast down in my roasting pan, stuffed it with the shallots, garlic and tarragon and inserted the parsley at the end to keep those items inside the bird. Do not stuff too tightly or it will affect your cooking time.
  3. Place stuffed bird onto a bed of roughly cut onions and garlic.
  4. Rub with remaining spice mixture and a little nob of butter (can’t resist).
  5. Cook at 425 until the internal temperature reaches 160.
  6. Midway through the cooking process I did a few things that I think are worth repeating: (a) I allowed the bird to brown and then began to baste it with the drippings and a little chicken broth; (b) about 1/2 way through the process I began to baste with chicken broth – which added liquid to the roasting pan and began the process of deglazing the pan before I took it from the oven – I would not add more than 2 cups of liquid. This chicken broth boiled down nicely – intensifying the chicken flavor and incorporating the flavors of the rub. A roasting purist would say I did not truly roast this bird, and they would be right. This technique roasted the bird for the first 1/4 of its cooking and braised it the rest of the way. The result was a very rich broth and moist breast.
  7. Gravy: Remove bird and any bits from the roasting pan and add 4 more cups of broth. I reduced this to 1/2, added a little pepper, wondra flour (my mom’s trick for thickening gravy), and fresh chives and parsley at the end. It was good. Didn’t need salt – though will want to check it.

Great gravy for potatoes and rice. Lovely on my cauliflower. A real comfort meal. Enjoy.

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Categories: Cooking tips • Entertaining • Herbs • Holiday • Meat & Poultry • Organic • Seasoning & Spices • Uncategorized 3 Comments
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Jamie Oliver’s Flavour Shaker

August 13th, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 3 Comments

I don’t usually review products, and generally I’m not one to get suckered into kitchen gadgets, but this product is worth the touting.

I’ve seen Jamie use his Flavour Shaker on his show Jamie At Home and thought, “eh, just one more unnecessary thing to clutter the kitchen.” Then my friend Tracy got one for their 10-day sailing trip, and swore it was the best thing she had ever used. So we rushed out and got one to give it a try.

She’s right, it rocks.

It grinds and crushes. It mashes garlic cloves faster than you can with your chef’s knife on a cutting board. It crushes and mixes your fresh herbs perfectly in seconds with just a few shakes. Darn, I sound like an infomercial.

Basically, the Flavour Shaker is a mortar and pestle, but in a different shape. The “mortar” is the two-part container, the “pestle” is a round ceramic ball. You toss your ingredients in, throw the ball in, put the top on, and shake, shake, shake!

For a tasty and easy rub, try shaking a couple of cloves of garlic, a pinch of kosher or sea salt, and some fresh thyme.

I love when food is fun.

Update: The Flavour Shaker is now available in a limited edition gold exclusively at Oil & Vinegar.

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Categories: Herbs • Seasoning & Spices • kitchen equipment 3 Comments
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Pink Peppercorns

July 25th, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 1 Comment

I always thought those reddish pink peppercorns were actually pepper, but I just learned they’re not! In fact they come from the Baies Rose plant (schinus bush), and are much more delicate than pepper. These semi-ripe berries are delicate, fragrant and sweet, yet also have spicy peppery notes. When you pop one in your mouth you taste rose, sweet fruitiness, followed by a hint of pepper.

We purchased an ounce ($3/oz) at World Spice in Pike Place Market, and were told that pink peppercorns are wonderful in vinaigrettes and sauces, with fruit and desserts, as well as swordfish and chicken. We ground some up in our Turkish spice mill and made a paste with olive oil and Kosher salt. We rubbed the paste on both sides of our swordfish steaks and grilled them on the barbecue. Delicately delicious!

I’ve heard that pink peppercorns are great in gelato, so stay tuned for another pink peppercorn episode!

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Categories: Fish & Seafood • Seasoning & Spices • Uncategorized 1 Comment
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Mexican Hot Chocolate

June 12th, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 4 Comments

Normally this time of year I’d be writing about wine spritzers or something refreshing. Certainly not hot chocolate. But it’s been so cold here in Seattle I would swear it’s winter. Mark Twain once said, “The coldest summer I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” Well, I’m sure he’d say the same about Seattle right now. Didn’t we just have a heat wave?!

So to take the chill off I cranked the heat up, threw an extra blanket on top of the already-down-quilted bed, and made a big mug of Mexican hot chocolate.

Mexican hot chocolate makes Swiss Miss taste like pond water. Rich dark chocolate that’s laced with cinnamon and coarse sugar, it’s thick, frothy and warms you up like a hug from Granny. In fact, one of my favorite brands, Abuelita, means Little Grandma.

Break one tablet into 4 cups of milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture frequently with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and frothy. Traditionally, Mexican chocolate is beaten to a froth with a whisk-like wooden implement called a molinillo. Since most of us don’t own such an item you can pulse a small amount of the cocoa in a blender, then ladle on top of your beverage, much like a barista does with the foam of your latté. Drink immediately (you won’t want to wait anyway).

If you really need to take the edge off, add a splash of whiskey. A dash of chili powder is pretty good, too.

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Categories: Beverages • Chocolate 4 Comments
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Hurts So Good

May 14th, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 1 Comment

Oh, wasabi…let me count the ways I love you.

In the spring when my sinuses are blocked from allergies you quickly clear them like no nasal spray can. And for that I am deeply and forever grateful.

You give us a big laugh when we switch the green tea ice cream for a big glump of you when our friend isn’t looking.

You grow along the beds of pure and gentle mountain brooks in Japan. The thought of which is so beautiful it makes me want to write haiku about you.

I quickly forgive you of the pain caused when I ingest too much. And stifle my screams when it feels as if my nose will melt off my face. Instead I hold my nose and exclaim, “Ooo, it hurts so good!”

But, my dear readers, I must break an ugly secret to you. Most of the wasabi we eat is faux wasabi. Yes, faux! <Gasp!> It’s a combination of plain old horseradish, mustard, corn starch, food coloring and an ever so tiny amount of the real stuff. But I don’t blame sushi restaurants for whipping up a cheaper version as the real deal costs about $60 or more a pound.

How can you tell if you’re eating the real stuff? Well, if you’re plucking your sushi off of a conveyor belt or a boat, I think it’s safe to say it’s faux. Some, albeit few, of the better high-end restaurants will invest in the good stuff, as your bill will reflect. But, like a fine wine, the taste is cleaner and smoother and packs a much more powerful punch. The texture is also grainier, much like fresh grated horseradish, not smooth.

So the next time you’re at an expensive sushi restaurant sit at the counter (the best seat in the house) and ask the chef, “Hon-wasabi desu ka?” (Is the wasabi real?)

Itadakimasu! (Let’s eat!)

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Categories: Japanese • Seasoning & Spices • Uncategorized 1 Comment
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Holy Mole!

May 2nd, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 4 Comments

I love Mexican food. So much so that I think I was Mexicana in a previous life. Actually, I say that when I eat just about any food, really. I’ve been Japanese, French, Italian…you get the picture.

My newest love is mole. You’re probably saying, “Well, what took you so long?” Honestly, I had a bit of a bad experience years ago (I’ll spare you the gory details) and have been a bit averse to trying this rich dish again. But with a less whimpy belly, a fierce gusto for food and a recent trip back to Mexico, I tried it once more.

“Holy mole this is good!” I cried with gastronomical glee. I.Am.Hooked.

I know visually it may not knock your socks off, but believe me taste-wise it will.

Mole (pronounced mo-lay) is like curry. In fact, mole is a generic term for “sauce” and, like curry, comes in a variety of flavors. Such as, guacamole, or “avocado sauce.”

Probably the most well-know mole is Mole Poblano which is made from dried chili peppers, a whole gang of spices such as cinnamon and cloves, ground seeds and nuts, Mexican chocolate (stay with me now, it’s great), aromatics…oh the list goes on!

It’s no easy thing to whip up a mole. Well, a good traditional Mole Poblano, that is. It can take days to prepare a truly authentic one. But the good news is there are a variety of premade moles readily available at your local Mexican market or markets that carry ethnic foods.

We bought a Mole Verde (green mole) and prepared it with chicken like so:

We julienned some red and yellow peppers along with a large sweet yellow onion. Then we sauteed them in a large pan with a bit of olive oil until browned, removed them from the pan and set aside. In the same pan we heated up some more olive oil and browned a whole chicken (cut into parts). Once browned we added the pepper and onion mixture to the chicken. In a separate saucepan we heated the entire jar of mole and a bottle of white wine (minus a sip or two – wink, wink) until thoroughly mixed. We then added the sauce to the chicken and simmered the whole shebang for hours. You want to simmer at least a good two hours to allow the flavors to truly marry.

Muuuuuy delicioso!

If you have nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon try one of these great mole recipes from Ramekins. I specifically like the sound of Mole Poblano #5.

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Categories: Cooking tips • Latin • Meat & Poultry • Mexican • Nuts • Sauces • Seasoning & Spices • Travel 4 Comments
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Sumac

April 1st, 2008
 by 
Sheri Wetherell. 3 Comments

Remember those car games you used to play as a child? You’d pick something, briefly describe it, and your just-as-bored sibling would try and figure out what you found on the horizon?

“I spy something red!”
“The sumac bushes!”

Often seen on roadsides, sumac is one of those plants we always believed to be poisonous (No, Johnny do not put that in your mouth!), but there are actually edible and delicious varieties. Just to get a little geeky horticulturalist on you, there are about 250 species in the genus Rhus. With some species, the dried berries are ground into a fine tangy-lemony tasting powder. This deep garnet-colored spice is the non-poisonous one we, fortunately, can eat. And, if you’re looking to re-landscape your yard, one landscaper has rated sumac as one of the best 5 shrubs for fall colors. How’s that for versatility?

In the Middle East sumac is as much of an essential ingredient as vinegar or lemon juice is in the West. Always on the hunt for something new to dress a salad, I tried it and I’m hooked. Not only does it awaken your food with a colorful dash of deep purple, but it adds a wonderful tart flavor, yet much less pungent than lemon.

This tart-fruity spice is wonderful dusted on meats, fish, chicken, or simply on rice and veggies. Try sprinkling a bit of sumac on top of Persian cucumbers with feta or plain yogurt for a delicious side dish.

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Categories: Meat & Poultry • Middle Eastern • Salads • Seasoning & Spices • Veggies 3 Comments
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