Help me learn how to use spices

Cafe Society
1

*Please! * :slight_smile:

I’ve had a few threads so far where you, oh wise and benevolent dopers, have helped me scoot my cooking down the line from barely edible to damn delicious. I believe I am now at the step where I can play with spices.

One note: I have a horrible case of, what my Mexican friends call, “Gringa Mouth.” Spicy things hurt me on a fundamental level. That said, I can generally handle a spicy chicken sandwich from Burger King. So, take that for what it’s worth, ymmv, etc.

Anywho, I’ve got here this fancy pants spice rack, roundy thinggy with 16 kinds of spices on it. I have no idea why I bought this, other than sheer obligation :smiley: .

My freezer presently (and usually has): boneless, skinless chicken breasts and ground beef. Being a poor college student, I can’t go too crazy, but any reasonably priced suggestions can be purchased. Oh! I also just got a crock pot that I have never used and don’t know how to use-- maybe that will be helpful?

As it stands, I pretty much only use fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder, and I have regular salt and garlic seasalt (in a grinder). I feel like a bachelor.

So this is what’s in my little spinny-ma-spice-bobber:

Celery Seed
Italian Seasoning
Cumin
Basil
Thyme
Oregano
Chives
Paprika
Coriander
Fennel
Bay Leaves
Parsley
Cinnamon
Marjoram
Caraway
Rosemary

I also have a few random things laying around. Any other things can be purchased, if necessary.

I’m aware this is a simple task, but I just have no idea what goes with what and so forth.

Thanks!

2

Celery Seed -
Italian Seasoning - Use sparingly to add accents to broiled chicken
Cumin - basic chili spice. Used a lot in Mexican cooking
Basil - the tomato’s best friend. Add at the end of cooking so it doesn’t get bitter
Thyme
Oregano - two types, mexican and mediterranean. Used in all sorts of ethnic cooking
Chives - potato topping
Paprika - sweet or smokey, both are wonderful. Try on ham steaks or chicken
Coriander
Fennel
Bay Leaves - basic addition to soups and stews. Remove before serving.
Parsley - add at the end of prep for a fresh green taste to dips, sauces, pastes, etc.
Cinnamon - the indespensible baking spice
Marjoram
Caraway
Rosemary - pork’s best friend. Stuff some sprigs into a pork roast and grill.

Using the crockpot, you can do all sorts of stews and soups. Buy some top round or chuck steak, cube it, brown it, toss into crock with cubed potatoes, a can of whole tomatoes, a couple of chopped carrots, 2 bay leaves, salt, pepper and a couple of cans of cheap beer or 2 cups of cheap red wine. Let cook for 9 hours or so. You can play with the ingredients and seasonings forever.

3

I can fill in some blanks:

Celery Seed - I never use it, but you could grind it with a mortar and use in cold salads like chicken and pasta salad
Italian Seasoning - Use sparingly to add accents to broiled chicken; Also use liberally for spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
Cumin - basic chili spice. Used a lot in Mexican cooking; Also in Indian cooking
Basil - the tomato’s best friend. Add at the end of cooking so it doesn’t get bitter
Thyme: Excellent with seafood of any type. Also good with chicken.
Oregano - two types, mexican and mediterranean. Used in all sorts of ethnic cooking
Chives - potato topping
Paprika - sweet or smokey, both are wonderful. Try on ham steaks or chicken
Coriander: Part of a plant that is nearly completely edible. The leaves are called ‘cilantro’. Coriander is used in the cuisine of many cultures, including middle eastern, latin, etc.
Fennel: A liquorice-tasting spice used in Italian sausage. Traditionally used in cooking as a soothing agent for the stomach.
Bay Leaves - basic addition to soups and stews. Remove before serving.
Parsley - add at the end of prep for a fresh green taste to dips, sauces, pastes, etc.
Cinnamon - the indespensible baking spice
Marjoram: Commonly used in the making of Polish sausage. Has a strong flavor and should be used sparingly.
Caraway: Excellent with cheese. Also baked into bread.
Rosemary - pork’s best friend. Stuff some sprigs into a pork roast and grill. Equally excellent with spaghetti sauce or cooked with beans, sausage and tomatoes, or in soups. Works very well with poultry.

Dried herbs are best when reconstituted. Dried basil is nearly inedible in my opinion, and a waste of money. Reconstitute by soaking in warm water for 10 minutes or so before adding to your dish.

4

Celery Seed - I like to add this in mayo based salads like tuna salad, chicken salad, etc.

Italian Seasoning - self explanatory

Cumin - it tastes like tacos! Add to ground beef or beans

Basil - a little goes a long way - a teaspoon or two in a pot of sketti sauce - I also like to make garlic toast with a bit sprinkled on top

Thyme - is very strong - my husband hates it - good with chicken

Oregano - italian and mexican

Chives - mainly a garnish

Paprika - yummy and makes a pretty red color

Coriander
Fennel

Bay Leaves - soups and stews, spaghetti sauce

Parsley - garnish

Cinnamon

Marjoram - like thyme but much milder - my husband will eat this one :wink:

Caraway - it’s what makes rye bread taste like that - it’s good in buttered noodles

Rosemary - try on broiled chicken or salmon - one of my favorite seasonings.

Experiment! Smell them, taste them separately… Have fun!

5

The only thing I ever use celery seed for is with eggs - egg salad, deviled eggs and fried egg sandwiches. It can also be used in a pinch on top of hot dogs, but you have to add salt, as well, because it’s celery SALT that belongs on a hot dog.

Try paprika, cumin and rosemary together in a hambone or sausage based lentil soup.

By meat flavor:
Beef or beefey TVP dishes: salt, pepper, allspice, thyme
Chicken or chickeney dishes: salt, pepper, tarragon, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (yes, like the song), garlic (cloves, garlic salt or garlic powder)
Pork dishes: salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic
Fish dishes: salt, pepper, lemon, lemon zest (grate the yellow part of the rind, but not the white), basil, garlic

By Cuisine:
**Italian **: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, garlic, onion; Oregano releases its flavor after cooking for a long time, whereas basil gets icky if it’s heated too long, so add your oregano early in cooking and your basil right before serving. In a basic red pasta sauce, oregano is that deep, darker tone, and basil the sweeter top note (although some basils can be slightly spicy as well, but it’s a “bright” spice.)
**Mexican **: salt, pepper, cilantro (fresh), coriander (dried cilantro), oregano, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, onion
Tex-mex : Mexican plus onion powder, garlic powder, cumin
**Thai **: salt, lemongrass, ginger, fresh garlic, turmeric (fresh and powdered), thai basil (spicier than Italian), red or green chilis, green onions
**Indian **: Thai plus cumin, cayenne and, if you must, “curry powder” (Curry powder isn’t a spice, it’s a blend that’s usually stale before you buy it. But it is convenient.)

For a generic creamy based casserole, I nearly always reach for salt, pepper, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemonjuice. Lemonjuice was a trick I learned back in my Denny’s days for making 22-hour old Cream of Chicken Soup edible again. It gives cream bases a zip and fresh taste that make diner food almost edible.

6

Strange little cooking trick of mine:

Your sense of smell and sense of taste are very closely related (can’t taste much when you have a cold, can you?)

If you wonder whether or not a spice will taste good in something you are cooking, put a little bit of the food in your mouth, and then smell the spice. Gives you a pretty good idea of it would work out ok, or if you should not add it to the dish.

7

Celery Seed - Used in lots of spice rubs, especially for pork ribs.

Italian Seasoning - The obvious stuff. I don’t use it usually, instead opting for individual spices

Cumin - defining flavor in Tex Mex, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Indian/Southeast Asian cooking. Every curry I’ve ever seen has got some cumin in it.

Basil - Loves tomatoes. Use fresh. Dried basil is okay for some uses, but I almost never find myself needing it.

Thyme - Great on all meats: pork, beef, poultry, lamb. Earthy herb with strong distinct flavor. Essential part of a bouquet garni – a bunde of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley – used to flavor stocks.

Oregano - Great for Greek dishes (mix with olive oil, garlic, and lemon), some tomato-based pasta sauces, and Mexican oregano is common in Mexican cuisine.

Chives - Use where you want an oniony flavor: soups, potatoes, stews, etc. Use only fresh chives.

Paprika - along with lard/oil and onions, this forms the base of Hungarian cooking. It’s also great dusted on chicken for roasting (sugars caramelize to give a nice roast color). Another key ingredient in most grill/BBQ rubs

Coriander - fresh citrusy spice often used in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cooking. With cumin, this is an essential part of curry spice mix. Also used in sweet applications such as baking.

Fennel - the seed marries well with the flavor of pork. My favorite pork loin roast consists of pork loin coated in crushed fennel, black pepper, and krosher (large grained) salt. Key flavor in Italian sausages found in America. Anise flavor also pairs well with fish and seafood.

Bay Leaves - quintessential stew/soup herb.

Parsley - Use only fresh. Dried parsley is useless. Use it on soups, potatoes, anywhere you want to “brighten” the flavor a bit.

Cinnamon - aside from baking, cinnamon is commonly used in curry spice mixes as well as Mexican meat dishes.
Marjoram - use similar to oregano. Great in meaty fall/winter stews and soups

Caraway - Bread, sauerkraut, stews. Pairs well with beef.

Rosemary - Any roast meat. Stuff it inside the cavity of a chicken before roasting, lay it across a rib roast, etc. Also goes great with baked/roast potatoes.

8

I forgot–celery seed is also a key component in Maryland/Chesapeake Bay seafood seasonings (such as Old Bay)

9

One thing: if it’s been more than 6 months since you’ve bought it, I would throw the spices (not the bottles/rack! :slight_smile: ) and refill them with newly-purchased ones - ones that you know are of high-quality and reasonably fresh, and not sitting in some warehouse for months before hitting the store shelves… matter of fact, as soon as I got my spice rack, I did just that - threw out all the spices as soon as I got the kit home and refilled them with spices/herbs that a) I knew I liked or b) knew I wanted to try using.

And for me, experimenting is at least half the fun! I don’t really have any idea what items given herbs and spices “go” with or how they’re “supposed” to be used - I just add things that I think would taste good or at least sound like it would taste good, and then cross my fingers and hope for the best. Yes, there are times when eating at my house can be an…adventure :slight_smile:

10

grr…make that “I would throw the spices away (not…”

11

I just want to second what critter42 said. Buy fresh spices, especially in packets or disposable containers. Most of the cost of the major brands is the bottle or jar, which you already have.

Ask around and look for a good retailer that has high turnover. My current favorite is CostPlus World Markets - I take it as a good sign when they are out of stock on several varieties. They also sell individual bottles to add to your collection.

The spice shop at Soulard farmers market in St Louis is awesome too. See if there is an equivalent in your area.

My favorite ways to learn how to use spices are making simple omelettes with just one or two spices. It helps you learn how much you need and develop your palate. Making breadsticks or biscuits is another fun way. I like to use the more herby spices, i.e. whole seeds like fennel or rosemary, as well as ‘true’ herbs, like fresh basil, oregano or mint when I bake.

On a side note, cinnamon is my current favorite. I am teaching myself how to cook more Indian and Mediterranean, and as others have noted, cinnamon is a very common element in savory dishes, not just relegated to desserts.

Also use paprika the next time you make grilled cheese sandwiches. Use good thick farm bread, real cheddar, and dust the outside with paprika before you grill it. (In real butter, of course.)

Mmmmmmm.

I think I know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow.

Keep us posted.

Ciao!

AP

12

I’m actually trying to move away from spices, as much as possible, to let the food items speak for themselves. This hangs on having quality stuff, as fresh as possible, to work with. Most of the time, salt and peper is all you need. That said, here are some tips:

  • Add spices first. The Indians have it right and the result is a rounder, more mature flavor.

  • Dark meat = black pepper, light meat = white pepper. Use only freshly ground and invest in two premium pepper mills.

  • Substitute spices for the real stuff. Don’t use chili powder, use a fresh chili of choice (there are mild types) garlic powder has done for cooking what Enola Gay did for Hiroshima. Only ever use fresh garlic, which should be chopped or crushed, never pressed.

  • Virgin olive oil is a spice or condiment, not the oil to be used to fry your food in (well you can add a dash to the frying oil you use).

  • Alcohol makes for great flavoring. Wine, brandy, port, sherry, gin. Try adding some brandy to a sauce and you’ll be amazed.

  • Add some vegetable stock when you’re cooking pasta or rice. Does wonders for the flavor of something that is in itself rather bland.

  • Tomatoes are quite acidic and if you’re cooking tomatoes, add a pinch of sugar.

13

I’d like to second Ginger, which is a new find for me cookingly-speaking. Stir-frying it with fresh shrimp, scallions, garlic, etc. (several recipes available online along these lines), and of course, figging, make it a favorite “spice” of mine.

14

Ooh, what’s figging?

I had a hankerin’ for some curry the other day, but no fresh ginger. I did, however, have some candied ginger on hand for stomachaches…see where I’m going with this? I took a gamble, and it was the Best Curry Ever!

15

Figging?

16

:eek:

I feel so…dirty!

17

Another helpful hint with herbs, dry or fresh: rub them when adding to food. This seems to intensify the flavors somewhat.

18

This is very true, but I find for most things having a single herbal flavor accent is wonderful. Sure, roast chicken is great, but roast chicken with a sprig of rosemary? Sublime. Tomatoes by themselves–sure. Who doesn’t love a fresh garden tomato? But pair it with that basil you’ve got growing in your backyard, and it’s simply transcendent.
Or, if you are talking specifically about spices and not including herbs in this, pork with a bit of fennel seed, lamb & cumin, etc. I absolutely agree that the key to cooking is simplicity, and the food should speak for itself, but herbs and spices are our grace notes–in most cuisines, they shouldn’t be the predominant flavor.

The best way to learn about herbs & spices, as has been mentioned before, is to taste them. There’s no hard-and-fast rules about what goes with what. Sure, there’s suggestions, but look how they differ: Chefguy associates rosemary with pork; I associate it with chicken, lamb, and beef, but not pork.

Also, it’s good to know which herbs can be used fresh and which dried. Certain herbs like oregano, thyme, and rosemary actually gain intensity upon drying, but their flavor does change, so be familiar with both fresh and dried forms, as they are used a little differently. Most herbs, however, lose their flavor. I would never ever use the following in dried form: parsley, dill, tarragon, basil, cilantro, chives. Basically, none of the delicate, “green” herbs.

19

Oh, absolutely. It’s just that many people go over the top with spices. I’ve been offered lamb roast, so stuffed with garlic that it didn’t taste of lamb, because “that taste is so peculiar, so we add lots of garlic”. Gah.
This is also the reason I advocate adding the spices pre cooking. much less is needed to give an accent, whereas if they are added at the end, the spices tend to taste like a film over the food, overshadowing the real taste.
Adding spices first takes some training - how much is enough? - but the result, IMO, is vastly superior.

20

I just wanted to add a note of caution. Be careful with cilantro (or coriander). There is a subset of people to whom cilantro and coriander taste just like Ivory soap. It’s not something you can “train” them to like…the taste marker is genetic. Being one of those people, I can tell you that even a very little cilantro in a meal will completely ruin it for us, since all we can taste is soap (and it’s a lingering taste, too…it does not fade quickly).