Spice Up Your Life (And Your Cooking) - Barron's

Spices are the trick to making even your menu regulars feel interesting.

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It’s easy to get into a seasoning rut. But if you’re tired of tossing basil and oregano into every sauce, chicken dish, or stew, it’s easier than you think to try out some new and unique flavorings.

“When you’re running out of ways to perk up your recipes, spices are actually your best friend,” says Lauren Moran, the head baker at Eastern Standard Provisions, a gourmet snack brand that produces handcrafted soft pretzels and artisanal salts in South Hamilton, Mass. “In fact, experimenting with spices can transform something that’s typically bland or boring into your new favorite dish.”

Moran’s suggestions are as simple as they are fun. For example, she urges us to add curry powder to potato salad, celery salt to a hot dog, or cloves to a bowl of morning oatmeal.

“These are all great examples of how a single spice can put a delicious spin on a dish that most people are already comfortable making,” she says.

Ready to move your meals from bland to flavorful? Here are eight spices to add to your rotation:

Cardamom: Not only can cardamom be used in sweet or savory dishes, its perfume will permeate your home. “You’ll be amazed at the aroma cardamom can bring to your kitchen,” says Asha Gomez, a chef and Atlanta-based author of I Cook in Color: Bright Flavors From My Kitchen and Around the World.“Open that lid after you’ve steamed rice with cardamom, and the whiff of that steam is magical.”

Harissa: If you like chili powder blends, harissa is an ideal substitute. “Use it for meat or shake it on hummus, chickpea dishes, or slow-cooked chili,” says Meredith Chen, lead R&D scientist at Simply Organic, a 100% certified organic line of spices, seasoning mixes, and baking flavors in Norway, Iowa.

Madras Curry Powder: This is a versatile spice blend that contains turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, cardamom, and red pepper. “It not only creates a beautiful, bold color, but it has less heat than a traditional hot curry spice,” says John Johnson, executive chef at The Garden at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City.

Pastrami Spice: If you love a pastrami on rye, homemade pastrami spice is simple to make—and will amp up any meal. “The blend is made up of items you most likely have in your pantry,” Johnson says. Specifically “coriander seeds, yellow mustard seeds, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, garlic cloves, and black pepper.”

Smoked Paprika: It’s easy to get in a rut when grilling a steak or roasting vegetables. “If you’re used to seasoning things with salt and pepper, dried garlic and onion, smoked paprika is a great flavor enhancer and adds this unique woodsy flavor,” Chen says. “It doesn’t contain sodium, either, so there’s no additional salt in any dish you make with it.”

Sumac: This dried tart red berry is a great dish finisher thanks to the citrus flavor it evokes, says Jill Donenfeld, co-founder of The Culinistas,a weekly home chef service in New York, Los Angeles, the Hamptons on Long Island, and Aspen, Colo. “You want to think of flavor profiles,” she says. “So something as simple as chicken and broccoli can be enhanced when you differentiate it with an interesting finishing spice like sumac.”

White Pepper: This fully ripened black pepper has an interesting depth to it. “It’s got a little floral note to it and it’s a little earthy,” Chen says. Hint: If you want to reconfigure a gingerbread recipe, simply add white pepper and anise and suddenly you have Speculaas batter ready to go in the oven.

Za’atar: There’s been an explosion of interest in this blend of savory dried herbs that includes sumac, sesame, thyme, sea salt, and oregano. “This is a great zesty option to keep on hand,” Johnson says. “I suggest using it as a seasoning for meats, vegetables or simply sprinkle it on hummus. I always keep it on hand.”

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https://www.barrons.com/articles/spice-up-your-life-01598528524

2020-08-27 11:42:00Z
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