Cooking with herbs and spices

[Pepper]

Right now I only use thyme, ginger and garlic. I know I could really jazz up the taste of my dishes if I used more herbs and spices.

I really need to use more herbs.

What combination of herbs do you use? I know if I mix the wrong combination I will get a bitter taste, so please steer me the right way.

Also, what herbs go best with which meats?

Curry is a spice...I think. I use that too.

[Suesumba]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

garamasala goes great in curry - it's a mixture of several spices the composition of which i don't know - got that from my guyanese friend

sage goes great with chicken
also paprika with chicken

beef with majoram is nice
beef with oregano

lemon grass (weh wi call fever grass) is very nice on fish - works best with talapia - turbot

salmon and rosemary

if you're into pickling stuff (i fill jars with scotch bonnet peppers/spring onions/garlic and carrots and red/green peppers and vinegar -

add cardamon and bay leaves

most of these spices make great teas and have medicinal properties

[chickie]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

me love pimento ...can't over do it though .... for meats I grind it ..... ginger goes well with some meats too

Peps I just realized that you said ginger already [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Suesumba]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

edited: to read

pimento is good on chicken - jerk chicken

[chickie]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Sue me used it pon bake chicken, stew chicken,curry chicken .... and if yuh nuh wan too much a di flava juss drop couple seed inna di pot when it a simma

[Suesumba]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

yes ah hear you bout di bake chicken and the pimento.

yu know seh you can get anotto (that red thing) in philippino stores? well mi use it inna ackee and saltfish rundung - yep ah mek dat.

one of the things i love about my community is the diversity - indian stores are great - just talk to the people and ask dem weh dem use di ting dem fah - they're always helpful.

[Suesumba]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

if you eat lamb it's good with mint as a seasoning.

[vaj001]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Chicken with lemon or lime, rosemary and garlic. Lavender is also a nice to add with roast chicken.

Salmon with lime and tarragon (tarragon can overpower so use sparingly). Lemon thyme is also very nice with most fish.

Grilled tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and any fresh herbs you have on hand (basil, thyme, rosemary, savory, italian parsley, etc.)

Herbs are easy to grow on a window sill, deck, or in the garden. I have rosemary, lemon thyme, english thyme, sage, tarragon, garlic, thai basil, purple basil, parsley, savory, and lavendar in my garden so fresh herbs are available all summer. Dried herbs and spices and be expensive if you purchase them in the super market. A lot of health food stores have herbs and spices in bulk that can be purchased by the ounce. I buy at my local health food store and refill my bottles, I can buy thyme at .79 an ounce and in the super market it is over $3.00 for less then an ounce.

Here are a few herb blends you can combine and keep on hand:

FRENCH HERB BLEND

1/2 cup tarragon
1/2 cup chervil
2 tablespoon. sage leaves
1/2 cup thyme
2 tablespoon. rosemary
5 tablespoon. freeze-dried chopped chives
2 tablespoon. desiccated orange rind
2 tablespoon. ground celery seed

FINES HERBES

1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried savory
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried grated lemon peel

1. Mix herbs and lemon peel. 2. Store in airtight container. Keep in cool, dry place. Yield: 1/3 cup.

ITALIAN SEASONING

2/3 cup dried, crushed oregano
2/3 cup dried, crushed basil
1/4 cup crushed, dried parsley
1/4 cup rosemary, crushed
1/2 cup thyme
1/4 cup sage
1/2 cup marjoram

Mix everything together. Store in tightly capped jar or zipper bag.

POULTRY SEASONING

Combine equal parts dried sage, thyme, and marjoram or oregano. Leave whole or grind. Store in an airtight container.


BOUQUET GARNI

1/4 cup dried parsley (classic ingredient)
2 tablespoons dried thyme (classic ingredient)
2 tablespoons dried bay leaf (classic ingredient)
2 tablespoons dried rosemary (optional ingredient)

Mix all together and place in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark place away from heat sources. Use within 6 months. Good with meats and vegetables. Traditionally, this mixture is tied up in cheesecloth for easy removal after flavoring.

NO-SALT SEASONING MIX

Many people cannot have salt in their diet, and this is just the seasoning they need to perk up any dinner

1-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
1-1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1-1/4 teaspoon paprika
1-1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1-1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1-1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1-1/4 teaspoon dried lemon peel
1-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a small glass mixing bowl. Store in a covered container. Use on meats, poultry and fish. Yield: 1/4 cup

CREOLE SEASONING

2-1/2 tablespoon. paprika
2 tablespoon. salt
2 tablespoon. garlic powder
1 tablespoon. freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon. onion powder
1 tablespoon. cayenne
1 tablespoon. dried oregano
1 tablespoon. dried thyme

Combine all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Store in an airtight container away from light. Use within three months. Yield: about 2/3 cup

CHESAPEAK BAY SEASONING MIX (similar to Old Bay Seasoning)

2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, cayenne, celery seed, paprika, mustard, black pepper, bay leaf, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon until well-combined. Seasoning mix will keep indefinitely in a tightly covered container, stored at cool room temperature in a dark place. Yield: about 3 tablespoons

Herbes de Provence

Use in omelets; stir into rice, grains, soups and stews. Sprinkle lightly on meat, fish, or poultry before grilling. Whisk into vinegar and oil and a smidgen of Dijon mustard for a sprightly vinaigrette.

4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried sweet marjoram
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried lavender (optional)

Store in an airtight container and use within 3 months.

[Pepper]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Wow, so much info.

Thanks.


I use pimento, but have never crushed them....I think that would be too much for my taste buds.

Sue, I have a fever grass plant. Would I use the leaves like how I use scallion?

I have to read this over and come back with more questions.

[mountaingal]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

nutmeg enhances the taste of spinach in italian meals, and can also be used to season roast beef.

bay leaf in any beef stew gives it a subtle taste...

cilantro/coriander leaves go great with eggs - omelets and hardboiled egg salad. i've also used a touch of chopped scotch bonnet to give an extra kick to omelets.

[Pepper]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Lemon thyme is also very nice with most fish.

Is Lemon thyme the same thing as Lemon Grass?

NO-SALT SEASONING MIX

Many people cannot have salt in their diet, and this is just the seasoning they need to perk up any dinner

1-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
1-1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1-1/4 teaspoon paprika
1-1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1-1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1-1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1-1/4 teaspoon dried lemon peel
1-1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a small glass mixing bowl. Store in a covered container. Use on meats, poultry and fish. Yield: 1/4 cup

Thanks for this one. I sometimes cook without salt, and I try to put in as many non-salt seasonings as I can. I don't use most of these, so this will be a welcome change.

Herbes de Provence

Use in omelets; stir into rice, grains, soups and stews. Sprinkle lightly on meat, fish, or poultry before grilling. Whisk into vinegar and oil and a smidgen of Dijon mustard for a sprightly vinaigrette.

4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried sweet marjoram
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried lavender (optional)

Store in an airtight container and use within 3 months.

I see a lot of your recipies contain lavender. I am not familiar with this herb. What kind of taste does it have?

[Pepper]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Originally posted by mountaingal:
[qb] nutmeg enhances the taste of spinach in italian meals, and can also be used to season roast beef.
[/qb]

This is interesting. What about if I use it on steamed spinach. I cook that a lot, and it could certainly use some jazzing up.

[Suesumba]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Originally posted by Pepper:
[qb] think that would be too much for my taste buds.

Sue, I have a fever grass plant. Would I use the leaves like how I use scallion?

[/qb]

yes, you can' really go wrong with it as it's mild and pleasant.

[mountaingal]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Originally posted by Pepper:
[qb]

Originally posted by mountaingal:
[qb] nutmeg enhances the taste of spinach in italian meals, and can also be used to season roast beef.
[/qb]

This is interesting. What about if I use it on steamed spinach. I cook that a lot, and it could certainly use some jazzing up. [/qb]

i'll check my cookbook again. i haven't used nutmeg and spinach together outside of an italian recipe (Sandi posted someting for veggie lasagna one time that also included nutmeg).

raw garlic and raw spinach with bits of ham or bacon and mushrooms tastes very nice, in case you want to forgo the steaming of the spinach.

[vaj001]

Re: Cooking with herbs and spices

Is Lemon thyme the same thing as Lemon Grass?

No, Lemon Thyme is a variety of thyme that has the scent and flavor of lemon along with the scent and flavor of thyme.


I see a lot of your recipies contain lavender. I am not familiar with this herb. What kind of taste does it have?

Lavender is a floral taste that combines well with other herbs. Some people make tea with lavender which is very nice. Lavender is one of those ingredients that no one can guess when you put it in the mix. A good cook's secret. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I hope this helps.