Volume 8, Issue 082 - April 26, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

102 Tuesday
Common Seasonings and Flavorings:

Any food can be used as a flavoring. Sauces are used as a flavoring and they are compiled of many ingredients sometimes. Vegetables, meats, fish and starches can be used as well. My point is that flavorings don't all come from a jar or can. Bacon, ham, beef jerky, smoked fish or chicken, gingerroot, potatoes are all examples of food flavorings.

Food specific flavorings set aside, let's just identify the most common flavoring ingredients that we use most in our cooking. First, and the most commonly used ingredient, is salt. It's on every table and beside most stoves. Caution should always be taken using salt, once it's in there you ca not get it out. Being in the restaurant business for almost three decades has taught me one thing at least! Have you ever noticed how many people pick up the salt shaker and just start shaking away without first tasting the food? Lots of people do this, so it is a good "Rule of Thumb" to under-salt your food just a bit to accommodate these folks.

Pepper is probably the next most common flavoring ingredient. Black, white and green pepper are actually berries that are processed differently and are called peppercorns. They all grow on the same vine and are harvested at different times. The green ones are harvested first and frozen, freeze-dried or pickled in a brine. Black pepper is also picked unripe later in the growing stage. They are then dried and considered to be the world's most popular spice. The last to be harvested is the white pepper. Whey turn a light shade of pink they are harvested. The outer shell or husk is then removed and the light or white peppercorn is revealed. Personally I think that white pepper is spicier than the black but many people would disagree with me. White pepper is used in white or cream sauces and things like mashed potatoes. Heavily used in Chinese cuisine as well.

Red pepper or cayenne actually comes from peppers or chiles. It's in the same family as bell peppers and paprika. It's dried and ground and if used in little doses, it can add a nice little zing to your food. Our friends "South of the Border" use these more liberally than most of us.

Lemons compliment many foods, not just fish. A little squeeze into a chicken salad will give a light fresh flavor that will surprise you. Many chefs will add a little to a sauce or soup at the end to bring it up a notch, and you would never know it is there, but your taste buds do! Adding a little lemon juice to your apples, peaches or blueberries before making a pie makes a big difference. Using the rinds (the colored outside surface) of lemons, limes and oranges is a common practice for sauces, meats, poultry, game dishes and desserts.

Fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, chives, parsley, dill, mint and cilantro are now available at most supermarkets if you don't have room to grow them outside. You can successfully grow most of these inside in your window year round you know! The flavor of fresh herbs beats dried hands down and should be used towards the end of your preparation for a full flavor.

Carrots and celery are used in all kitchens and then there is the wonderful onion family. Garlic, shallots and all the onions; red, yellow, white, Vidalia, Hawaiian and more make up this family. Vidalia onions will be ready soon. They are so sweet some people admit to eating them like an apple!

Mustard is a very common flavoring as well. It is a blend of ground mustard, vinegar and other spices. There are too many varieties to mention here, but use them in marinades, dressings, sauces, on meats and more.

Beer, wine and brandy are all used to add great flavor to foods. Cognacs and Brandys should be flamed to remove their alcoholic content. Wines like to be reduced to intensify their flavor. When I make Chinese style mustard for home made egg rolls, I use just enough beer to make a paste with straight dry mustard, then I let it sit for 1 hour to develop it's intense "Sinus Draining" flavor.

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Vietnamese Marinade for Fried or Grilled Game Birds

I use this recipe to marinate chicken or quail for the grill. Also for a dipping sauce for potstickers!  This one uses various liquids, the onion family, gingerroot and peppercorns.
 
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons fresh garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon red onion, chopped
1 scallion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
green peppercorns, cracked, to taste

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the marinade and the birds you wish to marinate. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

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Grilled Pico de Gallo

Traditional Mexican salsa with a twist. Grill your veggies before making them into a salsa to go with grilled meat or fish. This recipe uses vegetables, citrus, herbs, salt and peppercorns.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, peeled, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1 red onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half, seeded
1/2 jalapeño, seeded, ribs removed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked peppercorns

Preparation:

Grill the tomatoes, onion and peppers until the tomatoes are marked and warm through, the onion is slightly browned and soft and the pepper's skin has blistered and browned. Remove them from the heat and cool until they can be easily handled. Gently remove the skin from peppers.  Chop all veggies into small pieces (about 1/3 inch dice) and put them in a small bowl.
 
Add the cilantro, lime juice and seasoning. If you want more spice to the salsa add a little more green peppercorns, more jalapeño or a dash of cayenne.
 
Best if eaten right away. Make as close to serving time as possible.

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Grainy Mustard Sauce

Garlic, horseradish and tequila fused with grainy mustard challenge your taste buds no matter how you use this sauce. Great with bratwurst, smoked ham or slice beef tenderloin sandwiches!

 Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mustard, grainy style
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons tequila

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients at least 1 hour ahead of serving time for full flavor potential.

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Plantation Sauce

I used to serve this with fried alligator at one restaurant that I worked in. You might try it with blackened redfish or on fried oysters. This one has a little rum in it and my rum of choice is Gosling's Black Seal.

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons pecans, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ounce rum
1 each mango, fresh
1 each papaya, fresh
1 cup water

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the pecans until lightly browned, add the sugar and cook for 2 more minutes over low heat. Flame the pan with the rum. When the alcohol has burned off add the mango and papaya and mash together. Add the water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator or use right away.