Enhancing Food Flavor with Spices
When you cook with leaner and ultra-lean meats, such as ground turkey, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor. Spices can provide the flavor punch you are looking for without fat or calories.
Herbs and seasonings like chili powders, paprika, and currin are just a few of the flavors that can make a big difference in the taste of low-fat foods.
Here some basics for cooking with herbs:
- Don’t keep herbs and spices past six to eight months. They lose flavor.
- A little bit goes a long way (this means you can try more varieties without spending too much).
- When you have the choice between a cu to whole leaf herb, choose the whole.
- If your local grocery store doesn’t have a nice selection of fresh herbs, try a specialized gourmet store. In the summer, shop at farmers markets.
- You can store your herbs in a plastic food bag in your refrigeration with a few holes poked in it for air circulation.
- If you double a recipe, DON’T double the amount of herbs. Just increase it by half. Too many spices can overpower a dish.
- Before cooking rinse herbs under water and pat dry with paper towel.
- Cut herbs with your vegetable chopping knife.
- Generally, dried spices are added at the beginning of a cooking process and fresh herbs are added towards the end.
Matching Herbs & Spices with Food1
Here is a list of recommended herbs and spices to use with which foods:
Basil: Italian dishes, pasta, pesto
Bay leaf: beef, lamb, soups, stews, sauces.
Chives: dips, potatoes, sauces, tomatoes
Cilantro: Mexican dishes, salsas, tomatoes
Dill: fish, breads, vegetables, eggs,
Marjoram: tomatoes, squash, green beans, carrots, chicken, beef
Mint: red potatoes, fruit recipes, peas, teas
Oregano: Italian recipes, Mexican recipes, sauces.
Parsley: dips, eggs
Rosemary: chicken, fish, lamb, pork, beef, soups
Sage: stuffing, chicken, turkey.
Tarragon: chicken, eggs, and fish
Thyme: potato salads, squash, tomatoes, Italian recipes
Sources:
www.lifescipt.com, Anne Marie Baugh