Basil and Spices
Cooking with herbs and spices is essential to making delicious meals. However, it may be overwhelming deciding what to buy at the grocery store. Or, maybe you are creating a dish and aren’t sure what herb or spice is appropriate for your food. Here is a short list of herbs and spices, their flavors, and their common uses.
Allspice:
This spice comes from an evergreen tree in the myrtle family. It has a pungent and fragrant odor. The flavor and smell reminds people of a mixture of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. However, it isn’t a mixture of anything or a combination of all spices. Allspice is usually used to flavor stews and curries, teas, cookies and sausages.
Arrowroot:
This white powder comes from a root of a West Indian plant. It doesn’t have a flavor or an odor. It is used as a thickening agent for sauces and stews. It is best to mix it in a cup of water before adding it to your sauce to avoid clumping.
Basil:
This plant comes from the mint family. It is generally used in Italian cuisine and paired with tomatoes. It has a sweet herbal bouquet. You can put it on pizza or garnish your pasta with marinara.
Cardamom:
This is a ground seed of a tropical fruit. It comes from the ginger family. It is usually used in curries, breads, and coffee. It has an intense, pungent and sweet flavor.
Dill:
This feathery annual is in the parsley family. It is used in pickling. It is also widely used in German, Russian and Scandinavian cuisines. It is delicious chopped and tossed on top of salad or over freshly broiled fish. It has a clean and pungent flavor.
Garlic:
This is a dried root from the lily family. It is essential in Chinese, Mexican and Italian food. It has a distinctive odor and flavor.
Horseradish:
This is a hot and pungent condiment is made from a plant in the mustard family. It is used as a condiment for roast beef, fish and oysters.
Mustard Seed:
This comes from two large shrubs found in Asia. It is hot and spicy. It is used with meat, fish, fowl, sauces, and salad dressing.
Paprika:
This spice comes from a mild red pepper. It is widely used in Hungarian dishes like goulash. It is also used as a garnish for deviled eggs and casseroles.
Rosemary:
This plant is in the mint family. It is a small evergreen shrub. It is widely used in Italian cuisine. It can flavor lamb, pork, chicken, and bread. It has a piney flavor.
There are countless more herbs and spices to choose from. Try some of these for yourself and experiment with others. You will find that dishes can be taken to another level of flavor with each new spice or herb.
