Simply Cookbooks

Archive for the ‘Herbs’ Category

Cardamom is one of those spices that you receive when you get a gift box of spices.   I have never been sure what to do with it, as it wasn’t something my mother or grandmother used on a regular basis.

But I became curious as to what its uses were when I looked in my spice cupboard and saw four containers of the spice. Naturally the freshness of these spices came into question and I hesitated to use them before knowing anything about them.   That is the “thing” about spices—you really should know something about them before putting them on food.

So I opened my little handy-dandy spice book to learn more about Cardamom and its uses.
Like most spices Cardamom originates in the Far East, primarily in India’s rain forest and has been used in Indian dishes for more than 2000 years.  Over time it has spread throughout the world and is now the primary export of Guatemala.

“The aroma of Cardamom is strong but mellow, fruity and penetrating.  The taste is lemony and flowery, with a note of camphor or eucalypt due to cineole in the essential oil; it is pungent and smoky with a warm, bittersweet note, yet is also clean and fresh”

This is what the book says about its smell, but what about its uses in a recipe?

The spice enhances both sweet and savory flavors.  In India, it is one of the essential components in many spice mixes.  It goes into sweetmeats, pastries, puddings and ice creams, and is used in a digestive and breath-freshening item with fennel and anise seeds and areca nuts.   In India it is also used to flavor tea, while in Arab countries coffee is flavored with cardamom, often by pouring it over pods put in the spout of the pot.

Although Cardamom is an essential ingredient in most Middle East cuisines, Scandinavia is still the biggest importer in Europe; there and in Germany and Russia, cardamom is widely used for spiced cakes, pastries, and breads, and occasionally also in hamburgers and meat loaf.

Whole pods lightly crushed, can be used to flavor rice, poached or braised dishes, and casseroles.  The pods are an important ingredient in many Indian slow-braised meat dishes, which use a thing marinating liquid to develop a creamy sauce.  Hulled seeds can be either lightly bruised or fried, or toasted and ground, before being added to a dish.  Cardamom is a good in baked apples, poached pears, and fruit salads.  It combines well with orange and coffee desserts, but its equally at home with roast duck or poached chicken, in marinades or spiced wine.  It is also useful in pickles.

Cardamom combines well with other spices such as caraway, chili, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, coriander (which is another I will have to investigate) cumin, ginger, paprika, pepper, saffron, and yogurt.

So the next time you get that gift pack, don’t throw the Cardamom away without exploring all of its uses.

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One of the hardest food items for me to plan are what to have as appetizers. There are so many to choose from that I get overwhelmed and end up serving to many. For that reason this year I am going to try and serve only two to three appetizers.

Feta cheese is my favorite cheese. I love its flavor. This particular recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend, I lost the original recipe and went looking on the Internet for a replacement. I found it at Eating Well Magazine, where I find a lot of my recipes.

Serve with assorted vegetables, such as baby carrots, bell pepper strips, radishes, snow peas, broccoli and caulifower florets.

EatingWell

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS
Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve.

Have a safe and happy summer season.

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This is the season that I love.  Gardening is a hobby of mine, I won’t say I am a good gardener, but I find it so relaxing.   One of my favorite gardening plants are herbs.   I plant them throughout my garden, wherever there is a free patch of dirt.

This is the first year I have planted Cilantro.   I like to put it in my salsa and on some meats. Learning about the herbs is part of the fun of growing them.

Did you know…..Cilantro is one of those foods that people either love or hate.  Interestingly, the regions of the world where it is most cherished are not where it originated. Cilantro’s genesis can be traced to the Mediterranean.  The Romans spread it to Asia while the Spanish conquistadors introduced it to Mexico and Peru. Subsequently, cilantro is a primary herb in Indian, Asian, and Latin American cuisines while Europeans and Americans have given it a lukewarm reception. Nevertheless it is touted as the world’s most popular herb.

Cilantro’s nomenclature is somewhat confusing.  The entire plant and the seeds are properly named coriander, while the leaves alone are cilantro. Colloquially, the entire plant and leaves are referred to as cilantro and only the seeds as coriander.  Cilantro is also referred to as Chinese parsley.

Cilantro has been used for thousands of years.  Coriander seeds have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. The Chinese believed it to be an aphrodisiac and to produce immortality.  Coriander, like many foods throughout the ages, has also been credited with a number of medicinal properties.

Cilantro is available year round. It is a delicate herb that fades quickly. Most supermarkets carry it but finding fresh, non-wilted specimens is the challenge. Choose bunches with bright green leaves and a fragrant aroma. Store it in a plastic bag or place the roots in a container of water with the tops covered by plastic wrap or a bag. Either way, in a few days it will be a shadow of it’s original self.  Coriander seeds and/or ground coriander can be found in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.  As with all spices it is best to purchase the seeds whole and grind them yourself for the best flavor. Cilantro stems are also edible and provide a bright crunchiness to your dish. Add cilantro leaves toward the end of cooking or just before serving. Its fragile flavor is easily dissipated by heat.

Americans are most familiar with cilantro in their salsa and guacamole. However, cilantro and coriander are used all over the world in countless preparations.  It is used with meat, chicken, fish, sauces, marinades, chutneys, you name it. Coriander is even used in baking.

Try cilantro in your crabcakes or shrimp salad. Or chop cilantro and garlic, add a little oil and spread this mixture on your meat, fowl or fish. Skip the oil to save calories. For a creamy low fat dressing with diverse uses, mix equal parts of buttermilk and plain yogurt with salt, pepper, and a good amount of chopped cilantro.  (Remember, buttermilk is made from low fat milk). Ground coriander is a great addition to dry rubs.  It pairs particularly well with cumin, curry, paprika, garlic, and chile powder.

If you’re more decadently inclined, make cilantro oil or mayonnaise.  There are two ways to make the oil. In the first, add two cups of cilantro to a jar with an airtight lid. Warm up a bland oil like canola, sunflower, safflower, or a light olive oil. Add it to the jar, seal the lid, and wait two weeks. Leave the cilantro whole if you wish to remove it or chop it and leave it in the oil. A quicker method is to blanch 2 cups of cilantro in boiling water for five seconds and then submerge in ice water. Squeeze out the water and puree it in a blender with one cup of oil.  Strain it through cheesecloth if you wish to remove the solids.  You can sprinkle various dishes with the oil or use it for cooking.  For cilantro mayonnaise, simply chop some cilantro, garlic, and an optional jalapeño pepper and then mix with mayo, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

PORK CHOPS WITH POBLANO-CILANTRO SAUCE

6 poblano peppers, roasted, skins & seeds removed
¼ cup cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ cup of water
Cayenne powder, salt, and pepper to taste
4 pork chops
olive oil, as needed
onion, 8 ounces, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped

1) Puree two of the roasted poblano peppers, cilantro, cumin, coriander, vinegar, water, salt and pepper in a blender. Add additional water if necessary.
2) Brush the chops with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne powder.
3) Sear the chops on each side in the oil. Do not fully cook the chops. Remove them as soon as each side is seared and set aside.
4) Roughly chop the remaining poblano peppers and sauté with the onion in the same pan you sautéed the chops until the onions start to soften. Add extra oil if necessary.
5) Add garlic and sauté one minute more.
6) Return the chops to the pan and add the sauce.  Simmer until the chops are cooked.  About 3-5 minutes for half inch chops.

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