Herbs & Spices Tips
Read these 15 Herbs & Spices Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Gourmet tips and hundreds of other topics.
Storing Chives
Fresh chives are difficult to dry successfully at home, but can easily be frozen for year round use.
Cut stems from plant, wash and dry completely.
Chop and flash freeze. Place in an airtight container or freezer bag and use within 12 months.
Dilly Seasoning Mix
Dill is the dominant flavor in this delicious and versatile seasoning mix. It can be used as a salad dressing, a vegetable dip, in pasta salads, or sprinkled on chicken or seafood.
1/2 cup dried dill weed (not seeds)
1/2 cup dried minced onion (not powder)
1/3 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup dried basil
1/4 cup dried tarragon
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried lemon peel
Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and blend until
they are evenly distributed. Store in an airtight container.
No Salt Seasoning Mix
Try this wonderful seasoning mix on grilled chicken, beef or pork. It's so flavorful you won't even notice that the salt is missing!
HOMEMADE NO-SALT SEASONING
1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 Tsp. Thyme
1/4 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp. Paprika
1/4 Tsp. Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Lemon Pepper
1/4 Tsp. Dry Mustard
1/8 Tsp. Ground Celery Seed
Combine together all ingredients; pour into a clean dry spice jar, and store in a cool dark place for up to six months.
Rosemary Skewers
Use fresh Rosemary stalks (ideally from your garden), to
skewer shrimp or scallops and then grill on the BBQ.
Soak the Rosemary stalks in water for about 1 hour before
using to prevent flare-ups on the BBQ.
Don't use direct heat for this; the top shelf or over
indirect heat is ideal.
The seafood will become scented with the Rosemary flavor
and it looks nice too.
Make a Bouquet Garni
To make your own bouquet garni for use is stocks, soups and stews take the fresh herbs and tie them together with butchers twine.
A standard bouquet garni consists of fresh parsley, fresh thyme, bay leaf and fresh leek or celery.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Make your own pumpkin pie spice now for all your upcoming
holiday baking. Its got many uses!
1/4 cup Ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Ground ginger
2 teaspoons Ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon Ground allspice
1 teaspoon Ground cloves
Makes a scant 1/2 cup
Add 1 tbsp. per pie to pumpkin pie filling.
Why not try making Easy Cinnamon Ice Cream or Simple Spiced Apple Sauce using
this great spice mixture.
Cajun Seasoning Mix
You can double this recipe to ensure that you always have some of this versatile seasoning mix on hand.
1 1/3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Combine ingredients well.
Place in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.
Bringing out the flavour
Paprika's color is instantly visible, but its full flavour comes out when it is cooked.
For full flavor and aroma, saute paprika in olive oil or cook it slowly in stews
Using Fresh Chives
The young, light green blades of the chive plant are the best for cooking.
Cut individual blades back to about two inches from the ground, rather than snipping the ends off of the whole plant.
Where does Paprika come from?
Most commercial paprika comes from Spain, South America, California and Hungary.
Although Hungary is a highly regarded source, Spain produces more than half of the paprika imported into the United States.
What is Paprika?
Paprika is the colorful garnish and seasoning made from dried, ground peppers that can range from mild bell peppers to feisty little chilies.
Green Peppercorns
Green peppercorns are mild unripe peppercorn berries. They come in jars or cans packed in brine.
Spanish Paprika Types
These are the three main types of Spanish Paprika.
Mild: a brick-red powder made from small, round tomato-shaped peppers, with a smoky aroma and a tangy flavor. This is what we get in the most popular commercial spice brands.
Bittersweet: a deep-red powder ground from dried, elongated peppers. It provides a piquant heat with an acrid edge.
Hot: duller in color, made from various elongated peppers. It adds a sharp heat to dishes and leaves a pleasant burn on the palate.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |
