_making Marinades Strictly A Matter Of Taste Recipes

_MAKING MARINADES: STRICTLY A MATTER OF TASTE

Steps:

• Well, in the spirit of full disclosure, we're here to tell you that there is a little more to it than a splash of this and a handful of that. Good marinades depend on a triad of components: acids, oils, and other flavors. To get started on your own, create a basic vinaigrette, which is usually about one part acid to three parts oil. Season it to taste with salt and pepper and whisk. Mmm...tastes pretty good already. If you're looking at a steak that already has good taste but you want to take it in a Mediterranean direction, choose a fruity olive oil and a red wine vinegar. For a lean pork chop or chicken breast that needs a kick in the pants, try a strong chile oil and a dip into the mustard jar for the acidity. Fish with subtle flavors work well with mild oils such as canola, and lemon juice gives them a tangy brightness. But you're not finished yet. To make a marinade truly your own, add some other flavors that reflect your particular style. If you like your food to burn the back of your throat a bit, whisk in some chili powder, red curry paste, or hot pepper sauce. For something on the sweeter side, think about honey, molasses, or ketchup. For some reason minced garlic and fresh herbs almost always seem to help, so if you have 'em, use 'em.Note to those who want to beat all expectations: Sometimes a marinade can be a shining example of the principles above, but there is still something missing. No problem. There are certain condiments that fill those flavor gaps beautifully and provide a deliciousness that's hard to replicate without them. These condiments are concentrated, often fermented products with extraordinary depth. Good examples: Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Use them judiciously for fantastic results.Finally, understand that a good marinade does not necessarily taste good. That is, a marinade can be so pungent or spicy on its own that you wouldn't dare pour it on your tongue, but when it works its way into the food and cooks over a hot fire, it becomes that tasty little secret that some cooks don't like to share.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

_SPICES AND HERBS

Steps:

• ALLSPICE (also called pimento or Jamaican pepper) DESCRIPTION: Dried, nearly ripe berries from the Jamaican myrtle tree sweet and savory flavor. Smells and tastes like combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. Available whole or ground. USES: A key ingredient in "jerk" seasoning, but also added to pickling spice mixtures, mincemeat, pot roast and stews, sausage and cured meats, ham, gravies, ketchup, poultry marinades, and fish. Also good on vegetables such as beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squash. Sprinkle on rice, puddings, cakes, and pies. ANISE DESCRIPTION: Mediterranean herb of parsley family with a warm, licorice taste. Yields the spice Anise seed-available whole, ground, or as an extract-when seeds are dried. USES: Soups, veal stews, curries (including vegetable curry), fish and shellfish (add a handful of anise leaves when you boil shrimp), cookies, and cakes. Leaves are less flavorful than seeds, but make a nice garnish. BASIL DESCRIPTION: The spicy sweet "tomato herb." Available fresh or dried in leaf or ground form. Even comes in scented varieties-cinnamon, anise, and lemon. USES: Mediterranean and Italian cuisine pesto tomato and minestrone soups spiced-meat dishes such as meatballs, chicken, and lamb potato salad vegetables (especially zucchini) and fish and seafood. Charcoal grill users: Throw some basil on the coals after your meat is cooked and the mosquitoes will stay away while you feast! BAY LEAVES DESCRIPTION: Dried, Mediterranean herb of the bay laurel (dried leaves are more flavorful than fresh ones). Watch out for ornamental plants bearing the laurel name some are poisonous. USES: Beef, hearty soups, stews, pot roast, marinades for chicken, and spaghetti sauce. Releases oil over a long time. When poaching fish or boiling potatoes for salad, drop a leaf in the water. Remove bay leaves from the dish you're serving they're too tough to eat and could cause someone to choke. A leaf in your flour canister will keep bugs out. BOUQUET GARNI DESCRIPTION: Marjoram, parsley (or chervil), thyme, and bay leaf may also contain other herbs. USES: Bundle herbs together with string or in a cheesecloth pouch! sachet and add to dish while it's cooking, then remove before serving. Use with beef or fish, or in soups. CARAWAY DESCRIPTION: Tangy flavor, similar to dill. Entire plant is edible, but generally used in whole seed form, occasionally ground. USES: Hungarian goulash, sauerkraut, chicken paprikash, pork sausage, pork or veal stew, and split pea soup. Also: potatoes, cabbage, carrots, breads, cookies, and cakes. CARDAMOM DESCRIPTION: Spice related to ginger. Available as whole seed pods, whole seeds, or ground. Lightly crush entire pod shell disintegrates as it cooks. USES: Most common uses: Scandinavian baked goods and Middle Eastern coffee. Try in pork marinades, on cabbage or carrots, or in citrus fruit salad. Note: Cardamom loses flavor when exposed to air. CAYENNE (also called red pepper) DESCRIPTION: Dried, ground red chile peppers. This spice can be very hot! To cool your mouth after a potent dose, drink milk or beer J or eat yogurt, ice cream, or a banana. Water doesn't help because the hot part of the chile is an oil, which the water can't dissolve and will usually spread. USES: Commonly found in Mexican cuisine and Indian curries. Add a dash to ground beef for hamburgers or casseroles, sprinkle some in meat loaf, or add to dips and spreads for some bite. CELERY SEED DESCRIPTION: Dried fruit of an herb of the parsley family-the celery. Three types: white, green, and turnip rooted, all slightly bitter. USES: Flavors fish, stews, winter vegetable salads, egg dishes, pickles, ketchup, and tomato juice. CHERVIL DESCRIPTION: Herb used like parsley. but with a delicate anise flavor. USES: Most popular in egg dishes, but good on veal, chicken, and fish in soups and sauces in chicken, egg, and potato sala6 and with carrots, corn, and peas. Add near the end of cooking. CHILE PEPPER (see also Cayenne and Paprika) DESCRIPTION: Fresh green or red hot pepper pods (small ones tend to be the hottest whole dried red peppers (range from medium to hot), or dried pepper flakes (hot, found in your grocer's spice rack and in shakers at pizza joints). USES: Adds fire to: chili con carne, seafood. bisque and cocktail sauces, Italian tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and tomato salad dressing. Wear gloves when cooking with fresh chiles, wash hands thoroughly after handling, and keep your fingers out of your eyes. The hottest parts of a chile pepper are the seeds and membranes. CHILI POWDER DESCRIPTION: Ground chile pepper, ground cumin, ground oregano, and powdered garlic. Some brands also include salt, cloves or chocolate. USES: Use for beef, chili con carne, pork, shellfish (add to cooking water), cocktail sauce, steak marinades, Spanish rice, cauliflower, carrots, corn, and cream soups (tomato, pea, or potato). Store in refrigerator to preserve freshness. CHINESE ANISE (see Star Anise) CHINESE PARSLEY (see Cilantro) CHIVES DESCRIPTION: Herb of the onion family with a mild flavor (also comes in a garlic variety).USES: Flavors chicken, fish and seafood potatoes, cream soups, eggs, carrots, and cauliflower. Add near end of cooking. Dried chives have very little flavor, so use fresh or frozen when you can. CILANTRO (also called Chinese parsley) DESCRIPTION: The same plant as coriander, but refers to the leaves rather than the seeds. Spicy, peppery taste. USES: Mostly Mexican and Oriental cuisine: salsas, stews, soups, sauces, dips, curries, and vegetables. CINNAMON DESCRIPTION: Most popular sweet spice, made from the dried bark of the evergreen tree. Available in whole sticks or as ground powder. USES: Central and South American and .Middle Eastern meat dishes (Greek lamb stew), pies, cakes, sweet rolls, fruit, and hot drinks. CLOVES DESCRIPTION: Dried flower buds of fragrant evergreen clove tree. Member of the "Big Four," which includes cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper. Available whole or ground. USES: Whole cloves flavor pot roast, pork roast and ham, pickles, stews, and mulled cider. Use ground to flavor mincemeat, beets, sweet potatoes, onions, or winter squash also, baked goods and chocolate desserts, fruit dishes, juices, syrups, and preserves. CORIANDER DESCRIPTION: The same plant as cilantro, but refers to the seeds rather than the leaves. Available whole or ground. Simultaneously sweet and tart. USES: Adds rich flavor to meat loaf, spicy meat mixtures, sausage, stews, ham or pork roast, poultry stuffing, and cooked beets. Common ingredient in gingerbread, sweets and breads, baked apples, and fruit salad. CUMIN DESCRIPTION: Strongly flavored spice. Comes in whole or ground seeds. USES: Ingredient in curry and chili con carne. Add to beef, roast pork, chicken marinades, vegetable salads, cabbage dishes and sauerkraut, black beans, and sugar cookies. Flavor doesn't blend well with other flavors use sparingly. CURRY POWDER DESCRIPTION: East Indian blend of coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, cloves, cayenne, allspice, and mustard seed. USES: Use in sauces to flavor beef, chicken, lamb, pork, seafood, and vegetables. DILLDESCRIPTION: Available as a seed (whole or ground) and in a milder leaf form (called dill weed). USES: More than just pickles! Use with meat stews, veal, chicken, lamb chops, and fish and shellfish such as salmon or herring. Try it with these vegetables: cucumber, cabbage, carrots, turnips, winter squash, and cauliflower. Add a touch to potato salad, egg salad, coleslaw, cottage cheese, and hot buttered popcorn. Knead into herb bread dough. FAGARA (see Szechwan Pepper) FENNEL DESCRIPTION: Spice comes in seed form, fresh and whole, or dried and ground, and tastes like licorice. Also available as a vegetable in bulbous form similar to celery stalks. USES: Great for fish in fact, it's called the "fish herb." If you have a whole plant, throw the long stalks on the charcoal when grilling fish. Dip bases of fresh stalks in olive oil for a snack. Also good in meatballs, roast pork, and spaghetti sauce. Seeds are also used in lentil dishes, cabbage, celery, potatoes, and sauerkraut to top breads and rolls or sweeten apple pie, cookies, and cakes. FENUGREEK DESCRIPTION: This seed (available whole or ground), a member of the legume family, is considered a food by vegetarians. Flavor is bitter and maplelike. USES: Curry and Indian cuisine, pickling spice, and imitation maple. Use in beef casserole, black bean soup, and vegetable stew. FILE: GUMBO DESCRIPTION: Dried sassafras leaves and thyme. USES: Use as a thickener for meat, poultry, fish sauces stews soups and gumbo. FINES HERBES DESCRIPTION: Finely chopped chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon. May also include marjoram, savory, or watercress. USES: Add to a cooked mixture shortly before serving. Do not remove. FIVE-SPICE POWDER DESCRIPTION: Different brands vary, but this blend includes a combination of five of the following spices: star anise, Szechwan pepper (fagara) cassia or cinnamon, fennel, clove, ginger, and licorice root. USES: Use in Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking on beef, chicken, pork, fish and seafood, and vegetables. GARLIC DESCRIPTION: Member of the onion family with strong odor and taste bulbs break into cloves. Available in white, pink, and purple varieties. Comes fresh or powdered. USES: Widely used in Italian, Mediterranean, and Mexican cuisine. Garlic powder accents beef, pork, lamb, and game. Of course, garlic bread is a dinnertime staple. GINGER DESCRIPTION: Spicy-sweet spice from ginger root available fresh, dried, powdered, preserved in syrup or crystalized (candied), and even pickled. USES: Use fresh, powdered, or pickled form with steak, meat loaf, chicken, and fish and seafood. Refrigerate fresh ginger root for up to I week or store covered with dry sherry in a jar. Use ginger as needed use the ginger-flavored sherry in other recipes. Use powdered form in cakes, cookies, puddings, and sweet breads. A key ingredient in many Asian cuisines. HERBES DE PROVENCE DESCRIPTION: Mediterranean blend of oregano, savory, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. May also contain lavender, basil, or fennel seeds. USES: Use to season kabobs, chicken, pork, stews, tomato dishes, and pizza. ITALIAN SEASONING DESCRIPTION: Blend of marjoram, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. May also contain savory or sage. USES: Great with dips, herb breads, and tomato dishes. Mix with olive oil to create a quick and easy rub for chicken. Crumble over pizza sauce before layering on toppings. MACE DESCRIPTION: Comes from same tree as nutmeg mace comes from outer covering of the seed. Cinnamon and pepper flavor, stronger than nutmeg. Available in whole blades (dried filaments) or ground. USES: Practically speaking, mace and nutmeg are interchangeable. Mace is sweeter and lighter colored. Use in light-colored cookies and cakes, puddings, and doughnuts. Also good in chicken pie, cream vegetable sauces, and cream-based or clear soups such as oyster stew. MARJORAM DESCRIPTION: Herb similar to oregano, but milder and sweeter. USES: Hamburgers, meat loaf, stews, chicken pot pie, fish dishes and sauces, and poultry stuffing. Try it with cabbage, carrots, peas, carrots, beans, and summer squash. MINT DESCRIPTION: Comes in several hundred varieties, but most common are peppermint and spearmint. Available dried (for tea) and fresh. USES: Everything from roast lamb to fruit salad, including potatoes, carrots, peas, zucchini, beans, cookies, and cakes. Also as a flavoring and garnish for drinks. MUSTARD DESCRIPTION: Whole or ground seeds in white (milder and used to make prepared yellow mustard), brown (for spicy, sweet, or beer mustard), and black varieties. USES: Use ground mustard for ham, pork pate, barbecue and cocktail sauces (for seafood), salad dressings, chowders and bisques, and on baked beans, beets, and succotash. Seeds go well in pickling brines, relishes, and chutneys. Add seeds to the cooking water when cooking cabbage, sauerkraut, and beets. Can be used instead of caraway or dill seeds on cooked vegetables, but toast the seeds first. NUTMEG DESCRIPTION: Whole or ground nutmeg comes from same tree as mace and has a cinnamon, nutty flavor. USES: Veal, beef, chicken, lamb, and vegetable stew. Common in sweet, spicy dishes. Add to fruit breads, desserts, sauces, milk-or cream-based custards, white sauces, and eggnog. Also good for squash or candied yams green, leafy vegetables such as spinach tomatoes green beans, corn, eggplant onions and mashed potatoes. OREGANO DESCRIPTION: Herb related to marjoram, but stronger flavor. USES: Most famous in spaghetti sauce and pizza. Break from tradition and try it in chili can carne, hamburgers, meat loaf, bean or lentil soup, poultry stuffing, squash, eggplant, beans, breads, or with fish and seafood. PAPRIKA DESCRIPTION: Dried, powdered fruit of a red sweet pepper also known as "pimiento." Comes in a few varieties, mainly Hungarian (strong and rich) and Spanish (mild) none are hot. USES: Flavoring and as a garnish. Ingredient in goulash and paprikash. Sprinkle over poultry, stews, eggs, and vegetables. Loses its punch quickly, so store away from heat and light. PARSLEY DESCRIPTION: Curly parsley (the famous garnish!) and Italian, or flat-leaf, parsley, which has a richer, spicier taste. Available fresh (which freezes well) or dried. USES: Soups, stews, sauces herb butter for bread, fish, and poultry salads, potatoes, and omelets. Parsley brings out the flavor of other herbs. Dried parsley is not nearly as flavorful as fresh or fresh-frozen. PEPPERCORNS DESCRIPTION: Black pepper is made from dried peppercorn berries harvested while green and immature. It has a strong flavor and aroma, and is one of the world's oldest known spices. White pepper is made from fully-ripened berries soaked in water to loosen the red skin, and has a milder flavor. USES: Use it when you don't want black flecks to show up in your food. Fresh -tasting green peppercorns are picked green off the vine, not dried conventionally, and have a slightly different flavor. Finally, pink peppercorns, although unrelated to the others, have a peppery taste and are a decorative addition to your pepper grinder. Available whole (for maximum freshness) and ground (coarse or fine). USES : Just about anything! But do yourself a favor: Invest a few dollars in a small pepper grinder whole peppercorns keep their flavor indefinitely, while ground pepper loses it quickly. PIMENTO (see Allspice) POPPY SEED DESCRIPTION: Crunchy, slightly sweet seeds from the same plant that produces opium, but don't worry--the narcotic alkaloids are removed during processing. USES: Common in baked goods and salad dressings. Try on buttered noodles mashed potatoes steamed veggies such as cabbage, spinach, carrots, onions, and zucchini and in macaroni salad or coleslaw. Toast lightly in a dry skillet to crisp and bring out full nutty flavor. RED PEPPER (see Cayenne) ROSEMARY DESCRIPTION: Robustly flavored spice with needlelike leaves and a taste reminiscent of pine trees. USES: Roast meats, especially chicken, lamb, and pork carrots, winter squash, beans, cauliflower, and potatoes. Often used with pasta dishes as a spice and garnish. Not a dessert spice, but goes with breads and yogurt dips. SAFFRON DESCRIPTION: Dried stigmas from inside the flower of the saffron crocus. This yellow spice comes whole and powdered. Very difficult to grow and harvest, it is the most expensive spice in the world (I ounce can cost more than $150). Fortunately, one or two threads is enough to flavor most dishes. USES: Combines well with garlic use with chicken, fish and shellfish, and rice dishes. Also: breads, cakes, and cookies. Flavoring in both bouillabaisse and paella. Tip: Don't use wooden utensils wood will absorb it. SAGE DESCRIPTION: A "mint" spice. Leaves contain a pungent oil, giving sage a sweet taste and herbal scent. Comes whole, rubbed (crushed), or ground. USES: Veal, beef stew, hamburgers, turkey and chicken, pork, stuffing, fish chowder, cornbread, stewed tomatoes, cheese spreads, vegetables, and breads. SAVORY DESCRIPTION: A mint relative with a spicy, peppery taste. Winter (darker green and smaller) and summer (milder) varieties, but for all practical purposes can be used interchangeably. Available fresh or dried. USES: Beef, country sausage, chicken, lamb, and vegetable soup. Top herb for beans, but also use with brussels sprouts, turnips, cabbage, green beans, peas, potatoes, and tomatoes. Tip: Rub savory leaves on bee stings to instantly relieve the pain! SESAME DESCRIPTION: Very nutritious seeds (lots of protein). Oil from seeds, used to make sesame oil, is high in vitamin E, cholesterol free, and high in polyunsaturates. USES: Widely used in Japanese, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Also used as a topping for breads and rolls or mixed into cakes and cookies. Used to make a "sesame butter" called tahini, a paste made from ground-up seeds. Lightly toast in a dry skillet before use to release nutty flavor. Sprinkle on tomatoes, baked potatoes. cream cheese, vegetable or fruit salads. and tossed salads. Go nuts! STAR ANISE (also called Chinese Anise) DESCRIPTION: Chinese spice from the dried star-shaped fruit of a small evergreen native to southern China and Vietnam. Comes whole or ground. No relation to anise, but yields a similar, but stronger, licorice taste USES: Chinese duck and pork dishes and Vietnamese beef-noodle soup. Used whole it adds beauty and elegance, but don't try to eat it. You can choke on those little stars (and they burn extra hot!). SZECHWAN PEPPER (also called Fagara) DESCRIPTION: Dried berry of a prickly ash tree with a spicy-woody aroma. USES: Ingredient in five-spice blend. Flavors pork and poultry and is a key ingredient Szechwan crispy duck. TARRAGON DESCRIPTION: Rich, sweet herb with slight licorice taste. An essential herb in French cuisine. USES: Chicken and fish, mild vegetables cucumber salad, potato salad, and salad dressing. It's strong, so use near the end of cooking. THYME DESCRIPTION: Another mint family herb a strong flavor. Its many varieties include lemon thyme. USES: Meat loaf, pot roast, hamburgers, lamb, game, fish dishes, New England clam chowder, hearty soups and stews, poultry stuffing, and most vegetables. Great with slow-cooked dishes. TURMERIC DESCRIPTION: Spice in the ginger family that comes from the root of the turmeric plant. Available powdered and you can sometimes find whole fresh or dried pieces of the root in stores that sell Asian foods. USES: Curried lamb, chutney, legumes, and zucchini. Can use as a substitute for saffron, but expect the taste to differ. VANILLA DESCRIPTION: Full-sized fruit of an orchid, harvested while still green, then fermented and cured. Gets its flavor from the chemical compound vanillin. Available as whole beans or an extract. Choose beans that look moist and are flexible, not stiff, and keep both beans and extract away from heat or light.USES: Drinks or sweet dishes, including chocolate. Tip: Store whole beans in sugar. In a couple of weeks, the sugar will take on the vanilla flavor, making it great for baking use, and the beans will last this way for years.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.