Herbs Jazz Up the Culinary Landscape
(Page 2 of 7)
April/May 2006
By MADALENE HILL AND GWEN BARCLAY
There is the German Grüe Sosse, or green sauce, of Frankfurt, that is delicious served with fish, red meats or hard-cooked eggs. Sometimes known as salsa verde or verte in other areas of Europe, in Frankfurt the sauce is loaded with at least eight different finely chopped fresh herbs, including delicate chives and chervil and the stronger flavors of sorrel, savory and tarragon.
RELATED CONTENT
Keep this salt substitute on the table to sprinkle on vegetables, salads, eggs—or anything else th...
This salt substitute can be sprinkled on vegetables, salads, eggs—or anything else that you would...
Try this easy-to-make recipe with Beau Monde, a seasoning sold under the Spice Islands label....
This calendula herbal flush will help keep pets' ears free of discharge and reduce irritation...
Try our tips for starting your own apothecary. Includes web exclusive tips on three must-have essen...
Meanwhile, salsas from Latin America traditionally are vegetable-based, with ripe tomatoes or tomatillos (small husk tomatoes) serving as the primary tart ingredient. Along with odiferous coriander leaf, also known as cilantro, we like to add other herbs such as mint marigold (Tagetes lucida), a mild oregano, pungent rosemary or sweet spearmint.
A wonderful but lesser known Latin American sauce is chimichurri (see “Fresh Herbal Seasoning Blend” at right), the condiment and basting mixture that is the backbone of meat cooking in much of Central America, as well as Argentina. Fresh parsley is always the dominant herb in this ubiquitous oil- and vinegar-based mixture, reinforced with garlic, cilantro and whatever other pungent herbs may be available. Oregano and rosemary are favorites, but we make chimichurri with many different herbs to keep things interesting.
The green chutneys of Central Asia usually are made of fresh spearmint and cilantro, along with ground toasted cumin seed and a liberal dose of fresh ginger and hot chile. The recipe shared on Page 22 is from nationally known author and cooking teacher Suneeta Vaswani.
Other condiments have made their way to the United States from remote Central Asia and North Africa. In the Republic of Georgia, a relish composed of great quantities of celery, bell peppers and onions is seasoned with two seemingly incompatible herbs — cilantro and dill. Yet, it works. The mixture typically is served with Georgian melons, which are more like cucumbers than our sweet summer fruit.
In Morocco, charmoula is a fiery sauce drizzled on freshly fried small fish. It is a typical street food and includes cilantro as well as parsley, preferably the more intensely flavored flat-leaf or plain variety, along with cumin and paprika.
Hot chile peppers aren’t a requirement for piquancy in a sauce, which also can draw a sharp bite from peppercorns, fresh ginger, horseradish, mustard, garlic or other foods.
MAKE YOUR OWN
When searching out potential recipes to add to your repertoire, keep in mind that mixtures may be adapted to suit a particular need. A salad dressing may have the oil and acid measurements reduced to yield a concentrated seasoning. Recipes based on dried herbs usually are improved when fresh herbs are substituted (use two to three times the amount called for in dried form). A super pesto can be adapted into a dressing or marinade by adding wine vinegar or lemon juice.
Page:
<< Previous 1 | 2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
Next >>