Monday, July 14, 2008 Cooking with herbs and spices By Ianne I. Monfort From my kitchen
AS FOOD tastes become more sophisticated, many are willing to spend time experimenting with new and often glamorous dishes to please friends and family.
Perhaps one of the most sophisticated ways of doing this is by cooking with herbs and spices. Without limiting our choices to grilled and roasted food, poultry and pasta blend with a combination of herbs and spices will do, especially if fresh herbs are used.
Fresh herbs are available most part of the year and they can be stored in the refrigerator for few days or in the freezer for up to one year.
Basil and sage leaves, for example, can be stored covered with olive and salad oil, for several months in the refrigerator.
Red spices (paprika, chili powder, and ground red pepper) will hold their color and keep their flavor if longer refrigerated.
Dried herbs and ground or whole spices should be stored in a cool, dry, dark cabinet away from the heat of the range.
By doing so, whole spices will retain their flavor and aroma almost indefinitely.
The flavor of ground herbs and spices does not hold up well during lengthy cooking, so add them toward the end of the cooking time; if you have to put them in at beginning, refresh the flavor with an extra pinch or two just before the dish finishes cooking.
To release the fullest flavor of fresh and dried herbs, crush them in the palm of your hand or grind them with a mortar and pestle before adding them to the food.
To substitute fresh herbs for dried ones, use three times as much of the dried called for, since flavor of the fresh is less intense.
I have selected one of my tested recipes, which you will not only savor but get revitalized as well with their delicate and powerful aroma.
Paprika Chicken, a rich, spicy dish from Eastern Europe and can be ideally served with pasta and some green salad.
The aromatic and zesty flavor of this recipe is a reminiscent of the delicate scent of herbs and gardens waiting the early morning when rain has suddenly stopped and the sun begins dying the drenched trees and plants, with the cicadas chirping softly in the distance.
Happy cooking!
Paprika Chicken
1 Chicken, cut up
1 teaspoon Paprika
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
Direction:
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Then arrange pieces, skin side down and slightly apart, in a lightly greased shallow baking dish. In a small dish, mix paprika, salt, sugar, and pepper; sprinkle over chicken.
Bake at 400F degrees for 35 minutes. Turn pieces over and continue to bake until meat near thighbone is no longer pink; cut to test (10 to 15 more minutes)
