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Showing posts with label Herbs/Spices/Mixes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Herbs/Spices/Mixes. Show all posts

Friday, May 7, 2010

Cajun Blackening Spice Mix

5 TB Paprika
1/4 cup Salt
1/4 cup Garlic Powder
2 TB Fresh Ground Pepper
2 TB Onion Powder
2 TB Cayenne Powder
2 TB Dried Oregano
2 TB Dried Thyme

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container. Delicious for grilling salmon, chicken or shrimp. Also try in Creole Jambalaya.

Shake and Bake Substitute for Pork & Chicken

Instead of buying the expensive little packets of coating for chicken or pork, some of which cost as much as $3.00 for a one ounce packet and are mostly salt, save yourself some money and make your own mix.

Both of these dry rub mixes can be prepared with basic ingredients in your own spice cupboard, and they taste even better than the store bought brands.  For a little extra spice you can even add cayenne pepper to the mix.


Oven Baked Pork Chops with Seasoning Mix
For Pork
2-1/2 TB Cornmeal 
2 TB Flour
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp  Paprika
1/2 tsp Dried Sage
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp  Cayenne  (optional - add for extra spicy coating)

Mix ingredients and use the same as the store bought package. Recipe will coat 6 - 8 pork chops.  You can use this coating on bone-in or boneless chops.

Coat pork chops with mixture, pressing the rub onto the meat.  Place chops on a lightly greased cooking rack, spray the chops lightly with olive oil and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops.**  During the last 10 minutes of cooking, turn the over to the BROIL settings to finish the chops with a browned and crispy top.

** Use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 140 degrees, then remove the chops from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

For Chicken
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Cornmeal or Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/4 tsp Basil

Combine all ingredients in a large ziplock bag and shake well. When ready to use, brush chicken pieces with olive oil and place in bag; shake well to coat. Bake chicken pieces at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until juices run clear. Yield: coating for 8 - 10 pieces of chicken.

Creamy Tarragon Dressing


Tarragon adds a delicious flavor to this creamy dressing. If you like gardening, Tarragon is easy to grow and you will find many uses for this tasty herb, such as making your own Tarragon Vinegar.

1/2 cup Non-Fat Plain Yogurt
1/2 cup Low-Fat Mayonnaise
1 TB Chopped Fresh Tarragon or 1 1/2 tsp Dried Tarragon, crumbled 
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until blended and smooth. Chill 1 hour before serving.

Creamy Tarragon - Garlic Dressing

2 TB Mayonnaise
2 TB White Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Chopped Fresh Tarragon
1/4 tsp Finely Chopped Garlic
1/3 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, tarragon, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

More Information on Tarragon --

Tarragon is a small, shrubby herb in the sunflower family. Two species are cultivated, Russian and French. Leaves of the French variety are glossier and more pungent. Most commercial Tarragon comes from dried leaves of the French Tarragon plant.

Tarragon has a slightly bittersweet flavor and an aroma similar to anise.

It is commonly known as a flavoring for vinegar and is used in pickles, relishes, prepared mustards, and sauces, and adds distinctive flavor to sauces. Tarragon also goes well with fish, meat, soups and stews, and is often used in tomato and egg dishes.

How To Grow - Tarragon is a hearty, easy to grow herb. It can be grown in a pot in full sun and grows to a mature height of about 24". A single plant offers a large harvest of leaves which can be dried and kept in a jar for up to 6 months.

** Note: When you purchase a Tarragon plant be sure it is French tarragon and not Russian, as the Russian variety has a much less pungent flavor.

Arugula


Arugula is a member of the mustard family and is generally used in Meditteranean style recipes, especially Italian cuisine. With its peppery and slightly bitter flavor, Arugula will add a kick to a basic salad. It's flavor is similar to watercress. Like most greens, Arugula is very low in calories and high in vitamins A and C. 
 

How to Grow
Arugula is a simple variety of greens to grow at home. Sow the seeds in a sunny location in succession plantings (approximately every 20 to 30 days) from early spring to fall.

Arugula performs best in spring to early summer. After that time, plant it under the shade of an "airy" tree (not dense shade), or under shade cloth. It is not fussy at all, although too much drought and summer heat will cause the leaves to be smaller and more "peppery".

To harvest simply pick the young leaves and the plant will keep generating new ones for months. Older leaves are a bit tougher and hotter.

To store , rinse the leaves in cool water and dry on paper toweling. Wrap leaves tightly in a zip lock bag. Best if used within two days.

Basil

Basil is one of my favorite herbs to use.  It is a member of the mint family and a native of India. 

The most common use for basil is pesto sauce, but this tasty leaves can be used to flavor pasta sauces, add to salad dressings, or even use on sandwiches in place of lettuce leaves.



Varieties

Thai Basil or "Siam Queen" - Culinary, ornamental. Red stems and flowers in clusters, green leaf. Very attractive. Licorice-basil aroma. Used in Thai recipes.

Sweet Italian Basil - Culinary variety. Standard, traditional green-leaf selection. Perfect for pesto or chopped fresh and sprinkled on garden-grown tomatoes with olive oil.

Italian Large Leaf Basil - Sometimes called Lettuce Leaf Basil. Produces very large leaves. One leaf can cover a slice of bread! Good basil flavor and fragrance. Excellent choice for Grilled Tomatoes with Mozzarella.

How to Grow
Basil can be grown from seed or purchased through a nursery. Plants need good soil, lots of sun and moderate watering. Mature height 18" - 24" , spaced 12 inches apart. To promote bushiness and best flavor, pinch off growing tips and blooms as they appear.

How to Freeze
Harvest a large bowl of basil leaves and remove stems. Rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Place a few handfuls of basil into a food processor and drizzle with about 3 TB extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until basil is coarsely chopped and basil is well coated with oil. Place mixture in small plastic containers and freeze.

This is a really easy sauce recipe that showcases the bright flavor of Basil.
BASIL DRESSING

1 cup packed basil leaves
1 clove garlic (you can help it along and give it a rough chop, if you like)
1/4 cup lemon juice (the real stuff)
3 tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Put first three ingredients in blender and mix until blended. Add the olive oil. Maybe a little more, depending on consistency. Drizzle over hot, grilled chicken or fish or even use on a salad.

Oregano


Oregano is widely used in Italian dishes, tomato sauce, pizza, fish and salad dressing. The Mexican Oregano is a bit stronger than Mediterranean Oregano.  

Oregano is a strong antioxidant, containing 42 times the antioxidant power of apples, and 12 times more than oranges. Among the potent antioxidants found in oregano are beta-carotene, myristic acid and quercetin.

When using Oregano, either fresh or dried,  add this herb to your dish near the end of its' cooking time to preserve the flavor.

How To Grow -

Oregano is a member of the mint family and is easy to grow when purchased through a nursery. Plants need good soil, lots of sun and moderate watering. Mature height 12" - 24" , spaced 12 inches apart. Oregano is best planted in a large pot as plants can spread aggresively.

Cooking with Oregano -

Add fresh oregano to stuffing, couscous, rice, polenta or garlic mashed potatoes.

Rub chicken with a little butter or olive oil and chopped fresh oregano right before grilling.

Blend fresh oregano, spinach, olive oil and Parmesan cheese in a food processor to make a tasty pesto topping for bruschetta or pasta.

Add tomatoes and fresh oregano to scrambled eggs.

Fold chopped fresh oregano ino bread or biscuit dough.

Add chopped oregano into a mixture of tofu and ricotta cheese and stuff manicotti shells; top with marinara sauce.

Rosemary


The strong piney fragarance and the flavor of rosemary goes well with a variety of foods. It can be included in many poultry or beef recipes. When roasting a whole chicken, place several sprigs inside the chicken before roasting or, for a stronger flavor, place the sprigs under the skin on the chicken breast with a little butter. 



How to Grow

As a member of the mint family, rosemary has dark green needle-like leaves, tiny blossoms and a spicy scent. It is a difficult plant to grow from seed, so buying a start from a nursery is ideal. Plant in direct sun and keep evenly moist. The tips of the plant care be harvested year-round, but be careful not to remove more than 50% of growth at one time.

Tarragon


Tarragon is a small, shrubby herb from the sunflower family. Two species are cultivated, Russian and French. Leaves of the French variety are glossier and more pungent. Most commercial Tarragon comes from dried leaves of the French Tarragon plant. Personally, I do not care for the Russian variety, which is found in most nursery stores. Ask specifically for the French variety, if possible, as the flavor is much more bold and distinctive.

Tarragon has a slightly bittersweet flavor and an aroma similar to anise. It also contains an essential oil which tastes like anise, but this flavor is lost when the herb is dried. 




It is commonly known as a flavoring for vinegar and is used in pickles, relishes, prepared mustards, and sauces, and adds distinctive flavor to sauces. Tarragon also goes well with fish, meat, soups and stews, and is often used in tomato and egg dishes.

How To Grow -

Tarragon is a hearty, easy to grow herb. It can be grown in a pot in full sun and grows to a mature height of about 24". A single plant offers a large harvest of leaves which can be dried and kept in a jar for up to 6 months.

Thyme


Thyme is a member of the mint family and is considered by many herbalists as the very nearly perfect useful herb. It ranks as one of the finest herbs of French cuisine. The general rule of using herbs in cooking is - when in doubt use thyme.  

Thyme comes in a multitude of flavors, fragrances, growth habits and hardiness ranges. But all varieties are tough, easy-to-grow perennials with pungent leaves and dense clusters of pink, white or lilac flowers.



How To Grow -

Buy plants at an herb nursery for planting in spring. Plant in a sunny location, with well-draining soil, and place plants about 8 inches apart. Cut plants back after they flower in summer to promote bushiness. Thyme is also a great container herb.

Protect plants with a winter mulch if the variety is not reliably hardy in your area.

Divide plants every three or four years to keep them dense and healthy.

Clip foliage and flowers anytime you need them. The more you cut, or even shear back, the more the plants will grow.