Hi Friends of the Cave!
Since going paleo, I have discovered how valuable herbs and spices can be for enhancing the flavors of so many recipes.....especially FRESH ones. Since the diet is so basic, these can really help.
So far, I have used fresh marjoram, sage, Italian and regular parsley, thyme, rosemary, and that "poultry" blend. Since I am new to creative cooking, I really have been kinda winging it here. So,
DEE. HELP! Please tell us more about how to do this. And anyone else too! I know Matthew has lots of experience in this area, if we can tempt him to come out of his cave. LOL!
Love,
Polly
Herbs and Spices
Moderators: Rosie, JFR, Dee, xet, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh, mbeezie
Herbs and Spices
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Hope This Will Help!
Basil- has a sweet, warm flavor with a very aromatic odor.
Good with lamb, fish, roasts, stews, beef and vegetables.
Bay Leaves- very pungent flavor. You can use it whole, but remove it before serving.
Good in vegetable dishes, seafood, stews.
Caraway- spicy taste and aromatic smell.
Use in soups and sauerkraut.
Celery Seed- has a pretty strong taste, and resembles the vegetable.
Use it sparingly in chutneys, meat and fish dishes, salads, marinades & salad dressings.
Chives- Sweet mild flavor of onion.
Great in salads, fish, soups.....
Cilantro- always use it fresh.
Use in salads, fish, chicken, guacamole.
Cinnamon- has a sweet but pungent flavor
Use in tomato sauce type dishes, chutneys
Coriander- has a mild, sweet, orangy flavor.
Very common in curry powders, and used in chutneys, meat dishes, greek style dishes.
Curry Powder- a blend of spices that give it a distinct flavor.
Used to flavor meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables.
Dill- very flavorful.
The leaves can be used when cooking fish, soup, salad dressings.
Fennel- has a sweet, hot flavor.
Both leaves & seeds are used.
Used with chicken, pork or fish.
Ginger- a very pungent root fresh or dried.
Use in soups, & meat dishes. Fresh ginger root for teas or when making asian dishes.
Marjoram- dried or green.
Used to flavor fish, poultry, lamb, stews.
Mint- very aromatic with a cool flavor.
Great in beverages, with fish, lamb, and soups
Nutmeg- very pungent, and use whole or seeds sparingly.
Used in chicken soup, and with fish cakes, chicken and veal.
Oregano- very strong aromatic odor.
You can use it whole or ground.
In tomato based dishes, fish, stews, poultry, vegetables.
Paprika- A bright red pepper.
Used on beef, chicken, vegetables.
Parsley- is best when it is used fresh.
Use with fish, soups, stews and as a garnish.
Rosemary- very aromatic.
Can be used fresh or dried.
Great with poultry, beef, lamb, and in salad dressings.
Saffron- has a slightly bitter taste and it's aromatic.
You only have to use a very small amount, like a pinch, to color & flavor dishes.
Good in chicken soup, fish sauces.
Sage- can be used fresh or dried.
Used in tomato based dishes, fish, poultry, beef.
Tarragon- the leaves have a pungent, hot taste.
You can use it to flavor sauces, salads, fish, poultry, and salad dressings
Thyme- fresh or dried
You can put it on fish or poultry.
Tumeric- slightly bitter flavor and aromatic.
Use it sparingly
Can use it in curry powder, relishes and for color in dishes.
Hint:
Use 3 times more "fresh" herbs if substituting for dried.
Basil- has a sweet, warm flavor with a very aromatic odor.
Good with lamb, fish, roasts, stews, beef and vegetables.
Bay Leaves- very pungent flavor. You can use it whole, but remove it before serving.
Good in vegetable dishes, seafood, stews.
Caraway- spicy taste and aromatic smell.
Use in soups and sauerkraut.
Celery Seed- has a pretty strong taste, and resembles the vegetable.
Use it sparingly in chutneys, meat and fish dishes, salads, marinades & salad dressings.
Chives- Sweet mild flavor of onion.
Great in salads, fish, soups.....
Cilantro- always use it fresh.
Use in salads, fish, chicken, guacamole.
Cinnamon- has a sweet but pungent flavor
Use in tomato sauce type dishes, chutneys
Coriander- has a mild, sweet, orangy flavor.
Very common in curry powders, and used in chutneys, meat dishes, greek style dishes.
Curry Powder- a blend of spices that give it a distinct flavor.
Used to flavor meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables.
Dill- very flavorful.
The leaves can be used when cooking fish, soup, salad dressings.
Fennel- has a sweet, hot flavor.
Both leaves & seeds are used.
Used with chicken, pork or fish.
Ginger- a very pungent root fresh or dried.
Use in soups, & meat dishes. Fresh ginger root for teas or when making asian dishes.
Marjoram- dried or green.
Used to flavor fish, poultry, lamb, stews.
Mint- very aromatic with a cool flavor.
Great in beverages, with fish, lamb, and soups
Nutmeg- very pungent, and use whole or seeds sparingly.
Used in chicken soup, and with fish cakes, chicken and veal.
Oregano- very strong aromatic odor.
You can use it whole or ground.
In tomato based dishes, fish, stews, poultry, vegetables.
Paprika- A bright red pepper.
Used on beef, chicken, vegetables.
Parsley- is best when it is used fresh.
Use with fish, soups, stews and as a garnish.
Rosemary- very aromatic.
Can be used fresh or dried.
Great with poultry, beef, lamb, and in salad dressings.
Saffron- has a slightly bitter taste and it's aromatic.
You only have to use a very small amount, like a pinch, to color & flavor dishes.
Good in chicken soup, fish sauces.
Sage- can be used fresh or dried.
Used in tomato based dishes, fish, poultry, beef.
Tarragon- the leaves have a pungent, hot taste.
You can use it to flavor sauces, salads, fish, poultry, and salad dressings
Thyme- fresh or dried
You can put it on fish or poultry.
Tumeric- slightly bitter flavor and aromatic.
Use it sparingly
Can use it in curry powder, relishes and for color in dishes.
Hint:
Use 3 times more "fresh" herbs if substituting for dried.
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."
This is a great combination if you don't have fresh on hand to mix & put in a shaker.
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon thyme
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon thyme
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."
Hi Dee and Polly!
Don't know where I learned this, but somewhere along the way I started bending the bay leaves enough to make them crack open in a few places without breaking loose from the stems. This way, you can still take the whole thing out once the dish is ready, but, unless it's just my imagination, ya get more flavor out of the things!
Do you concur, Dee?
Polly, I often just go ahead and by a ready made combination of spices. Sometimes I'll add more of one of the ingredients if I think it needs it or even something different.
Another thing I heard someplace was to add at least one fresh thing to a dish, and it sort of gives the whole thing a fresher taste.
Dee, again, whatcha thinka that?
Yours, Luce
Don't know where I learned this, but somewhere along the way I started bending the bay leaves enough to make them crack open in a few places without breaking loose from the stems. This way, you can still take the whole thing out once the dish is ready, but, unless it's just my imagination, ya get more flavor out of the things!
Do you concur, Dee?
Polly, I often just go ahead and by a ready made combination of spices. Sometimes I'll add more of one of the ingredients if I think it needs it or even something different.
Another thing I heard someplace was to add at least one fresh thing to a dish, and it sort of gives the whole thing a fresher taste.
Dee, again, whatcha thinka that?
Yours, Luce
Hi Luce!
I don't use a lot of bay leaf because it's one that I have never cared for, and by bending or cracking open you will definitely get more of the strong taste of the bay leaf.
I agree that using anything fresh as far as spices is the way to go, but the downside is being able to use all of the product before it goes bad.
I buy the small, fresh packages in the produce section, of say, thyme, basil, rosemary, etc..,
bring it home and immediately pop them in the freezer. I even freeze skinned garlic cloves because they seem to go bad quickly. They have been reliable that way, to use, whenever one of my dishes requires them.
Dee~~~~
I don't use a lot of bay leaf because it's one that I have never cared for, and by bending or cracking open you will definitely get more of the strong taste of the bay leaf.
I agree that using anything fresh as far as spices is the way to go, but the downside is being able to use all of the product before it goes bad.
I buy the small, fresh packages in the produce section, of say, thyme, basil, rosemary, etc..,
bring it home and immediately pop them in the freezer. I even freeze skinned garlic cloves because they seem to go bad quickly. They have been reliable that way, to use, whenever one of my dishes requires them.
Dee~~~~
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."