dry marinades enhance the flavor of your meat dishes

17 Tuesday Sep 2013

Tags

beef, dry marinade, dry rub, fish, herb, lamb, marinade, meat, mixed spice, poultry, spice

Liquid marinades made with citrus juice, vinegar or wine are marvelous for breaking down the muscle fiber in tougher cuts of meat and for adding flavor. But here’s the rub: Delicate fish can disintegrate in acidic liquids, and naturally tender cuts of meat need only a flavor boost- not tenderizing. ~Annette Gooch for the Edmonton Journal

On November 4th, 1999, I clipped an article from the Edmonton Journal written by Annette Gooch. It was entitled “Massage food with dried herbs to enhance flavors”. Although I often used a variety of liquid marinades to flavor my meats and vegetables, I was not familiar with the concept of a ‘dry rub’ or ‘dry marinade’. I started with the pork rub for ribs and was hooked. I have since tried the spice mixtures for lamb, beef and fish and have enjoyed them all.

A better technique for flavoring such foods is to treat them to a gentle massage with dried herbs and spices. Not only does a dry marinade enhance flavor without the need for liquid, during the cooking the spice-and-herb coating turns appealingly crusty, sealing in the juices. ~Annette Gooch for the Edmonton Journal

Of course, you can buy handy jars of spice mixtures in your grocery stores and gourmet food shops but I like to make mine from scratch as I usually have all of the ingredients on hand and can then claim that there is more ‘love’ in my dish! I also like to use many of the herbs and spices that have been gathered from my own garden and dried. Small jars of handmade herb-and-spice blends would make nice stocking stuffers or added to gift baskets.

Yesterday, Chayton’s grandma and grandpa came over for supper and we enjoyed some fresh Northern Pike caught locally by grandpa Dale, who expertly filets the fish so that there are (almost!) no bones. For this special treat I used the fish rub blend; a spicy blackened Cajun-style which is pan-fried just before serving.

Fish Rub

2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 teaspoon basil

2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and massage into the fish. The longer the dry rub remains on the fish before cooking, the stronger the flavors. Note: Reduce or omit the cayenne if you do not want the fish to be too spicy.

I look forward to sharing more dry rub recipes with you. In the meantime… Enjoy!

harvesting dillseed (Anethum graveolen) for the kitchen

16 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, garden

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

chew spice, cook with dillseed, dill, dill seed, dill tea, dillseed, spice

The scent of a lush stand of dill is one of my great gardening pleasures. I love to breathe in the remarkable aroma, a heady blend if mint, citrus and fennel, with a hint of sea air. ~ Lois Hole

Native to the western Mediterranean basin and western Asia, dill (Anethum graveolen) is easy to recognize when growing in the garden. Closely related to fennel, it is an upright, hardy annual, growing up to 2-3 feet tall, with glaucous, ovate leaves that further divide into thread-like segments. The tiny yellow flowers grow in the shape of an umbrella in summer and develop into flat, oval seeds by late summer-early fall.

The leaves, stems, flower heads and seeds of this aromatic herb are all edible. Harvest dillseed when the flower heads turn brown. When ripe, the seeds will fall off easily when brushed up against or touched. Store the flower heads in a paper bag to allow them to dry out even further. Then shake the dried flower heads and/or gently rub them to release the seeds. Remove all remaining stems and store in a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Dill is a traditional Middle Eastern herb that has been important since Biblical times. Its leaves and flowers were found on the mummy of Amenophis II (c.1425BC) and both the ancient Egyptians and the Copts used dill medicinally. It is mentioned as being subject to a tithe in the Talmud (ancient Jewish law), and in ancient Rome, Pliny (AD23-79) extolled its numerous uses. Classified as a cooling carminitive, dill has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. ~Denis Brown

Dillseed are small and flat, with thin wing-like ridges. Their warm, sharp smell has been described as reminiscent of fennel, caraway and mint. When ripe, the seeds are toxic to birds (Fortin, 1996).

The Romans believed that dill was a “fortifying” herb, so it was common practice for gladiators heading into the arena to cover their (possibly) last meals with the herb to bolster their strength. The Romans were probably responsible for carrying dill to many of the regions where it now grows. ~ Lois Hole

Medicinal Uses:

Ease indigestion (calming, toning effect on the digestive system)
Carminative effects (eases gas)
mild diuretic
antiseptic
antispasmodic
colic (notably in the form of gripe water for babies)
increase milk production in nursing mothers

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dillseed is considered a yang tonic food, whose effects include: warming the kidneys, improving appetite, dispersing cold, promoting energy circulation and counteracting fish and meat poisoning (Lu, 1996).

Make a mix of carminative seeds, such as anise, cardamom, cumin, dill and fennel, and chew them at and between meals. These are all very helpful in reducing gas and bloating.

Culinary Uses:

soups, salads and stews
pickling spice
seasoning vinegars and marinades
cold sauces
flavor breads, potatoes and sometimes pastries
in the preparation of salmon and crayfish (particularly in Scandinavia)

According to Fortin, “…dill goes very well with tomatoes, celeriac, beets, cucumbers, cabbage, fresh and sour cream, cream cheese, white sauces, melted butter, salad dressings, eggs, stews and seafood (1996: p. 469).

To ease digestion, steep 2 teaspoons of dillseed in 1 cup water for 10-15 minutes. Strain. Take ½ cup 2-3 times daily. ~Mindell

Until today, I have only used dillseed twice, and both in pickling recipes. This evening I have been chewing the seed mixture and sipping the tea and am excited about all of the other ways I can incorporate this delicious and versatile spice into my diet! I’m thinking of starting with the salmon…

Resources:

Brown, D. (2001). Herbal: The essential guide to herbs for living. Pavilion Books Ltd.: London.

Fortin, J. (1996). The Visual Food Encyclopedia. Les Editions Quebec/Amerique: Montreal, Quebec.

Gladstar, R. (2001). Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 teas, tonics, oils, salves, tinctures, and other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA.

Harkins, M.G. (2002). Spices: From the Familiar to the Exotic- Recies from Around the World. Ryland Peters & Small, Inc.: New York.

Hole, L. (2000.) Herbs & Edible Flowers: Gardening for the Kitchen. Holes: St. Albert, Alberta.

Lloyd, C. (1997). Gardener Cook. Willow Creek Press: Minocqua, Wisconsin.

Lu, H. (1996). Sterling Publishing Company Inc.: New York

Mindell, E. (1992). Earl Mindell’s Herb Bible. Simon and Schuster: New York.

Werle, L., & Cox, J. (2000). Ingredients. Konemann: Cologne.

harvesting coriander seed for the kitchen

08 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, garden

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

cilantro, coriander, coriander seeds, Coriandrum sativum, dried cilantro, harvest, spice, tea

I have always grown cilantro in my garden but have never harvested the seeds until this year. Two weeks ago, I cut all of the seed heads off of the plants in the garden and placed them in a large brown paper bag. Then I hung the bag in a cool, dark place and allowed the seeds to dry out even further. Today, I found a sunny spot on the dining room floor and spent an hour gently rubbing all of the seed heads to release the fragrant brown little seeds into a basket. Finally, I removed the remaining stems and put the seeds in a glass jar. I will use these all year in my Asian and Indian dishes as well as in some medicinal teas to enhance digestion.

Coriander seeds come from cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), a hardy annual native to southern Europe and western Asia. This popular herb has lobed dark green leaves, which tend to become more finely divided as the stems elongate and form flowers. Also known as ‘Chinese parsley’, all parts of this plant can be used. The leaves have a very distinct oily or soapy smell and in my experience people either really love it or strongly dislike it.

Coriander is one of the world’s oldest herbs. Seeds were found in ancient Egyptian tombs and though introduced to China in about AD600, coriander is still known as hu, ‘foreign’. It is also mentioned several times in the Old Testament and is included among bitter Passover herbs. ~Brown

Cilantro’s tiny flowers eventually form spherical brown seeds, called coriander. The seeds smell sweet and almost citrus (lemon-orange) when ripe (and more so when roasted). Coriander is closely related to caraway, fennel, dill and anise. Harvest the seeds as soon as they harden and turn brown in late summer. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. The dried seeds keep for about a year.

Medicinal Uses:

The essential oil extracted from the seeds is used in flavoring, in the making of perfumes and medicinally. Here are some of the medicinal benefits to incorporating coriander in your diet:

• anti-rheumatic and eases joint pains

• promotes digestion and relives indigestion and gas

• reduces abdominal swelling

• reduce fever

• aids colds

• induces perspiration

• seed extracts are added to laxatives

• as an ingredient of gripe water for babies

• chew the seeds to neutralize the smell of garlic

Put 1 tablespoon of just-roasted freshly ground coriander seeds with two pieces of dried orange peel, three slices of fresh ginger and three cups of water into a pot. Boil for five minutes then allow to steep for an additional ten minutes. Strain into teacups. Add honey if you like your tea sweet. This soothing tea is perfect when enjoyed after dinner as it aids digestion.

Culinary Uses:

Coriander seeds are more flavorful if you roast them just before grinding in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. According to Fortin, “Whole or ground coriander add flavor to a wide range of foods, including seafood, fish, rice, meats, omelets, potatoes, cheeses, curries, marinades, chutneys, cookies, cakes and gingerbread. They go well with parsley, lemon and ginger, and are included in curry powder and garam masala (essential spice mixture in Indian cuisine). Coriander is used to make balm water and liquors such as Chartreuse and Izarra, and is an ingredient of inferior-quality cocoa (1996: p. 490).”

Coriander seeds go very well with apples. Try the freshly roasted crushed seeds in the topping for apple crumble to give an age-old dessert new life. ~Brown

For generations, British children have been rewarded with “comfits”. These sugar-coated pink or white candies withstood sucking for a long time. When the sugar coating was gone, what remained in the middle was a coriander seed. Coriander seeds is also found in the middle of jaw breakers. ~Lois Hole