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Introduction
How can you integrate seasonings and spices into your recipe repertoire at home?
Can you seek out the different varieties of ingredients youll need to make these dishes?
Are you curious about the various ways in which spice blends and home-made seasonings can make your recipes tastier?
Spices are generally used in a dried form. You can buy them whole or ground. They have a lot more flavor variety than herbs do, and they pack a bolder punch.
In this cookbook, youll discover how to use homemade spice and seasoning blends from various parts of the world. Each culture has its own secrets when it comes to seasoning their dishes. Learning which spices to use with European, Asian, African, Caribbean or North American meals will free you up to experiment in making your own spice blends. Learning to properly balance the spices you use will bring extra flavor to your dinner table.
Read on and try out some of these tasty seasonings. You will find that your homemade dishes can benefit from the inclusion of these spices and blends. A tasty world awaits you.
Blends for Fish, Meat & Poultry
Salt-Free Coriander Blend
I have travelled to many areas of the world, and I love bringing spices like these back to my kitchen. This blend works wonderfully on tilapia, pork and chicken. Being salt-free makes the dishes healthier, too.
Makes: 2 Servings
Cooking + Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 tsp. of paprika, sweet
- 1/2 tsp. of anise seed
- 1 tsp. of cumin seed
- 5 peppercorns
- 1 tsp. of mustard seed
- 1 tsp. of coriander
Instructions:
1. Toast the seeds in pan on stove on low heat. Dont allow them to smoke.
2. As the seeds begin to turn fragrant, remove the pan from heat. Pour the seeds into a grinder.
3. Grind into a powder with a fine consistency.
4. Add paprika and stir.
5. This recipe is for 2 servings. If you have leftover or make a larger batch, store the extra in a sealed container.
Juniper Rub Blend
Fresh juniper berries will lend a hint of pine to your juniper rub. It is used to boost the flavor for grilled meats, like pork or chicken.
Makes: 4 Servings
Cooking + Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 minced clove of garlic
- 2 tsp. of juniper berries
- 6 sage leaves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp. of red pepper, crushed
- 1/2 tsp. of salt, kosher
- 1 tsp. of peppercorns, black
Instructions:
1. Place bay leaf, red pepper, kosher salt, peppercorns and berries into a spice or coffee grinder. Process until the mixture is ground finely.
2. Combine the mixture from step 1 with garlic and sage leaves. Store leftovers in a sealed jar.
Crab Boil Blend
If youre planning to serve crab soon, youll want a crab boil blend to bring out the flavor. This spice blend flavors the water youll boil your crab in. It works for other shellfish, too. This recipe works especially well for crab, lobster, crawfish and shrimp.
Makes: 1 cup
Cooking + Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp. of oregano, dried
- 1 tbsp. of celery seeds
- 2 tbsp. of pepper flakes, hot, red
- 1 & 3/4 tbsp. of black peppercorns, whole
- 2 tbsp. of mustard seeds
- 1/4 cup of salt, coarse sea
- 1/4 cup of pickling spices
- 2 tsp. of ginger, ground
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp. of minced chives, dried
Instructions:
1. Add the bay leaves, oregano, ginger, chives, celery seeds, pepper flakes, peppercorns, mustard seeds, sea salt and pickling spices to bowl of blender with metal blade fitted.
2. Set on pulse and process till mixture has formed a coarse powder.
3. Store unused blend in an airtight container.
Seafood Seasoning Blend
This is a homemade version of the popular Old Bay Seasoning, which was developed in the 1940s. It was originally used mainly for crab, but now it is frequently used in other dishes like salads and poultry.
Makes: 50+ Servings
Cooking + Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 & 2/3 tbsp. of celery seed, ground
- 6 & 1/3 tbsp. of salt, kosher
- 2 & 1/2 tsp. of ground pepper flakes, red
- 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, ground
- 2 & 1/2 tsp. of mustard powder, dry
- 3/4 tsp. of cardamom, ground
- 1 tsp. of ginger, ground
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. of black pepper, ground
- 1 tsp. of allspice, ground
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. of bay leaves, ground
- 1 tsp. of cloves, ground
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. of paprika
Instructions:
1. Mix cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, cloves, paprika, bay leaves, black pepper, red pepper, mustard powder, celery seed and salt in medium bowl and combine well.
2. Store in airtight container.
Poultry Seasoning Blend
This is a primo seasoning for poultry dishes. Sometimes I make it with onion powder, cayenne and garlic powder. It works well not only for poultry but also to season stuffing for your Thanksgiving turkey.
Makes: 1 ounce
Cooking + Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp. of black pepper, ground finely
- 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp. of rosemary, ground
- 1 tsp. of marjoram, ground
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. of thyme, ground
- 2 tsp. of sage, ground
Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients well.
2. Store in a clean spice bottle that is kept covered tightly.
Spice Blends from the Americas
Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend