Commonly Used Herbs & Spices
Stocking your spice cabinet with basic herbs and spices is an essential for any cook. A spice rack usually comes with a selection of spices and can be less expensive than buying each herb and spice individually. Basil, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg are commonly used spices and herbs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Cloves
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Cloves are a strong spice used in many spice mixtures such as curry powder, pickling spice or mulling spice. Whole cloves pair well with pork dishes by being studded (poked) into a ham or pork roast. Use cloves sparingly as they have a powerful flavor and can easily overpower a dish. Ground cloves can also be used in sweet dishes.
Cinnamon
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Cinnamon comes in a rolled form, called quills, or ground. Quills are typically used to flavor syrups, teas, ciders and mulled wines. Ground cinnamon is used in many dessert dishes such as cakes and chocolate desserts or to enhance the flavor of fruits like pears and apples. North African dishes, like lamb tagine, garam masala and curries also use cinnamon.
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Nutmeg
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Nutmeg is used in a variety of recipes from sweet to savory. Souffles, soups and cheese sauces incorporate nutmeg as does Haggis, a traditional Scottish dish. Nutmeg is a nice complement to steamed kale and egg dishes. Desserts like pies, cookies and pudding use nutmeg for extra flavoring.
Cumin
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Cumin is used in spicy recipes, and a small amount packs a lot of flavor. Cumin is used around the word, added to stews, rice, cheese and meats. Curry powders and spice rubs often use cumin, and the spice goes well with chicken or lamb recipes. Cumin is used in chutney recipes or with Mexican dishes such as enchiladas and chile con carne.
Basil
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There are several types of basil, but sweet basil is the typical version used in cooking. Basil has a subtle taste and complements many foods. Basil pairs well with vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, squash or try it in vegetable soups. Chicken and fish dishes taste delicious with basil. The herb is also used to make pesto.
Thyme
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Thyme, like basil, pairs with a wide number of dishes. You can use it with meat dishes such as lamb, beef, chicken, fish and veal. Herb butters, herb mayonnaise, mustard and flavored vinegars are enhanced by the addition of thyme. Try adding thyme to steamed vegetables like carrots, eggplant, mushrooms onions, potatoes, asparagus and sweet peppers.
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References
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