suemunzlinger's Recipe

Herb and Spice Chart

Category: Hints and Tips

Rub all dry spices in palm of your hand to release oils.

Basil Sweet,
sunny flavor, versatile. Use with green beans, peas potatoes, chicken dishes, tomato sauces, salads. Fresh, Only add at end of cooking time or on prepared dish Fresh Does not like to be stored in refrigerator.

Allspice Berries,
ground. Similar to cloves and cinnamon combo, more complex. Cakes, cookies, relishes, tomato sauce, stew, chicken, lamb.

Bay Leaves
Pungent, mint like; dried leaves more widely available. Used in sauces, stews, gumbos; many varieties

Celery Seeds,
ground. Stronger then celery flavor. Salad dressings, potatoes, veggies, soups, beans, pork

Chives
Delicate onion flavor, never overpowering. Use at end of cooking or as final flavor garnish. Chop finely; snip with scissors. Great with eggs, salads, potatoes dishes, poultry, sauces

Chile Peppers
Ground, dried whole, pepper flakes. Made by grinding hot chilies. Countless types from many countries. Mild to blistering hot. Soups, stews, beans, sauces, poultry, greens; add to most foods for that extra kick

Cilantro Fresh,
aromatic, distinctive. Predominate in Mexican and Chinese cookery; salsas, chutneys, chicken, pork, salads, tacos

Chile Powder
Ground mixture commonly of chile peppers, paprika, cumin, black pepper. Spicy, hot or mild. (I like oregano and garlic in my chili powder)

Chili, beans,
Mexican dishes. Buy high-quality

Dill
Pungent, tangy; dominate, use alone or with parsley. Seeds also have strong flavor.. Salmon, peas, eggplant, cabbage, cucumber yogurt sauces, salads, pickling; predominate in Mediterranean cooking

Cinnamon
Sticks/bark, ground. Pungent, sweet, hot. Fruit desserts, cakes, cookies. Also try on pork, lamb, meat pies, curries

Marjoram
Oregano like but sweeter. Fish stews, stuffing's, carrots, greens, beans, egg dishes

Cloves
Whole or ground. Aromatic, sweet. Fruits, desserts, meats, curry, soups, beans, pork
Mint Strong; sweet. Teas, desserts, lamb, fish, salads

Cumin Seeds,
ground. Bold, distinctive; can overpower. Chili, tacos, stews, cabbage, beans. Toast ground or seeds

Oregano
Earthy. Lamb, chicken, pork, seafood, eggplant, tomato sauces; excellent with lemon: Retains good flavor when dried

Curry
Ground. Mixture of numerous spices including cloves and cumin . Buy high-quality. Base spice for curries; use also in tomato sauces, stews

Parsley
Clean bright flavor. Good with almost any savory food; all seafood, beef, chicken, potatoes, sauces, soups, salads. Fresh is better then dried. (Flat leaf Italian)

Fennel Seeds,
ground. Licorice-like, stronger then fresh fennel. Bread, fish, Italian dishes, sausage, tomato sauces. Toast ground or seeds to enhance flavor

Rosemary
Fresh, piney, pungent; easily overpowers. Chop finely and use lightly. A must with poultry, potatoes, white beans, lamb, breads, fruit salads

Ginger
Fresh root, ground, candied. Pungent, spicy. Grate, mince to use in chicken, squash, sesame noodles, applesauce, chutneys, marinade. Ground and fresh have much different flavors. Predominate in Asian cooking.

Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of 6 to 1, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cakes, ginger ale

Candied ginger is the root cooked in sugar until soft, and is a type of confectionery.

Peel fresh before eating. For longer-term storage, the ginger can be placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated or frozen.


Sage
Almost mint-like, slightly bitter; can overpower other herbs. Use whole stems in soups, stews, remove when done. Chop whole leaves in very thin strips. Pork, veal, sausages, poultry, stuffing, sauces. Dried herb has much different flavor

Mustard Seeds,
ground. Often hot, pungent. Several varieties available. Vegetables, stews, relishes, seafood, salad dressings. Seeds can be toasted to enhance flavor.
Savory Reminiscent of thyme. Veal, pork, eggplant tomatoes, stuffing Nutmeg Whole, ground. Sweet, spicy, fragrant. Cakes, fruit, desserts, beans, sauces, cabbage, spinach.

Tarragon
Licorice, lemon flavor; strong. Use alone or with parsley; veal, chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, tomato dishes, vinaigrettes

Paprika
Ground. Made from red peppers. Can be mild or hot and pungent. Not just for garnish. Buy high-quality with fresh peppery aroma. Seafood, vegetables, eggs; almost anything
(I love the smoked paprika)

Thyme
Earthy, subtle, versatile; use whole sprigs in soups, stews. Pluck leaves and add at all stages of cooking. Excellent in most dishes especially seafood, poultry, pork, veal, tomato, vegetables, breads. Retains good flavor when dried

Pepper
Whole berries, ground. Most common of all spices. Hot peppers, sweet peppers and peppercorns are from same plant. Peppercorns are black, white and green--depends on level of maturity. Pink peppercorns are a distant relative. Use on everything including sweets and fruits. Buy a pepper mill and whole peppercorns.
You'll be glad you did.

In case you were wondering:

SALT
Salt is neither an herb nor a spice - but IS the number one seasoning in all the world. Actually an "innovation" of mankind and noted throughout history. The most common forms include:

Table
From mined rock salt deposits, contains chemical additives to keep it free-flowing. Added iodine causes a slightly bitter aftertaste. Has the "saltiest" taste.

Kosher
Also mined from rock salt but with no additives. Purer taste, course grain, dissolves more quickly then table salt. Preferred by most cooks.

Sea
Made by evaporating sea water. No additives, clean taste, course, large grains. Takes a little longer to dissolve and better for longer cooking periods, as for soups and stews.

Fleur de sel
French for "flower of salt". Harvested by hand from salt beds. It has a delicate flavor and works well as a finishing touch to appetizers, salads and roasted meats.