Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2008

Spice advice

The Associated Press

Setting up a spice cabinet for the first time? Or just ready to spring clean your old one? Here are the herbs and spices the experts say are must-haves for every home cook.

Basil

Fresh basil is best for pesto and salads, but dried basil is excellent for slow-cooked dishes, such as casseroles, says Ian Hemphill, author of “The Spice and Herb Bible.

Bay

Bay leaves add a complex, earthy flavor to chicken soup, tomato, and seafood dishes. It’s also the secret ingredient for French bouquets garnis, Indian garam masala, many Italian and Turkish recipes, and even a good bloody Mary mix.

Chilies

Every good cook needs at least one jar of pure chili powder or flakes. Cayenne and red pepper flakes are the most popular. Chili adds kick to any dish.

Chili powder

This blend of chili, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, paprika and other ingredients is great for seasoning many Southwestern and Mexican favorites.

Rosemary

This savory, resinous herb is used in European and American cuisines. It goes well with many types of meat, including game, poultry, and lamb; poultry stuffing; potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and squash; zucchini and eggplant; and quick breads. Dried rosemary needs long cooking in liquid or baked goods to soften. Cinnamon

Sweet cinnamon is essential for American baking, but also makes an appearance in almost every region of Asian cuisine, Indian curries and masalas, Moroccan tagines, Mexican chocolate, tea blends, and as an accent in Cajun dishes. Cloves

This potent American cookie and pastry spice crosses as many borders as cinnamon. Cloves appear in many spice blends, including curry and masalas. Cumin

Cumin is a crucial savory spice for Mexican, Tex-Mex, Indian, Middle Eastern, Indonesian and North African cooking. The seeds can be used whole to infuse rice dishes and breads or ground for stews and chili.

Curry powder

True Indian cooks prefer to create their own blends of spices for curry, but prepared blends have become a staple for Westerners looking to replicate Indian dishes. It provides instant flavor and brilliant color to rice, stews and curries.

Ginger

This rhizome provides warmth to American baking recipes, Asian stir-fries, Jamaican jerk, barbecue blends, and Indian curry and tandoori mixes. Dried ginger is much more pungent and hot than minced or grated fresh ginger. Paprika

This mild, bright red chili pepper comes in numerous varieties. The classic sweet Hungarian paprika is a central ingredient in goulash and an accent for tuna salad and deviled eggs. Try smoked paprika to add savory notes to your cooking. Nutmeg

Just a bit of freshly grated nutmeg complements almost any recipe where cinnamon is used. It provides complex, vanilla-like undertones to baked goods.

Oregano or marjoram

Pungent oregano is a critical ingredient in southern Italian and American recipes, such as pizza, pasta, meatloaf and roasts. Marjoram — a sweet, mild variation on oregano — is popular in subtler French cuisine including stuffing, poultry, egg, fish, and vegetable dishes. Thyme

While thyme does not have the same cross-cultural range as other herbs and spices, it still plays an important roll in traditional French, Italian and American dishes.

Above and beyond

Here are some herbs and spices for adding an eclectic touch to your spice cabinet.

Cardamom

Coriander

Fennel

Grains of paradise

Juniper berries

Mustard seeds

Ras el hanout

Saffron

Star anise

Turmeric

Vanilla