Cooking with spice mixes, pastes and sauces. Alex Cramer
and vegetables: eggplant, zucchini, cabbage (including broccoli), potatoes, lemongrass, leek, carrots, bell pepper, tomato, beets, chives, spinach.
Protein product: lamb, beef, game, legumes (peas, rice, beans, lentils), sausages, chicken, seafood (oysters, shrimps), nuts (almonds), fish (especially anchovies), pork (including bacon), cheese Parmesan), eggs.
Other foods: mushrooms, honey, beverages (red wine), vegetable oil (olive), sugar, soy sauce, juice and zest (lemon, lime), vinegar, bread.
Seasonings and spices: basil, mustard, cumin, ginger, cilantro, coriander, bay leaf, onion, oregano, paprika, black and white pepper, chili, parsley, rosemary, celery, thyme, caraway, fennel, sage, saffron, tarragon.
Cuisines and dishes: barbecue dishes (grill/shish kebab), Middle Eastern cuisine, curry dishes, Indian cuisine, Italian cuisine, Cajun and Creole cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Korean cuisine, Moroccan cuisine, Mexican cuisine, Pan-Asian cuisine, pesto, salad dressings, sauces (especially tomato), Mediterranean cuisine, soups and broths (especially chicken, vegetable), French cuisine.
GINGER
Fresh ginger is so rich with its saturation that, in most cases, it overlaps all other flavors. Therefore, ground ginger is very suitable for dry mixtures of spices presented in this book. Ground ginger is a warm spice that has a spicy hot, slightly fruity-lemon flavor and aroma. Ground ginger is widely used around the world, but it gained the most popularity in Europe and the Middle East. And Asian chefs use both fresh ginger and ground ginger. Ground ginger is perfectly combined with fresh pastries, beverages and fruits.
Ginger pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: pineapple, eggplant, banana, broccoli, grapes/raisins, green peas, pomegranate, pear, melon, green onions, cabbage, potatoes, strawberries, cranberries, gooseberries, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, leeks, shallots, raspberries, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, peach, tomato, rhubarb, beetroot, pumpkin, persimmon, citrus, apple.
Protein product: lamb, beef, legumes (peas, manga, pearl barley, wheat, millet, rice, beans, tamarind), yoghurt, kefir, coconut milk, sausages, milk, seafood (crab, lobster, mussels, scallops, shrimp); nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts), poultry (especially chicken, duck), fish, pork, cream, sour cream, cheeses (especially ricotta, mascarpone), eggs.
Other foods: broths (especially beef, chicken), mushrooms, custard, maple syrup, sweets, pasta, vegetable oil (olive, sesame), butter, honey, ice cream, beverages (tea, wine, rum), biscuits, cakes, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, juice (lemon, lime), dough, vinegar, chocolate (dark chocolate, white chocolate).
Seasonings and spices: anise, star anise, basil, vanilla, clove, mustard, cumin, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, sesame, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, paprika, allspice, black and white pepper, chili, celery, thyme, caraway, dill, fennel, garlic, saffron, tarragon.
Cuisines and dishes: Asian cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, curry dishes, Moroccan cuisine, sushi and sashimi, chutney.
MARJORAM
Not many people are familiar with warm aroma of this spice. Marjoram is a close relative of oregano. It goes well with fatty foods (pork and duck). Just like caraway, it is characterized by the balance creation a in herbaceous mixtures. It harmonizes well with rosemary, sage, savory, thyme and, of course, with oregano. Dukka is a shining example of the use of marjoram in spice blends. Having a delicate fine aroma, marjoram is added at the very end of cooking process.
Marjoram pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: apricot, artichoke, eggplant, broccoli, cherry, green peas, greens and lettuce (especially spinach), zucchini, cabbage, potatoes, corn, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomato, beetroot, asparagus, pumpkin, citrus, chives, apple.
Protein product: lamb, beef and veal, wild game (especially rabbit), legumes (especially peas, beans), sausages, seafood (especially oysters), poultry (chicken, duck), fish (especially halibut, tuna), pork, cheeses (especially goat, mozzarella), eggs.
Other foods: broths and soups, mushrooms (especially wild ones), pasta, vegetable oil (olive, peanut), butter, various kinds of minced meat, juice (lemon), tomato sauces.
Seasonings and spices: basil, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, oregano, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, celery, thyme, savory, garlic, sage.
Cuisines and dishes: Middle Eastern cuisine, Italian cuisine, risotto, North American cuisine, North African cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, French cuisine.
MINT
Mint flavor can be described as refreshing, pleasantly-tart, with notes of lemon, sweet-spicy, with fresh cool aftertaste. Mint is a good supplement to almost all meat dishes (pork, chicken, lamb, veal), vegetable dishes, fruits, desserts, stews, soups, salads and beverages. Mint accentuates well fried poultry dishes and fish. Although there are plenty of varieties of this herb, chefs usually divide it into two of the most popular types in cooking: classic mint and peppermint. This refreshing herb is great not only in dry combinations, but also in pastes and sauces.
Mint pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: pineapple, watermelon, eggplant, melon, green onion, zucchini, potato, strawberry, leek, raspberry, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, pumpkin, citrus, apple.
Protein product: lamb, beef and veal, wild game, legumes (beans, peas, rice, lentils), yogurt, milk, seafood, nuts, poultry (chicken, duck), fish, pork, cheese (especially feta).
Other foods: broths and soups, yogurt, lemon juice, beverages (including tea), vegetable oil (olive), fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, chocolate.
Seasonings and spices: basil, cloves, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, onion, marjoram, oregano, fenugreek, paprika, chili, black pepper, parsley, sumac, thyme, dill, fennel, garlic.
Cuisines and dishes: Afghan cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine, Vietnamese cuisine, Greek cuisine, Indian cuisine, Moroccan cuisine, Tabbouleh salad, North African cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, Thai cuisine, Turkish cuisine, chutneys.
MUSTARD
Mustard, unlike most of spices, virtually does not have a flavor. Its aromatic qualities begin to activate when it gets into contact with various liquids. This is why it is often added at the very beginning of cooking process, before all other seasonings and spices. Mustard will easily buck up your dish and add spicy flavors to sauces and spicy combinations. Brown and black mustard seeds are replaceable as opposed to yellow seeds. Mustard seeds supplement all other spices in such mixes as panch phoron, curry, sambar masala and ras-el-hanout.
Mustard pairing:
Fruits and vegetables: avocado, cabbage (including sauerkraut), potatoes, leeks, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper, tomato, radish, beetroot, asparagus, apple.
Protein product: lamb, beef (including charbroiled/grilled), wild game (rabbit), legumes (especially peas, beans, lentils, buckwheat, rice), sausages, smoked products (meat, fish), seafood (especially crab, mussels), nuts (walnuts), poultry (especially chicken), fish (especially salmon), pork, cheeses (especially blue cheese, cheddar, Gruyère), eggs.
Other foods: mushrooms, gingerbread, honey, beverages, vegetable oil (including olive oil), soy sauce, juice (lemon), vinegar, bread.
Seasonings and spices: anise, star anise, clove, cumin, ginger, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, bay leaf, onion, nutmeg, mint, oregano, fenugreek, paprika, peppers (black pepper, allspice, chili), parsley, celery, sumac, dill, fennel, garlic, tarragon.
Cuisines