BUILDING FLAVOR

BUILDING FLAVOR

People eat because they enjoy the flavors of good food, not just because they must fill their stomachs to stay alive. Appearance, texture, and nutrition are important, too, but good taste is the first mark of good cooking. Enhancement and adjustment of flavors is one of a cook’s most critical tasks, one requiring experience and judgment.

BUILDING FLAVOR PROFILS 

Foods offer complex experience for the senses. When composing a new dish, a cook must first of all understand that more than just taste should be considered. The senses of sight, smell, taste, and touch all come into play. The fifth sense, hearing, also plays a role, as when we react to the sizzle of a steak or the crunch of a potato chip, but this sense is less of a concern for the cook than the other four. Consider how we perceive these characteristics of a dish.

·         Appearance (color and color contrast, shape, shine, arrangement on the plate).

·         Aroma

·         Taste

·         Mouth feel (texture, moistness or dryness, softness or crispness) and temperature

   All of these factors are important to making a dish appealing to the diner.

             The flavors in a dish can be thought of as primary flavors and supporting, or secondary, flavor. The primary flavors are the flavors of the main ingredients. For example, the primary flavor in blanquette of veal is veal; the primary flavors in calf’s liver lyonnaise are liver and onions; and the primary flavors in Irish lamb stew are lamb, onions, leeks, and potatoes. These are the flavors that predominate. When you taste each of these dishes, the first tastes you encounter are the main ingredients. Other flavors, which we can call supporting flavors, support and enhance the primary flavors of the main ingredients.

     

 SEASONING AND FLAVORING INGREDIENTS

Seasoning means enhancing the natural flavor of a food without significantly changing its flavor. Salt is the most important seasoning ingredient. Flavoring means adding a new flavor to a food, thus changing or modifying the original flavor.

      The difference between seasoning and flavoring is often one of degree. For example, salt is usually used only to season, not to flavor. But in the case of potato chips or pretzels, the salt is so predominant that it can be considered an added flavoring. On the other hand, nutmeg is normally used for its distinctive flavor, but just a dash can peak up the flavor of a cream sauce without being detectable to most people.

Table 4.1

Herbs and Spices

Product                    Market forms                                     Description                                             Example of use

Allspice                   Whole, ground                                  Small brown berry; flavor                 Sausages and braised                                                                                            resembles blend of cinnamon,           meats, poached fish,                                                                                               cloves, and nutmeg.                           stewed fruits, pies, puddings

Anise seed                Whole, ground                                   Small seed: licorice flavor                cookies, pastries, breads

·         Basil                          Crushed leaves                                  Aromatic leaf; member of mint         Tomatoes and tomato     ·                                                                                                      family                                                 dishes, pesto(Italian basil ·                                                                                                                                                                  Sauce), egg, dishes, lamb ·                                                                                                                                                                  Chops, eggplant, peas,  ·                                                                                                                                                                   Squash

·          Bay leaf                    Whole                                              Stiff, dark green, oblong leaves;         One of the most important ·                                                                                                     pungent aroma                                    herbs for stocks, sauces, ·                                                                                                                                                                 stews, braised meats

Caraway seed            Whole                                              Dark brown, curved seeds; familiar      Rye bread, cabbage,                                                                                                rye bread seasoning                            sauerkraut, pork, cheese ·                                                                                                                                                              Spreads, eastern ·                                                                                                                                                              European dishes.

Cardamom                Whole pod, ground seed                  Tiny brown seeds inside white or      pickling, Danish pastries,                                                                                                green pod; sweet and aromatic;          curries    ·                                                                                                       expensive

Cayenne                       Ground                                       Ground form of hot red pepper,         In small amounts in many         (red pepper)                                                                         looks like paprika but is extremely    sauces, soups, meat, fish, ·                                                                                                      Hot.                                                     egg, and cheese ·                                                                                                                                                                     dishes

·         Celery seed                            Whole, ground,                           Tiny brown seeds with              Salads, coleslaw,  salad   ·                                                      ground mixed with                        strong celery flavor                   dressings, tomato products   ·                                                             salt (celery salt)

·         Chervil                             Crushed leaves                                 Herb with mild flavor of              soups, salads, sauces, egg,  ·                                                                                                         parsley and tarragon                    and cheese dishes

Chill powder                 ground blend                                    Blend of spices including cumin,  Chili and other Mexican                                                                                                  chili peppers, oregano, garlic         dishes, egg dishes, ·                                                                                                                                                         appetizers, ground meat

Chive                            Fresh, dried, frozen                         Grass like herb with onion            Salads, egg and cheese  ·                                                                                                             flavor                                          dishes, fish, soups

Cilantro(fresh coriander,  fresh leaves                                   the plant that produces coriander    Widely used in Asian and  Chinese parsley)                                                                     seeds; delicate texture, assertive,     southwestern cooking                                                                                                 herbaceous aroma and flavor,        and in dishes with various ·                                                                                                         leaves resemble flat parsley           ethnic influences

Cinnamon                         sticks, ground                               aromatic bark of cinnamon or         pastries, bread, desserts,                                                                                                    cassia tree                                       cooked fruit ham, sweet ·                                                                                                                                                            potatoes, hot beverages

Clove                              Whole, ground                                Dried flower buds of a tropical       Whole; marinades, stock,                                                                                                  tree; pungent, sweet flavor               sauces, braised meats,                                                                                                                                                            ham, pickling ground: ·                                                                                                                                                              cakes, pastries, fruits

Coriander                       Whole, ground                                 Round, light brown, hollow seed,     Pickling, sausage, pork,                                                                                                   slightly sweet, musty flavor              curried dishes, ·                                                                                                                                                                     Gingerbread

Cumin seed                     Whole, ground                                 Small seed resembling caraway,         Ingredient of curry                                                                                                    but lighter in color                                and chili powders,                                                                                                                                                                sausages and meats, ·                                                                                                                                                                 egg and cheese dishes ·

Curry powder              ground blend                       a mixture of 16 to 20 spices, including       Curried dishes, eggs,                                                                                    red pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander,      vegetables, fish, soups,                                                                                      ginger, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper,      rice  ·                                                                                            brands vary greatly in flavor and hotness

Dill                        Crushed leaves                     herb and seed with familiar dill                  Seed: pickling, sauerkraut,                                (called dill weed),                  pickle flavor, seed is more                         soups Herb: salads, cheese                               whole seed                            pungent than the herb                                dishes, fish and shellfish, some ·                                                                                                                                                            vegetables

Epazote               Fresh and dried leaves           A pungent herb with coarse-textured        Used in Mexican cooking; often ·                                                                                     leaves                                                          cooked with beans

Fennel                  Whole seed                             Greenish-brown seeds similar in              Italian sausage, tomato sauce, ·                                                                                       flavor to anise, but larger in size              fish

Garlic                 Fresh: whole bulbs;                  Strong, aromatic member of onion           Wide variety of foods                              dried: granulated,                      family; fresh bulbs composed of                             powder, and mixed                    many small cloves     ·                                     with salt

Ginger                 Whole, ground (also                 Light brown, knobby root of ginger        Baked goods and desserts, fruit,                                fresh and candied or                  plant                                                         curried dishes, braised meats;                                   crystallized)                                                                                                fresh in Chinese and other ·                                                                                                                                                         Asian dishes

Juniper berry      Whole                                      Slightly soft, purple berries with piney      Marinades, game dishes,  ·                                                                                       flavor, principal flavoring of gin                sauerkraut

Lemon grass         Fresh stalks                            A tropical grass with a slightly bulbous        Used in southeast Asian                                                                                base and an aroma of lemon                           dishes influenced by Asian ·                                                                                                                                                               cuisine

Mace                  Whole (blade),                         Orange outer covering of nutmeg;               Baked goods, desserts, fruit,           ·                               ground                                      similar flavor, but milder                             sausages, pork, fish, spinach, ·                                                                                                                                                     squash, other vegetables

Marjoram          Crushed leaves                          Gray-green herb with pleasant                   Plates and ground meats,                                                                               aroma and slightly minty flavor,               braised meats, sauces, roast                                                                               similar to oregano, but much milder         lamb, poultry and poultry                                                                                                                                                  stuffings

Mint                       Leaves                                   Aromatic herb with familiar cool              Lamb, fruits, tea and fruit                                                                                flavor, two varieties; spearmint                 beverages, peas, carrots, ·                                                                                       and peppermint                                          potatoes

Mustard seed        Whole, ground(also               Very pungent seed in two varieties;          Cheese and egg dishes, pickling                                 prepared mustard;                  white or yellow and brown-brown is        , meats, sauces and gravies    ·                                                                                      Stronger

Nutmeg                Whole, ground                       Sweet, aromatic kernel of nutmeg            Soups, cream sauces, chicken,  ·                                                                               Fruit                                                           veal, many vegetables (spinach, ·                                                                                                                                                   Mushrooms, squash, potatoes), ·                                                                                                                                                   desserts, custards, breads,      ·                                                                                                                                                    pastries

Oregano               leaves, ground                       Pungent herb known as the “pizza herb”      Italian and Mexican dishes, ·                                                                                                                                                           tomato products

Paprika                Ground                                   Ground form of a dried, sweet red pepper.     Spanish: used (or over used)                                                                             Spanish variety is brighter in color, mild        primarily as garnish on                                                                              in flavor, Hungarian is darker and more        light-colored foods;                                                                             pungent                                                            Hungarian: goulash, braised ·                                                                                                                                                        meats and poultry, sauces

Parsley               Fresh: whole sprigs, in             Most widely used herb; dark green curly       almost all foods                                 bunches; dried: in flakes           or flat leaves with delicate, sweet flavor

Pepper, black     Whole (pepper-corns);            Small black or creamy white hard berry;        Most widely used spice      and white             ground fine, medium,             pungent flavor and aroma                               or coarse

Pepper, red         (see cayenne)

Peppercorn, pink      Whole                                 Bright pink, dried seed or berry; pungent,         Limited uses in meat,                                                                                     floral taste; unrelated to black pepper               poultry, and fish dishes;                                                                                                                                                              sauces garnish; used in ·                                                                                                                                                             peppercorn mixtures

Poppy seed            Whole                                   Tiny blue-black seeds with faint but                       Garnish for breads and                                                                                 Distinctive flavor                                                    rolls, buttered noodles;                                                                                                                                                         ground: in pastry fillings

Rosemary            Whole                                    light-green leaves resembling pine               Lamb, braised meats and                                                                             needles                                                          poultry, soups, tomato and                                                                                                                                                       meat sauces

Saffron                Whole(thread)                        Red stigma of saffron crocus; gives             Should be steeped in hot                                                                             bright-yellow color to foods; mild,              liquid before use. Rice dishes,                                                                              distinctive flavor, very expensive               poultry, seafood, bouillabaisse                                                                                                                                                   , baked goods

Sage                   Whole, rubbed (finer              Pungent gray-green herb with fuzzy             Pork, poultry, stuffings,                                     Consistency than whole         leaves                                                            sausage, beans, tomatoes ·                                     Leaves), ground

Savory                   Crushed leaves                    Fragrant herb of mint family; summer         Many meat, poultry, fish, egg,  ·                                                                                    savory is preferred to winter                        and vegetables dishes

Sesame seed           Whole (hulled or                 Small yellowish seed with nutlike               Bread and roll garnish                                      unhulled)                           taste; familiar hamburger bun garnish; ·                                                                                       High oil content

Sichuan peppercorn   Whole                              Brown seed pod, usually partially               Spicy meat and poultry dishes                                                                                Opened; spicy, peppery flavor, but                                                                                  Unrelated to black peppercorns

Star anise                  Whole or broken               Dried, star-shaped seed pod, with               braised Chinese dishes                                                                              an anise like flavor (but unrelated to                                                                                  Anise) but more aromatic

Tarragon                Crushed leaves                     Delicate green herb with flavor that is       Béarnaise sauce, tarragon                                                                                Both minty and licoricelike                       vinegar, chicken, fish, salads ·                                                                                                                                                        and dressings, eggs

Thyme                  Crushed leaves,                     Tiny brownish-green leaves; very             One of the most important and                                 ground                                    aromatic                                                   versatile of herbs; stocks, soups,                                                                                                                                                Sauces, meats, poultry,                                                                                                                                                tomatoes                                                                                                 Turmeric               ground                                 Intense yellow root of ginger family;      A basic ingredient of curry                                                                             mild but distinctive peppery flavor          powder, pickles, relishes, salads,                                                                                                                                             eggs, rice

1.Salt is the most important seasoning ingredient. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out.

2.Pepper comes in three forms: white, black, and green. All three are actually the same berry, but processed differently. (black pepper is picked unripe; white is ripened and the hull is removed; green peppercorns are picked unripe and preserved before their color darkens.)

·         Whole and crushed black pepper is used primarily in seasoning and flavoring stocks and sauces and, sometimes, red meats. Ground black pepper is used in the dinning room by the customer.

·         Ground white pepper is more important as a seasoning in the food service kitchen. Its flavor is slightly different from that of black pepper, and it blends well (in small quantities) with many foods. its white color makes it visually undetectable in light-colored foods.

·         Green peppers are fairly expensive and are used in special recipes, primarily in luxury restaurants. The types packed in water, brine, or vinegar (those in water and in brine have better flavor) are soft. Wet-pack peppercorns are perishable. Water-packed peppercorns will keep only a few days in the refrigerator after they are opened, while the others will keep longer. Dried green peppercorns are also available.

3.      Red pepper or cayenne is completely unrelated to black and white pepper. In it belongs to the same family as paprika and fresh sweet bell peppers. Used in tiny amounts, it gives a spicy hotness to sauces and soups without actually altering the flavor. In larger amounts, it gives both heat and flavor to many spicy foods

4. Lemon juice is an important seasoning, particularly for enlivening the flavor of sauces and soups.

5. Fresh herbs are almost always superior to dried herbs. They should be used whenever cost and availability permit. Not long ago, the only fresh herbs generally available in many areas of North America were parsley, chives, and sometimes mint and dill. Now, however, most herbs are available fresh. The accompanying photos illustrate the most commonly used fresh herbs as well as some unusual fresh flavoring ingredients.

6.      Onion, garlic, shallots, and other members of the onion family, as well as carrots and celery, are used as flavorings in virtually all stations of the kitchen and even in the bakeshop. Try to avoid the use of dried onion and garlic products, expect as a component of spice blends. They have less flavor, and the fresh product is always available.

7.       Wine, brandy, and other alcoholic beverages are used to flavor sauces, soups, and many entrees. Brandy should be boiled or flamed to eliminate the high percentage of alcohol, which would be unpleasant in the finished dish. Table wines usually need some cooking or reduction (either separately or with other ingredients) to produce the desired flavors. Fortified wines like sherry and Madeira, on the other hand, may be added as flavoring at the end of cooking.

8.      Prepared mustard is a blend of ground mustard seed, vinegar, and other spices. It is used to flavor meats, sauces, and salad dressings and as a table condiment. For most cooking purposes, European styles such as Dijon (French) or Dusseldorf (German) work best, while the bright yellow American ballpark style is more appropriate as a table condiment than as a cooking ingredient. A coarse, grainy style is sometimes called for in specially recipes.

9.              Grated lemon and orange rind is used in sauces, meats, and poultry (as in duckling a l’ orange) as well as in the bakeshop. Only the colored outer portion, called the zest, which contains the flavorful oils, is used. The white pith is butter.

10.              MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a flavor enhancer widely used in Asian cooking. MSG doesn’t actually change the flavor of foods but acts on the taste buds. It has a bad reputation for causing chest pains and headaches in some individuals.

USING HERBS AND SPOICES 

DEFINITIONS

Herbs are the leaves of certain plants that usually grow in temperature climates.

Spices are the buds, fruits, flowers, bark, seeds, and roots of plants and trees, many of which grow in tropical climates.

The distinction is often confusing, but it is not as important to know which flavorings are spices and which are herbs as it is to use them skillfully. 

      

    Guidelines for Using Herbs and Spices         

1.      Be familiar with each spice’s aroma, flavor, and effect on food. Looking at a spice chart, including the one in this book, is not substitute for familiarity with the actual product.

2.      Store dried herbs and spices in a cool place, tightly covered, in opaque containers. Heat, light, and moisture cause herbs and spices to deteriorate rapidly.

3.      Don’t use stale spices and herbs, and don’t buy more than you can use in about six months. Whole spices keep longer than ground, but both lose much flavor after six months.

4.      Be cautious after you have replaced old spices. The fresher products are most potent, so the amount you used before might now be too much.

5.      Use good-quality spices and herbs. It doesn’t pay to economize here. The difference in cost is only a fraction of a cent per portion.

6.      Whole spices that longer to release flavors that ground spices, so allow for adequate cooking time.

7.      Whole herbs and spices for flavoring a liquid are tired loosely in a piece of cheesecloth (called a sachet) for easy removal.

8.       When in doubt, add less than you think you need. You can always add more, but it’s hard to remove what you’ve already added.

9.      Except in dishes like curry or chili, spices should not dominate. Often, they should not even be evident. If you can taste the nutmeg in the creamed spinach, there’s probably too much nutmeg.

10.  Herbs and spices added to uncooked foods such as salads and dressings need several hours for flavors to be released and blended.

11.  Taste foods before serving, whenever possible. How else can you adjust the seasoning?