This week’s Cooking Demonstration group learned all about what herbs and spices to use in our cooking to give our dishes that extra kick of flavour.
Herbs and spices can enhance and help to balance the flavours of your dishes. Trust me when I say that once you start using the right herbs and spices in proper amounts, your food will make your family and guests beg for more.
What Herbs and Spices Go Best With Different Foods
| Beef | Bay Leaf, cayenne, chili, curry, dill, ginger, mustard, paprika, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme |
| Pork | Allspice, basil, cardamom, cloves, curry, ginger, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme |
| Lamb | Basil, cardamom, curry, dill, mace, marjoram, mint, oregano, paprika, rosemary, turmeric |
| Poultry |
Allspice, anise, bay leaf, cayenne, curry, dill, ginger, marjoram, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme. Lovage, 2 parts, marjoram, 3 parts sage. Salad: Basil, lovage, parsley, French tarragon |
| Fish | Allspice, anise, basil, bay leaf, cayenne, chives, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, tarragon, thyme. Basil, bay leaf (crumbled) French tarragon, lemon myrtle, parsley. (options: fennel, sage, savory) |
| Fruit | Allspice, anise, cinnamon, cloves, curry, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg, pepper |
| Egg | Basil, dill weed (leaves) garlic, parsley |
| Rice | Chives, cumin, curry, nutmeg, parsley, saffron, turmeric |
| Vegetables | Basil, parsley, savory |
| Green Beans | Dill, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano |
| Beets | Allspice, nutmeg |
| Broccoli | Mustard, nutmeg, sage |
| Carrots | Dill, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, thyme |
| Cucumbers | Basil, dill, parsley |
| Eggplant | Oregano, parsley |
| Mushrooms | Garlic, sage |
| Peas | Marjoram, mint |
| Potatoes | Chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, mace, parsley, rosemary, tarragon |
| Squash | Cardamom, ginger, nutmeg |
| Tomatoes | Allspice, basil, cloves, cumin, fennel, marjoram, oregano, parsley |
| Italian | Basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme Barbecue: Cumin, garlic, hot pepper, oregano |
| Bouquet Garni | Bay leaf, 2 parts parsley, thyme. The herbs may be wrapped in cheese cloth or the parsley wrapped around the thyme and bay leaf |
| Herb Butter | 114 grams butter or margarine, 1 to 3 tbsp dried herbs or 2 to 5 tbsp fresh herbs (any herbs or spices may be used) 1/3 tsp lemon juice and white pepper. Combine ingredients and mix til fluffy. Pack in covered container and let set at least one hour |
| Vinegar | Heat 1 quart vinegar in an enamel pan and the pour it into a vinegar bottle and add one or several herbs (4 oz fresh marjoram, sage, tarragon or thyme). Do not let the vinegar boil. Refrigerate for two weeks before using. Any type of vinegar may be used, depending upon your personal preference. |
Butter Chicken
The night before, we marinated the chicken in yoghurt and half a packet of Herbie’s Butter Chicken Spice Blend.
During the demonstration we put the chicken under the griller and cooked it just til the edges took on some colour.
Then we fried the pureed onions and garlic and mixed in the leftover marinade that the chicken had been in, along with the other half packet of spice mix.
Toss in the chicken pieces and pan drippings and then stir in the coriander, cream and coconut cream. Season and simmer if the sauce seems too thin but ours was perfect to serve right away. Garnish with whole coriander leaves and serve over rice.
We had to marinate it overnight but this meal was ready in the time it took to cook the rice – perfect for a family dinner.
| Butter Chicken |
- 1 kg chicken thigh fillets
- 1 pkt Herbie’s Butter Chicken Spice Mix
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee
- 500 grams yoghurt
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 cup pureed onions
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp mango chutney
- 1 tbsp almond meal
- 200 mls single cream
- 1 tbs chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- 100 mls coconut milk or cream
- Coriander (cilantro) leaves to garnish
- Mix half packet butter chicken spice mix with yoghurt
- Mix with chicken pieces
- Remove chicken pieces from marinade and cook under the grill while preparing the sauce.
- Melt butter in a heavy pan
- Add garlic and onion puree and fry for 2 to 3 minutes
- Mix remaining marinade with the other half of the packet of butter chicken spice mix, tomato paste, tomato sauce, chutney, sugar and almond meal.
- Cook gently for a couple of minutes.
- Add cooked chicken and pan drippings
- Stir in coriander (cilantro), cream and coconut milk or cream
- Add salt and pepper to season for your taste
- Simmer to reduce a little if necessary
- Garnish with coriander (cilantro leaves) and serve with rice.
