B8 $W+RPH The Epoch Times -XQH‫ܦ‬ The Fresh Flavors of Spain: Herbs in Spanish Cuisine Spanish cuisine is DOODERXW‫ݪ‬DYRUQRW just ‘hot and spicy’ By THERESA O’SHEA From The Herb Companion In Spanish cooking, almost all dishes require a generous pinch of chopped herbs or a dash of spice, but the resulting flavors are subtle and delicate, and only rarely blowyour-taste-buds-off hot. Parsley: Perejil Perejil is the most widely and abundantly used of all the hierbas aromáticas (aromatic herbs). This is always the flat (also known as Italian), not the curly, variety. It adds zip to grilled fish and meat, salads, and vegetable dishes with its bright color and taste. Chopped parsley can be added at the last minute, as with mushrooms sizzled in garlic and white wine. For other dishes, the herb is pounded with other ingredients using a mortar and pestle to form a majado (a paste) or aderezo (dressing) to be added after cooking. One aderezo typically drizzled onto grilled fish and seafood is made by blending chopped garlic and parsley in extra virgin olive oil. It’s fine to leave this sauce chunky; blend it for a smoother texture. Either way, the deep green mixture is buenísimo—very good indeed. It also is super-healthy, as parsley is an excellent source of vitamin C and other antioxidants. selves into aromatic kebab sticks, and even the stove on which the meat is grilled may be fueled by rosemary wood. (It makes my nose twitch just thinking about it!) Then there is paella. The traditional Valencian paella is made with chicken, rabbit, and haricot beans. This already delectable dish is more complex with the addition of a sprig or an infusion of rosemary while the rice is cooking. The rosemary does wonders for a purely vegetarian paella and is added to many potato- and vegetable-based stews. Thyme: Tomillo Nothing grows in the rocky Mediterranean scrub quite like rosemary—except perhaps thyme. Hence the old saying: Romero y tomillo, en el campo lo pillo. (“Rosemary and thyme, in the country you’ll find.”) Thyme is an essential seasoning for olives, and for flavoring oils and vinegars. Aromatic oils made by steeping thyme, rosemary, parsley, and other herbs in extra virgin olive oil are excellent allies if you cine, either in tisanes or inhaled in steam to alleviate coughs, sore throats, and catarrh. Sometimes, medicine cabinet and cookbook coincide: My father-in-law used to swear by eating gallons of sopa de tomillo, or thyme soup, at the first hint of a cold. Bay: Laurel Spanish cooks use masses of bay. A leaf or two can be added to pasta and rice during cooking. It can also spice up an otherwise bland béchamel (white) sauce. And there are very few slow-cooked casseroles that do not require a hint of its sweet, spicy flavor. Moths, however, are not so enamored of bay’s strong perfume. Drying your bay can do double duty—try drying branches of bay leaves in your clothes drawers and closets to keep away moths. Oregano: Orégano The esteem in which this aromatic herb is held is reflected in the popular saying: No todo el monte es oregano. (“Not all the hillside is oregano.”) In other words, life isn’t ROSEMARY: A great herb used in Spanish cooking. PHOTOS.COM have high blood pressure and need to reduce your salt intake. Long appreciated for its antibacterial and antiviral qualities, thyme is widely used in popular medi- always a bowl of cherries. Spaniards use generous amounts of oregano in salads, tomato sauces, and cheese and egg dishes. A quick supper fix that ‘Modern Spice’ by Monica Bhide By JENNIFER A. WICKES There is nothing more satisfying than an exotic meal that touches all the senses, is made from fresh ingredients, and that is innovative yet still grasping onto tradition. In “Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen,” Monica Bhide does just that. Her passion for cooking and her delightful stories make this a wonderful book packed with sophisticated, yet simple recipes overflowing with flavor. Monica Bhide is from New Delhi, India. After living in the Middle East, she came to the Washington, D.C., area as an engineer, and eventually switched professions to become a food writer. She is the perfect person Nothing adds color and depth to Spanish rice dishes, sausages, and hot-pots like pimentón. It comes in two varieties, sweet and spicy. In English, we would think of these as paprika and cayenne pepper. Visit any market spice stall or delicatessen and see vast strings of garlic bulbs intercalated with corresponding strings of dried peppers. It is from these that mild paprika is made, the hotter variety deriving from crushed guindillas, or chilies. Paprika is used liberally and cayenne pepper sparingly, but with most recipes one can be partially substituted for the other, according to how hot you like your food. One trick for jazzing up leftover vegetables and potatoes is to fry them lightly in olive oil, garlic, and either sweet or spicy paprika or a mixture of the two. Serves 2 Cookbook Review Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen Paprika and Cayenne Pepper: Pimentón Dulce and Pimentón Picante Spicy Sizzling Prawns: Gambas Pil-Pil Rosemary: Romero Rosemary evokes the very essence of the Spanish countryside. With its needle-like leaves and violet-blue flowers, it spreads and blooms and pushes skyward, its pungency tempered by sweetsmelling lavender and not-quiteso-bitter thyme growing nearby. In Spanish cooking, rosemary is used judiciously to season chicken, game, and lamb. Many restaurants convert the stripped twigs them- I picked up from one of my 10 Spanish sisters-in-law is simplicity itself: an omelette sprinkled with oregano and a little grated cheese. Try this with pan con tomate— bread rubbed with fresh tomato pulp and drizzled with olive oil—and your taste buds will think they’ve gone to heaven. Along with paprika, the versatile herb also is a key ingredient in marinades used to flavor bland, meaty fish, such as cod, pollock, swordfish, and tuna. This is one of the few genuinely spicy Spanish dishes. It is traditionally cooked in a shallow clay pot or ramekin, but a heavy-bottomed skillet will do just as well. Serve with plenty of bread and a green salad to cool things down; it makes a truly delicious lunch or supper dish. • 1 pound prawns • 1 head garlic (or more) • 1 chili pepper • 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil SPICY PRAWNS: Use herbs to make mouth-watering Spanish dishes like spicy sizzling prawns. RICK WETHERBEE • Pinch of chopped parsley (optional) • 1 to 2 teaspoons paprika and cayenne pepper, to taste Directions: 1. Peel prawns and pat dry. Slice garlic cloves finely. De-seed and chop chili pepper. 2. Cover bottom of pan with olive oil and fry garlic and chili until garlic starts to turn golden. 3. Add prawns and parsley. Sprinkle with paprika and cayenne pepper. 4. Cook over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes, or until prawns turn pink and start to curl slightly. 5. Remove from heat and serve sizzling in pot. Tip: The Spanish use so much garlic that they have lots of tricks for peeling it faster. Either flatten the clove with a bread knife so the skin splits and the garlic pops out, or soak the cloves in water for 30 minutes before using. Excerpted from The Herb Companion magazine, a national magazine dedicated to growing, cooking and healing with herbs. Read other articles at www. HerbCompanion.com or call 800456-5835 to subscribe. Copyright 2009 by Ogden Publications Inc. Indian Mulligatawny Soup By JENNIFER A. WICKES Serves 4 to author an Indian cookbook as she understands Americans’ taste buds as well as the products available to us, after having lived here for 15 years. Having already penned two other cookbooks (“The Spice Is Right,” Callawind Publications, 2001; and “The Everything Indian Cookbook,” Adams Media Corporation, 2004), Bhide has done an even better job perfecting her craft of making delicious recipes and engaging the reader like she is there in the kitchen with you, guiding you through each recipe. New to Indian cuisine? Not to worry. “Modern Spice” helps you build your kitchen pantry. Of course, many readers will not live in a metropolitan area, so Bhide has provided readers with online venues so it is easier to build a cupboard full of exotic ingredients! Unsure which brand is best or how to store your new product, or perhaps how to use it? Again, Monica is a lifesaver in helping to guide you on your path. Spices are the secret to success in the kitchen, and her guide to using spices is invaluable. She also dispels myths about Indian cuisine originating from British rule, as she explains with curry powder, and the evolution of traditional foods in any culture. The recipes are easy-to-understand and packed with flavor. Some examples of her tasty recipes are Tilapia Curry with Roasted Spices; Red Chile, Garlic and Basil Chicken; PanFried Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Cumin; Chile Pea Puffs; and Saffron-Cardamom Macaroons. This book is exciting and a must-have for Indian cuisine enthusiasts, the curious, and for the people wanting to travel and eat out more but cannot afford to in this economy. With four pages of color photos, you will be glad to have made this buy. THE EPOCH TIMES This size ad in color for only $46 per week Great discounts starting at 4 weeks Call 202-306-7378 • 2 tablespoons safflower oil • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper • 4 teaspoon cumin seeds • 2 teaspoon mustard seeds • 4 teaspoon dried minced onion • 8 whole dried red chilies • 10 curry leaves* • 2 teaspoon turmeric • 8 garlic cloves, crushed • 4 cups tomato juice • Juice of 8 limes • 2 cups water • Salt to taste • Cilantro, chopped Directions: 1. In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the pepper, cumin, mustard, chilies, curry leaves, onion, turmeric, and garlic. When the garlic is golden and the chilies are dark, lower the heat. 2. Add the tomato juice, lime MULLIGATAWNY SOUP: A spicy, tangy soup with cumin seeds and dried red chilies. LORI MAFFEI juice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes. 3. Garnish with cilantro. * If you can’t find curry leaves, try bay leaves. Jennifer A. Wickes is a freelance food writer, recipe developer, food styler, and cookbook reviewer who lives on the East Coast. Her blog, Food Pursuit, has been one of the Best 100 Culinary Sites.