Archive for the 'Spices, dry rubs, and breadings' Category

(Chronologically Listed)

Moroccan Beef Stew

After the last Moroccan dish I made, I simply had to have more. The approach to cooking the food is simple, the spices strong and seductive, and the end result is uniquely complex and delicious. Really, my first experience woke me up to a whole new genre of food that I had to explore. Today: a Moroccan Beef Stew.

Moroccan Beef Stew

Combining my new regional food interest with my newfound obsession with braising, this stew just made a lot of sense. Plus, this was an exciting opportunity for me to crack open the jar of preserved lemons that I had started so long ago–finally, after all of the suspense, I could discover what all the fuss was about. And you know what? They really are unlike anything else. Clearly lemons in appearance and flavor, but stronger, sweeter, and all grown up. Given how easy they are to make and how versatile they seem to be, I’d encourage everyone to start preserving a jar right away.…
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Posted by mike on March 9th, 2008 under Beef, Main course, Mediterranean, Soup & Stew, Spices, dry rubs, and breadings | 23 Comments »

Preserved Lemons

I was in the mood for something Moroccan (can you guess what kind of recipes will be posted in the coming days? Oh the suspense!), and if there is any recurring ingredients in Moroccan recipes, it is preserved lemons.

Jar of preserved lemons

I’ve never had preserved lemons before and it seems two methods are popular: one is just lemons and salt and the other is generally the same but with various savory spices added into the mix. Being both a fan of lemons and as decisive as ever, I decided to make two jars: one spiced and one “plain.” Now that I’d finally made that tough call, I got all ready only to find that I only had one clean jar handy (doh!).

The basic idea is that you take some lemons (tis the season for Meyer lemons–thin skinned and deliciously sweet!) and essentially pickle it in salt and its own juices to intensify the flavors. I love lemons, and when life gives you…
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Posted by mike on January 25th, 2008 under Fruit, Mediterranean, Spices, dry rubs, and breadings | 13 Comments »

Italian-flavored bread crumbs

I love Italian food and I’m well aware that having “Italian breadcrumbs” is about as authentic and authoritative sounding as calling General Tso’s chicken “Chinese food.” So given that disclaimer, I figured I could get away with calling it “Italian-flavored.” Well I guess I could get away with “Italian-American,” as if I really know. No pretensions here. Just humor me.

Italian-flavored bread crumbs

I like to have this handy for dishes which typically call for dredging something in egg and flour prior to frying. For dishes like chicken parmesan, the breading can really contribute a lot more to the flavor of the dish than plain old flour, and you’d be very surprised how much more dressed up a simple dish can become by paying a little extra attention to the smaller stuff that we usually just ignore.

So without further ado, gather the following:


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Posted by mike on August 27th, 2007 under Italian, Spices, dry rubs, and breadings | 2 Comments »

Creole Seasoning

I’ve always been a big fan of Creole flavors–they’re spicy and complicated. However, if you’ve ever bought a pre-made bottle of something that purports being Creole seasoning from the grocery store (save your money and don’t!), you’ve probably been turned off to it (maybe it’s just me). More often than not, the store-bought stuff amounts to nothing more complex than very bland, very salty red stuff–blech.

This is a very simple seasoning to prepare and is something I always have handy in large amounts. Its good for rubbing into meats and also a great way to give some punch to any breading/bread crumbs when you fry foods. I tend to rub it into steaks, drum sticks, chicken breast, and use it in many of my breadings.

Creole seasoning

The paprika gives a great color, the sugar gives a little carmelization, the various peppers provide varying levels of heat and flavor, and the rest just gives those earthy spices that make this seasoning…
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Posted by mike on August 27th, 2007 under Spices, dry rubs, and breadings | 6 Comments »

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