Most kitchen spice racks contain more than their fair share of out-of-date spices and herbs. From powders to whole spices and rubs to roots, you’d be forgiven for getting confused over what choice to make at dinnertime. That’s why we asked Barbora Ormerod, from The Devilled Egg Cookery School, to shed a little light on using spice in everyday meals…
The UK has a funny relationship with spice. It was largely absent from traditional British cuisine right up until the colonial era, which sparked an enduring love affair with curry and fiery foods in general. This unique history might explain our binary approach to spice; we tend to cook food which either involves loads of it or none at all.
Most of us could do a lot more with spices to enhance our everyday cooking, especially nowadays. Innovations in transport, production and even storage have made an amazing variety of dried and fresh spices both available and affordable, so we can bring the flavours of the Caribbean, Mediterranean or Indian subcontinent right into our kitchens.
If you’re unsure, spice mixes are a great place to start. Garam masala provides a great base for a lot of Indian dishes, while ras el hanout plays a similar role in Moroccan recipes and North African cuisine in general. Either one can be used to bring added depth to stews, soups and dips, while a Cajun blend is a great way to add heat and flavour to your meats, fish and vegetables. There are countless more options – you can even make your own – but these classics are a great starting point. When using spices individually to enhance your cooking, it often helps to picture the flavour profile of the dish you’re working on, and imagine a spice that will pull it in a new and interesting direction. For example, creamy or oily dishes benefit from sharp, even bitter flavours; rich, meaty foods are made lighter and more complex with aromatic and spicy ingredients; whereas earthy, pungent flavours help to enhance milder, plainer foods such as fish.
More specifically, a portion of scrambled eggs can be transformed into a Middle Eastern delight simply by adding a little lemony sumac and warming chilli. A meaty autumnal stew can be instantly upgraded by stirring in some ginger and cinnamon (the former will also help tenderise the meat), and even the humblest risotto acquires depth and intensity with a sprinkle of saffron, bringing a golden hue as well as a gentle bitterness to complement the richness of the dish. These are just suggestions – there are no strict rules. The trick is to experiment with small amounts and learn to trust your instincts as your knowledge increases. Used correctly, spices have a role to play in almost any dish. Presentation, texture and nutritional value are all very well, but flavour and aroma determine our enjoyment of food beyond anything else. With that in mind, taking the time to learn a bit of spice wizardry is a worthy investment indeed.
Read more on kitchen skills and cooking with spices at Barbora’s online cookery school thedevilledegg.com