Seasoning and Flavoring

SEASONING AND
FLAVORING
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.
SEASONING
 1. The most important time for seasoning liquid foods is
at the end of the cooking process. The last step in most
recipes, whether written or not, is “adjust the seasoning.”
This means you have to first taste and evaluate the
product. Then you must decide what should be done, if
anything, to improve the taste. Often, a little salt in a
stew or a dash of fresh lemon juice in a sauce is enough.
The ability to evaluate and correct flavors takes
experience, and it is one of the most important skills a
cook can develop.
 2.Salt and other seasonings are also added at the
beginning of cooking, particularly for larger
pieces of food, when seasonings added at the end
would not be absorbed or blended in but just sit
on the surface.
 3. Adding some of the seasoning during the

cooking process aids in evaluating the flavor
along the way.
 4.Do not add much seasoning if it will be

concentrated during cooking, as when a liquid is
reduced.
FLAVORING
 Flavoring ingredients can be added at the
beginning, middle, or end, depending on the
cooking time, the cooking process, and the
flavoring ingredient.
COMMON SEASONING AND FLAVORING
INGREDIENTS
 Any food product can be used as a flavoring
ingredient, even meat (as when crumbled bacon
is added to sautéed potatoes or diced ham is
included in a mirepoix). Sauces, which are
complex preparations containing many flavoring
ingredients, are themselves used as flavorings
for meat, fish, vegetables, and desserts.
 1. Basil is one of the most important culinary
herbs. Sweet basil, the most common type, is
redolent of licorice and cloves. Basil is used in
the south of France to make pistou; its Italian
cousin, pesto, is made just over the border. Used
in sauces, sandwiches, soups, and salads, basil is
in top form when married to tomatoes, as in the
famous salad from the island of Capri—Insalata
Caprese, made with tomatoes, buffalo
mozzarella, basil, and fruity olive oi
THAI BASIL SWEET BASIL
MINT
 Mint isn't just a little sprig that garnishes your dessert

plate. It is extremely versatile and can be used in both
sweet and savory dishes. In the Mediterranean, mint is
treasured as a companion to lamb, and is often used in
fruit and vegetable salads. Though there are many
varieties, spearmint is preferred for cooking. You can
add it to a bevy of dishes and drinks—lamb, peas,
carrots, ice cream, tea, mint juleps, and mojitos.
Spearmint's bright green leaves are fuzzy, very different
from the darker stemmed, rounded leaves of peppermint.
MINT LEAVES
ROSEMARY
 In Latin, rosemary means "dew of the sea"—appropriate

since it is indigenous to the Mediterranean. Rosemary is
one of the most aromatic and pungent of all the herbs. Its
needlelike leaves have pronounced lemon-pine flavor
that pairs well with roasted lamb, garlic, and olive oil.
Rosemary is also a nice addition to focaccia, tomato
sauce, pizza, and pork, but because its flavor is strong,
use a light hand
ROSEMARY
OREGANO
 Oregano grows wild in the mountains of Italy and

Greece; its Greek name means "joy of the mountain."
The Greeks love oregano sprinkled on salads, while the
Italians shower it on pizza and slip it into tomato sauces.
Add chopped oregano to vinaigrette, or use it in poultry,
game, or seafood dishes when you want to take them in a
Greek or Italian direction. Oregano and marjoram are so
similar in looks and flavor that they are often confused.
Oregano, however, has a more potent taste and aroma;
marjoram is sweeter and more delicate.
OREGANO
THYME
 Thyme comes in dozens of varieties; however, most

cooks use French thyme. Undoubtedly thyme is one of
the most important herbs of the European kitchen. What
would a bouquet garni be without it? This congenial herb
pairs well with many other herbs—especially rosemary,
parsley, sage, savory, and oregano. Its earthiness is
welcome with pork, lamb, duck, or goose, and it's much
beloved in Cajun and Creole cooking. It's also the
primary component of Caribbean jerk seasonings.
Because the leaves are so small, they often don't require
chopping
CILANTRO
 Some call it cilantro; others call it coriander, or even

Chinese parsley. Whatever you call it, chances are you
either love it or hate it. This native of southern Europe
and the Middle East has a pungent flavor, with a faint
undertone of anise. The leaves are often mistaken for
flat-leaf parsley, so read the tag. One of the most
versatile herbs, cilantro adds distinctive flavor to salsas,
soups, stews, curries, salads, vegetables, fish, and
chicken dishes.
PARSLEY
 No refrigerator should be without parsley. It's the workhorse
of the herb world and can go in just about every dish you
cook. Parsley's mild, grassy flavor allows the flavors of other
ingredients to come through. Curly parsley is less assertive
than its brother, flat-leaf parsley (often called Italian parsley).
Flat-leaf parsley is preferred for cooking, as it stands up better
to heat and has more flavor, while the more decorative curly
parsley is used mostly for garnishing. Reach for either when a
dish needs a little burst of color. Sprinkle a little persillade, a
mixture of chopped parsley and garlic, on roasted lamb, grilled
steaks, fish, chicken, and vegetables as they do in France. Add
lemon or orange zest and you get gremolata, a blend used in
Milanese cooking, especially as a final garnish on osso buco.
PARSLEY
CHIVES
 Toss chives into a dish at the last minute, because heat

destroys their delicate onion flavor. Thinly slice them to
maximize their taste, or use finely snipped chives as a
garnish. Chives are great in dips and quesadillas, and on
baked potatoes.
CHIVES
DILL
 Since ancient Roman times, dill has been a symbol of vitality.

In the Middle Ages, it was thought to provide protection
against witches and was used as an ingredient in many magic
potions. In the kitchen, its feathery leaves lend a fresh, sharp
flavor to all kinds of foods: gravlax, cottage cheese, cream
cheese, goat cheese, omelets, seafood (especially salmon),
cold yogurt soups, potato salads, and all kinds of cucumber
dishes (including, of course, pickles).
DILL
SAGE
 Sage is native to the northern Mediterranean coast,

where it's used frequently in cooking. Sage's long,
narrow leaves have a distinctively fuzzy texture and
musty flavor redolent of eucalyptus, cedar, lemon, and
mint. Italians love it with veal, while the French add it to
stuffings, cured meats, sausages, and pork dishes.
Americans, of course, associate it with turkey and
dressing. Use it with discretion; it can overwhelm a dish
SAGE
TARRAGON
 Though this herb is native to Siberia and western Asia, tarragon
is primarily used in France. It's often added to white wine
vinegar, lending sweet, delicate licorice-like perfume and
flavor. It pairs well with fish, omelets, and chicken cooked with
mustard, and it's a crucial component of béarnaise sauce. Fresh
tarragon isn't always easy to find, but when you get it, you'll
love the bittersweet, peppery taste it imparts. Heat diminishes
its flavor, so add tarragon toward the end of cooking, or use it
as a garnish. A little goes a long way.
TARRAGON
ONIONS
SPANISH PAPRIKA
CAYENNE PEPPER
CUMIN
STAR ANISE
ALL SPICE
CINNAMON
CLOVES
BROCCOLI
CAULIFLOWER
SNOWPEAS
GREEN BEANS
BELL PEPPER
GREEN PEAS
ONION
CUCUMBER
LETTUCE

Seasoning and Flavoring

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Seasoning and Flavoring

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Seasoning and Flavoring

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SEASONING AND

 3. Adding some of the seasoning during the

 4.Do not add much seasoning if it will be

 Mint isn't just a little sprig that garnishes your dessert

 In Latin, rosemary means "dew of the sea"—appropriate

 Oregano grows wild in the mountains of Italy and

 Thyme comes in dozens of varieties; however, most

 Some call it cilantro; others call it coriander, or even

 Toss chives into a dish at the last minute, because heat

 Since ancient Roman times, dill has been a symbol of vitality.

 Sage is native to the northern Mediterranean coast,

You might also like