Spice (9 page)

M
AKES
6
COCKTAILS

8 cardamom pods

½ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 cup pear juice or pear purée (find an all-natural juice, such as Ceres brand)

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ¼ lemon)

1 bottle sparkling wine, such as Prosecco or Cava (750 ml)

1.
Smash the cardamom pods using the bottom of a small, heavy saucepan or rolling pin. Make sure all of the pods are cracked open and most of the black seeds are crushed.

2.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water and the sugar to a boil with the cardamom pods. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes, until the syrup has thickened slightly so that it clings to a spoon.

3.
Add the pear juice and bring back to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the syrup from the heat and cover. Let it stand for 30 minutes to infuse the cardamom flavor.

4.
Using a fine sieve, strain the pear juice and cardamom syrup through the sieve, pushing it through with the back of a spoon or ladle, into a small container or bowl.

5.
Stir in the lemon juice. Chill the syrup in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, until very cold.

6.
Fill the champagne glasses with 4 tablespoons of pear syrup each. Top off with Prosecco and serve.

C-Licious: Orange-Coriander Sangria

Try this special sangria in midwinter when oranges are best. You can also make it with blood oranges. The coriander adds a rich, toasty, bright flavor.

M
AKES
6
COCKTAILS

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon sugar in the raw or brown sugar

4 slices orange or blood orange for wetting glasses and for garnish

1 cup cognac or good brandy

2 cups non-oaky, floral white wine, such as a Spanish Verdejo or Muscadet from the Loire Valley or Portugal

4 cups ice

1 cup plain sparkling water

1/8 teaspoon orange-blossom water (optional)

1.
In a small skillet over low heat, lightly toast all the coriander seeds for 6 to 8 minutes, constantly shaking the pan. The seeds will release some of their oils and you will be able to smell them. Remove 1 teaspoon and set aside.

2.
Add the orange juice and granulated sugar to the small skillet with the 2 tablespoons coriander and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the mixture cool, allowing the coriander flavor to steep for about 15 minutes. The mixture should then cool completely for about ½ hour in the refrigerator.

3.
Blend the cooled orange mixture in the blender for about 30 seconds on high speed. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a small pitcher or bowl. The syrup should be a deep orangey-amber color.

4.
Grind the reserved teaspoon of coriander in a spice grinder until very fine. Mix it with the sugar in the raw and transfer it to a small bowl or saucer.

5.
Wipe an orange slice around the rim of each glass, leaving the glass rim a little wet. Dust the rims of the glasses with the coriander and sugar by dipping them into the mixture.

6.
Mix the syrup with the cognac and wine in a pitcher with the ice. Add a cup of sparkling water and the orange-blossom water. Pour into glasses.

7.
Garnish each glass with orange slices and serve.

2

S
AFFRON
, G
İNGER, AND
V
ANİLLA

These spices have very little in common individually, but they blend well together to create dishes that taste particularly Moroccan—a cuisine famous for sweet-savory combinations. Saffron lends an earthy flavor; ginger gives brightness, citrus, and spicy notes; and vanilla adds sweetness to the mix. Vanilla is typically used in sweet preparations but can balance out bold spices like saffron or ginger nicely.

These flavors, whether combined or on their own, create very different effects. Combined, they make rich, delicious broths for fish, meat, and vegetable stews. They also work well together with long braises of beef or lamb. Individually, they brighten or deepen fish, vegetables, soups, and meat dishes. Saffron blended with garlic creates a North African–influenced Spanish flavor that is particularly good with fish, shellfish, or rice dishes. Ginger is great blended with cumin or saffron or on its own as a spice for fish. For balance, vanilla should be blended with other ingredients—like earthy saffron or acidic tomato or tart tamarind—to add depth to fish, shellfish, and vegetable dishes.

S
AFFRON

Saffron is the dried stigma (the female part of a flower, onto which pollen is deposited in fertilization) of a specific crocus that blooms in the fall. Its flavor is woody, bittersweet, and slightly honeylike. It must be used with a careful hand because it is strong; too much saffron can make a dish bitter. It’s a spice with a beautiful orange, sunny color that bleeds into food; the threads need to be infused in liquid for saffron to make a dish glow. Often, recipes call for a pinch of saffron, which is generally about 12 or 15 threads. It is famously expensive, since it takes 100,000 flowers to produce about a pound of saffron.

There are many varieties of saffron and many saffron-producing countries, including Spain, Greece, Iran, India, and Tasmania. Spanish saffron is the most common, but I find Persian saffron to have a floral aroma that is better suited for Arabic cooking. You can find Persian saffron online at www.amazon.com in the gourmet section. There are different grades of saffron, and if you see the term
coupe
used, it means that the saffron is pure stigma. Sometimes, saffron is sold with another piece of the flower, called a style, attached to the stigma. This makes the saffron about 20 percent cheaper, since the saffron is not pure stigma, but the flavor should still be the same. This kind of saffron is referred to as
mancha
in Spain. Sometimes fake saffron, such as safflower petals, is sold at spice markets.

Saffron is often used in Spanish and North African cooking. It is one of the spices that, when combined with others—such as paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger—gives North African food its signature taste. In Spain, saffron is most often combined with garlic, paprika, and citrus. Saffron lends its color and flavor to many stews, couscous broths, and the spice mix ras el hannout (page 16). Saffron is also the spice that colors many Indian rice dishes and makes risotto à la Milanese, bouillabaisse, and paella famous.