Spice Blends & Dirty Secrets
Have you ever been to a restaurant and wondered what was the secret that made the food taste so delicious? It could have been a delicate piece of fish with just an extra little something that took it over the top and paying $30 for it was suddenly okay because it left you saying : “Damn, i wish i could have one more bite!”
Every great chef aim to keep that teasing going throughout the meal and when they succeed, chances are the guests will have long lasting memories of the food. A little bit like a conductor with his orchestra, a chef like Thomas Keller will keep the timing, the intensity and the playfulness of the food all the way to the Grand finale thanks to an arsenal of great recipes developed over a lifetime.
It’s complicated to keep such levels of excellence on a large scale when you rely on so many chefs, purveyors and crooks but what most people don’t know is that the so-called ‘chef’s secrets’ are often quite simple. Fresh produce is already half the battle and if the technique is flawless and that extra little something is used sensibly you have great chances to wow your guests and you can even do it at home and without taking your pants off! (I had to scrap that, it was just wrong and uncalled for.)
What i would call a great weapon of mass satisfaction in fancy kitchens is the expert use of spices, marinades, flavored oils and salts which – when used wisely – can turn good produce to new levels without too much efforts. And God knows how much i dislike giving too much efforts – just kidding! It doesn’t take much sometimes, just a sprinkle of a fragrant blend of spice or even some ‘fleur de sel’ could take some sea scallops or a pristine piece of fish to new heights.
Shhh… licorice, citrus zest, vanilla bean…
In my time working in fancy kitchens, i stole learned chefs secrets that i still use to this day. Spying on the executive chef is an art in itself of course because the bastards will keep you busy. That’s when i quickly learned the primitive method of writing hieroglyphs in the palm of my hand. I was later introduced to the pen and notepad which tremendously helped my spying. So once again, at the risk of pissing off a few chefs out there i will share some of my findings spying with you. If this blog stops abruptly one day it’ll probably be because i got busted by the chef’s secret services for revealing too much. In the event i don’t update again, i would like Foodhuntress to have my books, Manggy to have my knives, Ann can have my bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, Tartelette can take my tartelette pans, and my shoes… eh..any takers for my smelly shoes?
On this note ladies and gentleman… Adieu.
Oh wait! I didn’t share the secrets with you! hahaha… making an ass of myself…
Okay, two easy spice blends that go well with fish. The first one with coriander, star anise, cumin seeds, cloves, nutmeg and red pepper flakes goes particulary well with salmon and cod. Apply before searing the fish in a hot pan. It’s good, it’s really good!
The second one with a licorice stick (i mean the stuff that looks like a piece of wood, and not the candy – available in health food store or asian markets), dried orange and lime zest, dried vanilla bean and dried mint leaves will take you and your sea scallops straight to the thirteenth floor. Season the scallops generously with the blend before searing. It’s also known in the business as ‘Sex and the Scallop’. You’ve been warned!
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1 tablespoon whole coriander
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1 tablespoon whole star anise
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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1 whole nutmeg, split in half
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1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
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2 whole cloves
Place all the spices in a dry skillet and toast over medium high heat until fragrant (when the toasted spice smell reach your nostrils it’s time to stop. 2 minutes max). Grind in a coffee grinder or in a mortar and pestle. Store covered at room temperature for up to two months.
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1/2 stick of licorice, chopped (it’s woody so be careful)
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Zest of one orange
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Zest of 1/2 lemon
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Zest of 1/2 lime
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1/2 vanilla bean, chopped
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8 mint leaves
Place all the ingredients on a tray and let dry overnight in a warm and dry place. The next day, place in a coffee grinder and grind to a powder. A mortar and pestle can also be used.