Hey there, Does the prospect of always eating piles of bland meat, vegetables, grains, and the like get you down? Well, with some simple seasoning tips, you can take your chow from "weak" to "wow." The three best tools are: 1. Salt This is the superstar of zero-calorie food enhancers—just a dash enhances the flavor of meat and fish and elevates any other seasonings it's paired with. To salt effectively, think "small and slow." When you're salting finished food, sprinkle a little evenly throughout and taste before adding more; and when you're cooking, keep a bowl of salt on the counter and add some at every stage of the process, tasting regularly. 2. Acids In cooking, acidic foods have a sour, tangy, bright, or sharp taste, and they can be used to enhance the flavor of savory or sweet foods. A beef stew, for instance, may benefit from a splash of red wine vinegar, while a bit of lemon juice added to a fruit salad will make its sweetness pop. Marinades also benefit greatly from acids. Instead of slapping some seasonings onto a tough cut of meat, turn them into a marinade by incorporating an acid like vinegar, tomato juice, or citrus juice, which will help the meat absorb the flavoring more deeply. 3. Spices and seasonings There are as many spice and seasoning options available to you as there are cuisines in the world, and different pairings take dishes in different directions. For example, with various spice combinations, you can turn a stir-fry into an Asian, jerk, or even Italian variation. There are many flavor profiles to experiment with, and my favorite categories include: - "Warm" flavors: cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, curry, and turmeric
- "Hot" flavors: black pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, sriracha, and Tabasco
- "Green" flavors: basil, parsley, sage, rosemary, tarragon, mint, and thyme
- "Pungent" flavors: garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, scallion, mustard, and horseradish
- "Zesty" flavors: ginger, orange zest, and lemon zest
- "Smoky" flavors: chipotle, chili powder, smoked salt, and diced bacon
- "Nutty" flavors: walnuts, sesame, soy, pecans, and pistachios
- "Sweet" flavors: sugar, molasses, maple syrup, and honey
Also: If you want to learn more about the art and science of eating foods you like and doing workouts you love to get the body you want, check out my new book Muscle for Life. |
No comments:
Post a Comment