The Cooking Inn : Herbs, Spices, Oils & Flavorings C PageSelect a name from the list to go to it's site
Calendula (Pot Maridold):
Petals of the old-world marigold (avoid confusion with the 'French' marigold, which is actually from Mexico)
. Popular throughout medieval and renaissance Europe;
in Holland, according to Gerard's Herbal, "no broths are well made without dried Marigolds."
Uses: Gives colour and a piquant touch to cheeses, soups, and stews.
Cane Syrup:
A thick and very sweet syrup made from sugar cane.
Canola is the market name for rapeseed oil. It is mild in flavor and lower in saturated fat
than any other oil.
Uses: Is used in cooking and in salad for all forms of cuisine.
Capers:
Pickled flower-bud of a shrub growing in the Mediterranean.
Uses: Sauces for fish and seafood. In fish, chicken, and potato
dishes.
Caraway Seed:
Dried aromatic seeds from herbs of the carrot family.
Uses: Used in Rye bread, sauerhraut, cakes, cookies, and also
cheese.
Cardamom, Black (Brown) (whole pods):
This less expensive alternative, known in medieval times as 'wild cardamoms' as opposed to 'cultivated cardamoms', is earthier and less sweet in flavour.
Uses: Used mainly in Indian cooking.
Cardamom, Green (whole pods):
Otherwise 'Malabar' or 'Ceylon' cardamom. The tiny seeds store very well in their papery pods.
To use, break the pods, extract the seeds, and pound. Spice packagers often grind the cardamom pod and all, diluting it.
Uses: Used widely in Scandinavian and Indian cooking,
also for pickling, and some pastries.
Cardamom, Korarima (whole seeds):
This variety of cardamom grows only in Ethiopia. Its flavour bridges the gap between green cardamom
and grains of paradise, being warmer than the first but not nearly so peppery as the last. During the
Renaissance korarima was sold in Europe as 'Cardamomum majus' and in the Arab countries as 'hab-el-habashi',
but as Ethiopia became cut off from the outside world during the seventeenth century the supply ended.
Uses: Korarima is used in Ethiopia in all kinds of 'wots' (spicy stews), usually ground and mixed with other spices.
It is also widely used to flavour coffee (and sometimes tea). Interestingly, korarima is native to exactly the same zones as coffee,
so the customary Arab/Turkish coffee spiced with cardamom probably originally used korarima rather than Indian cardamom.
Cardamom Seed:
A relative of ginger and native to India.
Uses: Used widely in Scandinavian and Indian cooking,
also for pickling, and some pastries.
Cassia:
A near relative to the cinnamon tree. It is often confused with cinnamon but it differs from it in that the cinnamon flavour extends to the leaves, which is not so
true in cinnamon. In India cassia leaves are used in curries, and are often mistaken for bay leaves, which they vaguely resemble.
Cassia Buds:
Dried unripened fruit of the cassia tree. With an equally vague resemblance to cloves, can be found in Indian and Western specialty stores.
Uses: Sweet pickling spice.
Cayenne Chile:
A bright red, extremely hot,
pungent chile that ranges from 2-5 inches long and about 1/2 inch in diameter.
Uses: Cayennes are generally sold dried and used in soups and sauces.
The majority of these chiles are used
to make cayenne pepper.
Cayenne Pepper:
Made from the Cayenne chile that originated in French Guyana.
Uses: This spicey pepper is used mostly in Cajun and Asian cuisine.
Celery Flakes:
Dehydrated celery.
Uses: Soups, sauces, salads, dips, and stuffings.
Celery Seed:
Pungent seed from the celery plant.
Uses: Cole slaw, potato salad, and pickles.
Chervil Leaves:
Aromatic herb of the carrot family.
Uses:Cheese dishes, eggs, soups, and
salads.
Chili Oil:
Is oil in which hot red chilis have been steeped to release their heat and flavor.
Uses: This spicey-hot oil is red-colored and is a
mainstay of Chinese cookery.
Chili Paste:
Made from fermented fava beans, flour and red chilis.
Uses: This paste is widely used in Chinese cooking.
Chili Peppers:
Many varieties from mild to hot; sweet to salty.
Uses: Used to make chili powders, for pickles, soups and
sauces.
Chili Powder:
A blend of chili peppers, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, paprika and other spices.
Uses:In chili con carne, chili, stews, appetizers, etc.
Chimichurri:
An Argintina mixture of olive oil, vinegar, parsley, onion, garlic, salt, cayenne and black pepper.
Uses: Used in grilling and a variety of other dishes.
Chipotle Chili:
A dried, smoked jalapeno chili with a sweet, smoky flavor. They
are usually found dried, pickled or canned.
Uses: Are generally added to stews and sauces.;
the pickled variety are used for appetizers.
Chinese Five Spice Powder:
A pungent mixture of equal spices that include cinnamon, cloves,
fennel seed, star anise and Szechaun peppercorns.
Uses:Used in Asian cuisine.
Chives:
Fresh or freeze dried. Has a mild onion-like flavor.
Uses: As a garnish, in soups
and sauces, in salads, egg or potatoe dishes.
Chutney:
From India,a sweet , spicey
jamlike condiment. Made with fruit, vinegar, sugar and spices and range from
mild to hot.
Uses: This is a delicious accompaniment to
curried dishes.
Cilantro:
a member of the carrot family and is botanically-known as Coriandrum sativum. The plant and leaves are called cilantro in the Americas, while the seeds (used as a spice) are called coriander.
The leaves, stems, and even the root of the cilantro plant are edible. The flavor is strong and pungent.
Uses: In many Latin dishes, particularly salsa and ceviche, as well as Asian and Indian specialties.
Cinnamon:
Bark from various trees of the cinnamon family.
Uses: Ground for bake goods or whole for pickles. hot drinks, and
preserves.
Cloves:
Rich and pungent in flavor. Dried flower bud of the clove
family.
Uses: In pickling, baked hams, stocks, desserts, marinades, and spiced
drinks.
Cochineal:
This red colouring for food is the dried females of the cochineal insect, which are
raised on the nopal cactus. Native to Mexico and Peru, the cactus and insect are now also
raised in parts of the Old World, including the Canary Islands (from which we import our cochineal).
A pound of cochineal is about 70,000 insects. Cochineal was imported to Europe starting about 1525,
and by 1600 had largely supplanted the kermes insect (which is no longer available) as a colouring.
How To Use Cochineal Aa A Food Colour
To use cochineal, it needs to be extracted. To do so, grind the bugs very finely (to a powder). By the way,
a little bit of cochineal goes a long way. Take 1 tablespoon of powder and put it in 1 cup of water. Bring to
a rolling boil, and boil for 15 minutes.
Be careful not to burn the dye. Add more water if necessary. Strain liquid through a fine filter or sieve.
Return grounds to pot, with 1 cup of fresh water. Bring to rolling boil, and boil for 15 minutes. Strain as before,
and return grounds to pot with 1 cup of fresh water. Boil again for 15 minutes. Strain and discard the grounds.
You can reduce the amount of liquid by simmering to evaporate, if you wish.
This will give you a very concentrated liquid which can be used like food coloring. It must be refrigerated,
and will mold. You can also evaporate this down to a powder, which can be stored indefinitely. I use air evaporation
to do this to avoid burning the dye.
[Instructions courtesy of Asha]
Comino Seed:
Member of the carrot family. Aromatic seeds. Warm bitter
flavor.
Uses: In chili powders, pickles, spare ribs, and various meat
dishes.
Coriander Seed:
This herb of the carrot family, has the flavor of sage
and lemon peel.
Uses: Pickles, oriental dishes, curried dishes, and meat dishes.
Corn Oil:
A tasteless oil made from the germ of corn kernels. A good choice for cooking, it can be heated to high temperatures
without smoking. It is high in polyunsaturated fat and has 13 percent saturated fat.
Crab Boil:
A mixture of whole spices, such as bay leaves, mustard
seed, and crushed red pepper.
Uses: Add to the stock of water for cooking seafood or fish.
Cubebs:
Also known as 'tailed pepper', this Javanese relative of pepper tastes like a cross between allspice and peppercorns.
Culantro:
Belongs to the family Apiaceae which includes carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), celery (Apium graveolens), and parsnip (Pastinaca sativa ). Strong Cilantro flavor.
3" long green leaves form a rosette from which comes an almost non-stop source of miniature green thistles creating a mound. Although it looks fiercesome, the leaves cook down easily and can be used year round.
Uses: The herb is mainly used as a seasoning in the preparation of a range of foods including vegetable and meat dishes, sauces, chutneys, and preserves.
Used mainly in the West Indies, Latin America, Central America, West Africa, and many Asian countries.
Cumin:
Member of the carrot family. Aromatic seeds. Warm bitter flavor.
Uses: In chili, chili powders, pickles, ribs, other meat dishes.
Curry Leaf:
From a plant native to southern Asia, this fragrant herb looks like a small,
shiny lemon leaf and has a pungent curry fragrance. Packaged fresh or dried.
Dried curry leaves lack the snappy flavor.
Uses: It's flavor is essential in a substantial percentage of East Indian fare..
Curry Paste:
A blend of Ghee (clarified butter), Curry Powder, vinegar and other seasonings..
Uses: It's used in lieu of curry powder for many curried dishes..
Curry Powder:
A blend of Indian spices of varying portions. Usually
containing tumeric, garlic, corriander, comino seed, and ginger.
Uses: To make curry sauce; flavor meats, rice poultry, and seafood,
for a oriental touch.
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