My dear friend Janette came round this lunch time and very kindly left me with a whole load of dried herbs and spices, a tub of sea salt flakes and a bottle each of vinaigrette balsamique, chilli infused olive oil and red wine vinegar as well as a hachoire, spud masher and a thing that I don't know what to do with. She and her husband Rick are very kind and I hope to make use of them all over time. Thankyou so much.
If anyone can offer suggestions for the herbs and spices I will do my best to make best use of them. They are:
- Mustard seeds
- Freeze dried chives
- Dried oregano
- Freeze dried tarragon
- Ground fenugreeek
- Season all
- Saffron
- Coriander leaf
- Whole cardamons
My store cupboard also has:
- Fennel seed
- Caraway seed
- Coriander seed
- Ground cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Star anise (whole)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Garam masala
- Hot chilli powder
- Seseme seeds
The bottles Janette gave me were:
- Maille vinaigrette Balsamique
- Chilli infused olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
Any suggestions for recipes for any of these?
4 comments:
I've not tried it but I have heard that balsamic vinegar does a lovely job of caramelising roasted vegetables. I might try it next time as a change from regular oo.
Have fun experimenting.
Have a look at Balti recipes for some of your goodies.
I have a friend who goes to India every year and always brings back spices, oils, etc.,so now I'm wondering how I can use lemon grass oil...on the label it says it is good for washing windows!
Hmm nice stuff,
Find (google) a nice sundried Tomato bread recipe then add a little Tarragon, Chives and Coriander maybe add a little chilli depending on your taste.
Use the Balsamique and Olive oil to dip in.
Main course would be a nice curry/stew using a few complementary herbs and spices or just a nice marinade for a piece of meat using the bottles (mix and adjust to taste) and a few of the herbs used in the starter bread to carry the flavour through to the main and some of French fancies caramelised veg :)
And if you are not going with a curry/rice for main a nice rice pudding with the nutmeg cinnamon for dessert.
Oh and what time is dinner as im now hungry lol.
I'd use the saffron to make saffron buns - they are easy to make, so long as you can make bread (which you can),& although you need a decent large pinch of saffron, the flavour & colour are worth it.
I like balsamic vinegar as a glaze for chicken, or simply to dip bread into. Or ripe English strawberries - which sounds strange, but a tiny bit of balsamic really goes well with them.
I've made pumpkin pie using cinnamon and/or cardamon (grind the seeds up first) & I've also used ground cardamon in shortbread. You have a great selection of ingredients - & should have fun experimenting.
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