Season This With That: A Quick Guide to Common Spices for Common Dishes

As the resident food lover in my family, I often get panicked 5pm phone calls asking how to season a bowl of steamed veggies or what can replace thyme or if there's a way to make this chicken taste less boring. While there is really no "One Right Way" to season or spice your favorite foods, here's a quick guide to some of the most common and dependably tasty! ways to do it.

A Million Ways to Roast a Chicken

When given the choice between fresh herbs and dried herbs, fresh herbs are going give you better flavor every time. Likewise, whole spicesfreshly-ground right before you use themwill also taste better.This said, dried herbs and pre-ground spices are better than none at all!

I included several spice mixes here because they are convenient for seasoning a quick weeknight meal and also because they can be good gateways into new ways to spice your food. It's also good to learn what spices are in the mixes so that you can get a sense for which ones are making your food taste so good (see our complete spice and herb guide, below).

Think of this guide and the seasonings I suggest as a starting place. Use it to learn the basics of what herbs and spices tend to go best with which basic dishes, but don't stop there.

What particular herbs and spices do you like to use when seasoning your favorite foods?

Teeny Tiny New Potatoes with Lemon

A Reference Guide to Common Spices for Common Dishes

Chicken

• Dried herbs and spices: thyme, rosemary, coriander, marjoram, sage, garam masala (spice blend), harissa (spice blend), jerk seasoning (spice blend), dukkah (spice blend), chili powder (spice blend), herbes de provence (spice blend)
• Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, parsley, tarragon, marjoram, sage
• Other: lemon, garlic, soy sauce, white wine, ginger, pesto, miso paste

Fish

• Dried herbs and spices: coriander, chili flakes, jerk seasoning (spice blend), dukkah (spice blend), za'atar (spice blend)
• Fresh herbs: chervil, tarragon, chives, dill, marjoram, cilantro
• Other: lemon, mustard, ginger, sherry, pesto, miso paste, soy sauce

Pork

• Dried herbs and spices: sage, rosemary, thyme, chinese five-spice (spice blend)
• Fresh herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme
• Other: mustard, garlic

Beef

• Dried herbs and spices: rosemary, thyme, chinese five-spice (spice blend)
• Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme
• Other: red wine, garlic

Lamb

• Dried herbs and spices: cinnamon, harissa (spice blend), dukkah (spice blend), za'atar (spice blend)
  
• Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley, mint
• Other: garlic

Steamed or Roasted Vegetables

• Dried herbs and spices: thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, chili flakes, za'atar (spice blend)
• Fresh herbs: dill, thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram
• Other: lemon, good extra-virgin olive oil, butter, pesto

Potatoes

• Dried herbs and spices: rosemary, thyme, garam masala (spice blend), herbes de provence (spice blend)
• Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley
• Other: good extra-virgin olive oil, butter, pesto

Also, take a gander through our herb and spice archive:

A Quick Guide to Every Herb and Spice in the Cupboard

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

Related: Do It Now! Throwing Away Our 4-Year-Old Spices

(Images: Roast Chicken/Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan,Spices/AlexeiLogvinovich/Shutterstock, Potatoes/Tilapia/Faith Durand)

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John Beaver's 5 Essential Herb and Spice Tips for Home Cooks Expert Essentials

Did you notice that all three of our previous Expert Essentials posts mentioned working with dried herbs and spices? That's because spices are an absolutely foundational ingredient for every cook the world over, whether you're working in a shiny new kitchen high on the hill or on a simple wood fire and packed-dirt floor. Today's expert, John Beaver, knows a thing or two about herbs and spices. Read on for his tips and recommendations!

John began his education in high school when he got a job at The Spice House in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. (The Spice House was owned and operated by the parents of the Penzey's people.) He worked there on and off for several years before settling in Oakland, California where he noticed that despite the presence of a vibrant and active food culture, there wasn't a spice shop as good as the one he knew so well in Wisconsin. So last year he opened Oaktown Spice Shop along the shores of Oakland's Lake Merritt and it has quickly become the place for serious cooks and newbies alike to find the freshest and most interesting herbs and spice.

Like The Spice House, Oaktown Spice Shop is an amazing, magical store dedicated to selling the most fragrant and freshest dried herbs and spices available. The walls are lined with shelves of large glass apothecary jars, arranged by type: herbs, baking spices, seeds, blends, chilies, etc. Everyday John puts on a tie and an apron and goes to work ordering and grinding, unpacking and measuring over 100 kinds of herbs and spices, all the while answering questions from his growing clientele who, like me, return over and over again.



John believes the key to the success of his shop is that his herbs and spices are so fresh. Many of the larger companies will grind huge batches of spices to stock their supplies for an entire year, he cautions. So it's possible that the cinnamon you buy in that plastic container in the grocery store is already several months old. In John's shop, the spices are very fresh and turn over quickly. People come back and tell him that they actually use less in some of their recipes because of their robust flavor.

John's 5 Essentials for the Home Cook, the Spice Edition

1. Whole spices are (almost always) better. Whenever possible, purchase your spices whole and grind them as you need them. This will produce the strongest, most fragrant flavors as exposure to air and sunlight weakens the spice. That said, some spices are too hard or fibrous to grind into a fine powder and are best purchased preground, such as cinnamon, coriander and even cumin. You can grind them at home but if you want a really fine powder, you will probably have to sieve the mixture, says John, which can result in significant loss.

2. On grinding. John endorses having a dedicated coffee grinder for grinding spices at home. He has also had success with the flour mill attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer and the king of grinders is the Vitamix, especially if you are working in larger quantities. But he is also a fan of the more unplugged approach. A mortar and pestle is a great way to go, he says, as well as simply chopping them on a board with a good chef's knife (as long as they're not round spices!).

3. Freshness. Freshness is essential. Purchase your herbs and spices in small quantities from a reliable source and store them away from heat and sunlight. Plastic is too porous, so John recommends glass containers which will keep your herbs and spices protected. Dark amber glass is ideal but as the very least store them in glass and in a drawer or cabinet as far away from the stove as possible.



4. Toasting, drying, and blooming. Many chefs recommend toasting spices in a dry pan over low heat. This opens up the flavor and adds a little nuttiness although you have to be careful not to scorch them. Use low heat and stay with them, immediately dumping them out of the pan when you can smell their toastiness. Some cuisines, such as making an Indian sambal, recommend that you simply dry them this way, and avoid toasting them. In both cases, this method also crisps the herbs and spices, making them easier to grind.

Another method is to bloom the spices in oil. This simply means to saut them gently in oil until their fragrance blooms, or is released. Oil brings out a different quality in spices, says John. Think of the difference between adding cayenne to a broth as opposed to an oil. In the broth it is sharp but in the oil it is smoothed out and more aromatic.

5. Don't be afraid! John is a big proponent of exploring unfamiliar herbs and spices or using them in unfamiliar or nontraditional ways. Don't be afraid and don't worry about tradition, he advises. Use 5-spice powder in your oatmeal or rub a rib roast with preserved limes. Use you imagination and experiment. Pay attention when you go out to eat. The Chinese make a fantastic lamb with cumin, yet we never think of cumin as being a Chinese spice.

But what is John's favorite spice? Black pepper! But also chili and cumin. His favorite blend from Oaktown Spice Shop is the Better Than Everything Bagel Blend which takes the concept of the Everything Bagel (sesame, poppy, onion, garlic, and salt) to a whole new level by using celtic grey salt and adding black pepper, fennel, rosemary, smoked salt, dill seed and brown mustard in addition to the classic garlic and onion.

Thank you, John!

Oaktown Spice Shop

The Spice House

Penzey's Spices

Previous Expert Essentials:
Preeti Mistry
Jodi Liano & Catherine Pantsios
Totam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

(Images: Dana Velden)

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Flatbread Recipe: Manakish Zaatar Recipes from The Kitchn

I've shared how much more likely I am to eat breakfast when it's a meze style I just love being able to sample from a spread of olives, cheese, fresh vegetables, bread. Pita is nice, but when I have a little extra time, I make up a batch of manakish zaatar to eat over a few days. Topped with a fragrant, zingy blend of spices, these Lebanese flatbreads make lovely snacks and appetizers, too.

In Lebanon, manakish (also known as manakeesh and manaqish; singular manousheh) are frequently eaten for breakfast and may be topped with herbs, cheese, or meat. I especially like the versions with zataar, a balanced mix of herbs and spices like thyme, oregano, lemony sumac, and toasted sesame seeds. Blended with olive oil, zaatar makes an excellent topping for bread.

In a pinch, you could use store-bought pita bread to make this, but it's really worth the effort to make your own dough. I love the touch of olive oil in it, and kneading the soft dough is a therapeutic experience in itself. Baked briefly in the oven, the manakish turn chewy and crispy. They may be served warm (my favorite) or cooled and are especially delicious alongside creamy labneh cheese, salty olives, and a few fresh bites of cucumber.

Manakish Zaatar

Makes 8 (7 to 8-inch flatbreads)

Flatbread
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 (1/4-ounce package) active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

Zaatar topping*
1/4 cup ground sumac
3 tablespoons dried thyme
3 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
*Can substitute 3/4 cup pre-made zaatar blend for the sumac, thyme, oregano, and sesame seeds.

Combine the water, sugar, and yeast, and let it stand for about 10 minutes until foamy.

Meanwhile, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and work it in with your fingers. Make a well in the center, add the yeast and water mixture, and stir to form a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form it into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and leave the dough to rise in a warm, draught-free place for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 400F. Place a baking stone or baking sheet in the oven as it heats.

Knead the dough briefly and divide it into 8 balls. Place the balls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let stand for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the zaatar topping ingredients in a small bowl.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten each ball of dough and roll it into a circle 1/8-inch thick and about 7-8 inches in diameter.

Press each circlele with your fingertips to make little indentations for the topping to rest in. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of zaatar topping over each round, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

Bake until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Depending on the size of your oven and baking stone or baking sheet(s), you may need to do several batches.

Serve warm right away or else cool on racks.

Related: Fresh Fall Snack Recipe: Za'atar Pita Chips with Yogurt Dip

(Images: Emily Ho)

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