"COOKING WITH FLAVOR"

Restaurant Chefs are contently change flavor profiles and starting new food trends.
Home chefs can create their own flavors & trends by selecting different herbs & spices or by using different cooking techniques to enhance the food.
Here are two techniques selected by Chef Bill Bailey
Spices & herbs have been enhancing food since biblical times.
Using fresh or dried herbs, toasted or whole

The history of spices parallels the history of the exploration of our world. The use of herbs & spices most likely happened by accident. Some caveman wrapped meat in a leaf from some bush and to his surprise this discovery enhanced the flavor of the meat. In ancient times spices were used to mask unpleasant taste and odor of foods before the use of preserving and refrigerating foods.

Roots, stems, seeds, berries, buds, pods, bark…spices come in many different native forms from all over the world. They’re valuable flavors have been traded for centuries, so valuable Arab traders controlled the demand.

Many people associate the word spicy with hot foods and certainly there are a number of warming spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, paprika, and cumin. All forms of chilies—fresh and dried, chili powder and cayenne pepper—are hot and some are really fiery. However many other popular spices are aromatic rather than hot giving foods an almost perfumed flavor.

Whether your tastes lie with fiery chili, pungent cumin, or sweet coriander. Spices add exciting depth and range to all kinds of dishes. A pinch of cumin here and a sprinkle of ginger there can transform a weekday meal into an exotic feast.

Citrus-Ginger Chicken
1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black and red pepper blend

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)

1 medium seedless orange, peeled and cut into slices

Additional fresh thyme leaves, if desired

Makes 4 servings.
Preparation 10 minutes, cooking time 20 minutes

Mix orange juice, lime juice, honey, ginger root and 1 teaspoon thyme in medium bowl.
Pour mixture in a ziplock baggy then add chicken and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Spray 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper blend over chicken. Cook chicken in skillet 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until brown. Stir in orange juice mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet.
Serve sauce over chicken and orange slices. Sprinkle with additional thyme, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving: 235 cal., 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 80 mg chol., 240 mg sodium, 17 g carbs., 1 g dietary fiber, 27 g pro.

Oven Roasted Mediterranean Veggies

"Bring out the natural sweetness of these Mediterranean vegetables."

Serving Size : 8
Yield: 1 serving
Start to Finish Time: 1:00
Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method

1whole Eggplant, whole 1-inch thick
1 bunch Fresh asparagus 1-inch thick
3 whole carrot peeled and chopped
1 whole peppers Green, Yellow, Red cut 1-inch thick
1 whole Onion cut into wedges
1/2 pound green beans Fresh
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic bulb -- Fresh
1 teaspoon Thyme
fresh ground black pepper
Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut Eggplant & asparagus in 1 in. pieces. Cut
peppers into 1 inch pieces. Cut carrots into 1 inch pieces. Cut onions
into 1/2 inch wedges. In roasting pan, toss vegetables with oil and herbs.
Place evenly on a sheet tray then roast for 30-45 minutes until tender,
stirring occasionally

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 108 Calories; 4g Fat (28.8%
calories from fat); 3g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg
Cholesterol; 17mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Vegetable;
1/2 Fat.

Serving Ideas :
*Serve with Polenta
*Add Red Skins
Serve over Jasmine Rice

NOTES : This recipe can be grilled.

Copyright: 2008