Lessons from Lior Lev Sercarz: Buying, Storing and Cooking with Spices

by Kristen White Blogger The way you store your spices have a huge impact on their flavours. However, people have different notions with regard to how spices should be bought, stored, or cooked. Wouldn’t it be better if you rely on an expert in this matter? This is why we are bringing you spice lessons from the spice master Lior Lev Secarz of La Boite à Epice, New York.

The Battle Between Whole Spices and Ground Spices

If you invest in a good-quality ground spice, then it will last as long as a whole spice. Not everyone has a mortar and pestle or spice grinder in their home. Moreover, with the current lifestyle, not everyone has the time to ground whole spices each time they cook. Therefore, investing in good quality ground spices proves to be more accessible.

The Right Spice for Different Food

Beef

Beef is so rich in the natural form that at times, it only needs salt and pepper. However, if you want to add more flavour to beef, then peppercorns are something that you should consider. You can use black, white, or pink peppercorns and get a burst of flavour. If you want something light, then a note of chile pepper would do the job. If, on the other hand, you want to take the flavour level a notch higher, you can add a crust of coarsely ground whole seeds like coriander and peppercorns.

Lamb

Whether you are looking for Moroccan Lamb Shak Recipe or North African Lamb preparation, there are so many ways you can flavour lamb. However, it especially works great with spices like caraway seeds, cinnamon, cumin, etc.

Chicken

For roasted chicken, keep things simple with oregano and basic seasoning. You can add a little curry flavour with fenugreek, depending on your preference. For braised chicken, you can add in spices like paprika, turmeric, etc. When steeped in the braising liquid, your chicken will get a great flavour and colour. Ensure to get good quality turmeric powder for your braised chicken. If your place does not have a good supply of it, you can order turmeric powder online.

Salmon

If you are going to roast the salmon, throw in some dried tarragon, dried basil, garlic, and rosemary. However, if you are going to bake it, then you can use caraway seeds and green anise. For serving raw salmon, add in a dash of salt and Aleppo chile.

Green Leafy Vegetables

If you are planning to braise your vegetables, then a note of coriander or paprika would give a nice flavour. In order to add some heat without getting the vegetables too hot, you can add mustard seeds or powder.

Chocolate Mousse

Citrus is a flavour that complements chocolate very well. You can add sesame seeds to get a nice nutty texture. To add a touch heat, you can work with ground black pepper or chile.
The longevity of spices depends on their quality. However, it is best to use spices within 10-12 months of the purchase. And, make sure you store them in an airtight container in a cool and dark place so that their flavours are not lost.

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Created on Apr 15th 2020 04:58. Viewed 287 times.

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