http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art303466.asp
Berbere Seasoning Ideas
On an afternoon ramble through a local shopping district, my husband
and I found a store that we had never heard of. You probably have.
Penzeys is a store that is filled with spices from around the world.
We noodled around in the store, and I found my new favorite spice. It
is Berbere seasoning, which is a seasoning that is used in the cuisine
of Eritrea and Ethiopia. However, I have found that is a useful spice
for many different applications for sandwich meals.
Here is what the Penzeys website has to say about Berbere seasoning:
" Awesomely hot and spicy North African-style hot pepper blend. No
salt, no mild paprika, just a lot of Cayenne Red Pepper with the rich
flavors of fenugreek and cardamom. It's not just hot, it's berbere
hot."
They list the ingredients as:
"Hand-mixed from: cayenne red pepper, garlic, ginger, fenugreek,
cardamom, cumin, black pepper, allspice, turmeric, cloves, Ceylon
cinnamon and coriander."
It is all of that and so much more. In my kitchen, except for salt,
truffle salt, pepper, and Lawry's Seasoned Salt, Berbere Seasoning is
my favorite seasoning. It doesn't just add heat to whatever you
sprinkle it over, it adds a delicious and delicate flavor. Here are
some ways to use Berbere Seasoning. I give suggestions, but not
quantities of the spice. Everybody's taste is just a wee bit
different. Given berbere's fiery properties, I would start with a
little and move up from there.
Grilled sandwiches--After grilling sandwiches or quesadillas, I
sprinkle a little Berbere Seasoning over one side and rub it in with
my fingertips. It adds some Zippity-do-da to cheese.
Fiery mayo and tartar sauce--Sprinkle a little Berbere Seasoning into
your favorite mayo or tartar sauce. It's potent, so don't overdo it!
Use on fish or falafel sandwiches where you want a bit of heat.
Meat--An hour before cooking the meat, salt it and sprinkle it with
Berbere Seasoning. Doing this ahead of time helps to drive the salt
into the meat and tenderize it a little. If you can't do it 40-60
minutes ahead of time, salt it immediately before you cook it. The
Food Lab and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt have done extensive research on
salting steak. Pan searing the meat makes it delicious for use in a
sandwich.
Marinade--Use your favorite Italian salad dressing, and add enough
Berbere Seasoning to really feel the burn. Put skinless, boneless,
chicken or pork into a non-reactive container or Ziploc bag with the
marinade. Marinate for three hours, turning the meat at least once.
Remove the meat from the marinade, and cook your meat, as usual. Slap
that meat between two slices of your favorite bread and dress it up
with condiments. Yum, yum, sandwich time!
Soups, beans, and veggies--You guessed it! Sprinkle berbere on your
side dish, to taste!
As with many spices, there are different formulations. I love Berbere
Seasoning that Penzeys makes. It is available at a local Penzeys
store. If there is not a Penzeys near you, don' t despair. They have
an online store at
https://www.penzeys.com/ or, if you don't feel like
typing that in, here is a clickable link. Penzeys Spices Online Store
(
http://www.penzeys.com/)
One thing that you need to know: Enter the Penzeys website at your own
risk! It is a fascinating place to visit in your spare time, but it is
filled with spicey temptations. You can explore by category or
alphabetically. However you search their site, if you find a new
favorite spice, please share it with us at the BellaOnline Sandwiches
Forum. I would love to hear about your sandwich meal adventures.
Related links: The Related Links below this article may be of interest to you.
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that I use. I have not received free products from the manufacturers,
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Received on Sun Oct 23 2016 - 11:00:46 EDT