9 Essential Spices and Herbs

  9 Essential Spices and Herbs

Cooking with herbs and spices is a great way to boost the flavors of your dishes. From savory herbs like basil and oregano to spices like red pepper flakes and black peppercorns that turn up the heat, you'll want to have a good selection in your kitchen. In many recipes, fresh and dried herbs can be used interchangeably without sacrificing flavor. You'll just have to experiment. The rule of thumb is to substitute about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for each tablespoon fresh.

Allspice

What it is: This spice is not a blend of "all spices" as the name suggests; rather, it's the dried berry of a type of evergreen tree. Its fragrant flavor is reminiscent of a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Use it in: Sauces, baked goods, fruit compotes, and marinades. It's also the main ingredient in Caribbean jerk seasoning.

How to buy it: Ground or whole; however, the novice cook is better off buying the ground version (since it's easier to use).

Basil

What it is: Basil is a member of the mint family, and it comes in a number of varieties with slightly different flavors. The leaves of the plant are used in cooking.

Use it in: Basil is commonly used in Italian and Asian cuisine and makes a great addition to tomato sauces, pizza, and pestos. You can also use the fresh leaves to garnish meat, poultry and fish dishes. Basil works well in combination with garlic and oregano.

How to buy it: You can usually find fresh sweet basil in the supermarket at most times of the year, but it's also a good idea to keep some dried basil on hand.

Bay Leaves

What they are: Bay leaves come from the laurel tree commonly found in Mediterranean countries. California bay leaves are also commonly available and have a slightly stronger flavor.

Use them in: Bay leaves' aromatic flavor makes them an ideal seasoning for soups and stews. When cooking with bay leaves, remember to remove the leaves before eating the finished dish. Bay leaves are bitter, tough to chew, and could get caught in your throat.

How to buy them: You can purchase bay leaves dried and whole in jars in most supermarkets. They also come dried and crushed, freeze-dried, and ground.

Black Pepper

What it is: Black pepper is the unripe berry of a vine plant. It should not be confused with cayenne pepper, red pepper, and bell peppers, which are all fruits of the capsicum family.

Use it in: You'll find black pepper in almost every South Beach Diet recipe. Black pepper is used throughout the world to season almost any dish. You can use it in soups, stews, salads, marinades, and even in some desserts. Keep a pepper mill on your dining table for those who want to add a little extra kick to their food.

How to buy it: While white and green peppers are both variations of black pepper and have their place in the kitchen, black pepper is the one you absolutely must have. You can buy black pepper whole coarsely to finely ground. Having a pepper mill on hand to freshly grind black pepper corns is ideal for maximum flavor.

Cinnamon

What it is: Cinnamon is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree.

Use it in: Cinnamon is the most common baking spice and is also frequently used in Southeast Asian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern cooking. In America, cinnamon is usually used for baked goods, but it is also great with fruit or cereal.

How to buy it: You can purchase cinnamon in stick form or ground. Ground cinnamon is easier to work with when baking, while stick cinnamon is useful for flavoring drinks or larger dishes (such as curries).

Garlic

What it is: Garlic is the root of a plant in the lily family.

Use it in: Garlic is an indispensable ingredient in almost every cuisine worldwide.

How to buy it: You can purchase garlic fresh or dried (as a powder or granules). Fresh garlic is great for making marinades and salad dressings, and for adding to olive or canola oil when you're sautéing meats and vegetables. Use dried garlic to season sauces and stews and to include in rubs (or when you're out of fresh garlic).

Oregano

What it is: A relative of basil, oregano is a member of the mint family

Use it in: Oregano leaves can be used fresh or dried and are most commonly associated with Mediterranean food—especially pasta sauces and pizza. Try adding oregano to meat dishes, sautéed vegetables, and tomato dishes. It can also be added to grilled fish and salad dressings. Crush the fresh leaves before using to release more flavor.

How to buy it: You can purchase both fresh and dried oregano in your supermarket.

Red Pepper Flakes

What they are: Red pepper flakes, often called crushed red pepper, are usually made from a combination of two or three types of hot dried chile peppers, including ancho, jalapeño, and cayenne.

Use them in: Red pepper flakes are a common ingredient in Mexican, Creole, Cajun, and Asian cooking. Since the flavor of red pepper intensifies as it cooks, you only have to use a small amount. Red pepper flakes make a great addition to eggs, pizza, marinades, meat dishes, tomato sauces, chilis, and salad dressings.

How to buy them: You can buy red pepper flakes in large and small jars at almost any supermarket.

Thyme

What it is: Thyme is a shrub in the mint family.

Use it in: Thyme leaves can be used fresh or dried and are a common ingredient in French and Mediterranean cooking. Thyme makes a great addition to most meat and poultry dishes and adds flavor to tomato sauce and chili. It's commonly used along with garlic, basil, and oregano.

How to buy it: You can purchase dried or fresh thyme in the supermarket. Fresh thyme provides a more pungent flavor in cooking and also makes a good garnish.