Culinary Essentials - Spices Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cumin

Cumin or comino is a key ingredient in curry powder and chili powder. It is available either as whole seeds or ground into powder. A great recipe for glazed carrots is to peel and slice 1 pound of carrots on the bias. Blanche in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, drain and run under cold water.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 T. butter in 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil. Add one diced shallot, the zest of one orange and 1 T. ground cumin and heat for a couple of minutes. Add the carrot slices and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and add the juice of one large orange and reduce until the orange juice is almost all evaporated. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Answer: Cardamom

Cardamom is a traditional ingredient in Turkish coffee. To make a wonderful (and easy)pot of Turkish coffee, pour 3/4 cup cold water into a small saucepan and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar. Bring the water and sugar to a boil and remove from the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of extra-finely ground (even finer grind than espresso)coffee and 1 cardamom pod to the hot water and stir well. Return to the heat.

When the coffee foams, remove from the heat and allow the coffee grounds to settle. Repeat this step twice more. Remove from the heat, pour into demitasse cups, allow the grounds to settle and enjoy a great cup of coffee!

Answer: Mace

Mace tastes very much like nutmeg, except that nutmeg is a little sweeter, and mace is a little more delicate. It has become fairly common to use nutmeg in sauteed spinach, but I really like mace instead. In a saute pan over medium heat, saute 1 or 2 cloves of garlic that have been minced until the garlic is beginning to get golden. (Make sure not to let the garlic burn because there is almost nothing that tastes worse than burnt garlic.) Once the garlic is beginning to turn golden, add a 10 ounce bag of pre-washed baby spinach. Sprinkle the spinach with a pinch of salt and pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of ground mace. Toss the spinach and allow to wilt. Serve immediately.

This is a nice side dish for two.

Answer: Turmeric

Do not substitute turmeric for saffron, as the flavors are quite different! To make a nice side for Indian dishes, combine 8 ounces of rinsed basmati rice and 2 scant cups of water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 2 teaspoons turmeric, a pinch of salt and a 14 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk (not the sweet stuff for pina coladas!). Once the rice has absorbed all of the water, pour the coconut milk mixture into the rice and simmer until all of the milk is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve warm.

Answer: Coriander

Coriander is the name of the seeds of the cilantro plant (also called fresh coriander or Chinese parsley). A tablespoon of toasted, crushed coriander seeds, 2 to 4 cloves of garlic, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and 2/3 of a cup of extra-virgin olive oil make a wonderful marinade for a cleaned pork loin. Let the pork sit in the marinade (I use zippered plastic bags to marinate meats in) for at least 2 hours or overnight. Grill or roast. Very yummy!

Answer: Allspice

Called "allspice" because it smells like a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, allspice is sold as berries or ground. Allspice is a wonderful ingredient in homemade blueberry chutney. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1 pint of washed blueberries, the juice and zest of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar, 5 to 8 allspice berries, 1 shallot minced, 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes. Serve over grilled pork, chicken or salmon.

Answer: Vanilla

Vanilla is consistently rated the most favorite flavor of ice cream in the world. To make your own vanilla extract, cut 6 vanilla beans lengthwise, leaving an inch at the end to keep the pods together. Place the beans in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid along with 2 cups of decent quality vodka, rum, brandy or bourbon. Smash the beans down until they are covered by the liquor, cover and store for at least 5 weeks in a cool, dark place. I actually like to let the vanilla beans steep for about 8 weeks. If you like your extract sweetened, add a little simple syrup (equal parts water and white sugar melted together and cooled) after the vanilla has steeped. You can replace the liquor over the beans as needed.

Answer: Sumac

In parts of the Middle East, sumac is used where in place of lemon or vinegar. Middle Eastern Onion Salad is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats. In a bowl, combine 2 medium white or yellow onions, thinly sliced, with 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leafed (Italian) parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, 2 tablespoons ground sumac, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Let this stand for at least 2 hours before serving.

Answer: Cinnamon

The best cinnamon is "cinnamomum zeylanicum" or Ceylon cinnamon. This variety is lighter in color and sweeter than "cinnamomum cassia" or cassia. Much of the cinnamon sold today is actually cassia. New medical studies have shown that 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon a day actually seems to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Cinnamon Brined Pork Loin is wonderfully flavorful and juicy.

In a large plastic or glass bowl, combine 4 cups of apple juice or cider, 1 cup of warm water, 1/2 cup of Kosher salt, 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns, a handful roughly torn fresh sage leaves, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 8 cinnamon sticks and 1 orange, cut in half. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved and add 3 cups of ice. Add a 2 to 4 pound pork loin with the fat trimmed, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days. Remove from the brine, pat dry, rub with oil and grill or roast as desired.

Answer: Mustard

Mustard is related to broccoli, cabbage, turnips and cauliflower. There are three species that are grown specifically for the seeds - white, black and brown mustard. To make a wonderful rub for beef, pork and lamb, combine 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 to 3 crushed garlic cloves, the juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste in a large plastic zipper bag. Marinate the meat for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

This is best used on meats destined for the grill.