The celebrities are in a sharing mood this week, passing on to us gems of culinary largesse. First, we broadcast Emeril Lagasse’s personal Cajun Spice Blend recipe. Today, we spill the beans on the ‘obs-cure’ spices Chef José Andrés always has on hand…
José Andrés (second from right) pitching in at one of his
Gaza Word Central Kitchen locations last year…
Andrés is not only one of the leading culinary lights in our world – he’s, arguably, the biggest culinary philanthropist in the Foodsphere – as founder and leader of the now-famous World Central Kit-chen organization.
But today…
… We’re focusing narrower and closer to home. And we’re shifting our gaze sideways to consider some elegant, exotic and unique flavourings most of us have yet to come into contact with.
When was the last time you even heard about Sumac, Furikake or Pimenton, much less used them?
Here we go…
Pimenton
This is the flavour of Andrés’ essential trio that you may have used a few times, if not recently. Its common name is ‘Smoked Paprika’.
“I am seeing it more and more on American grocery store shelves, but I still think that Americans don’t use it as much as they should!” Andrés says. “I’m [excited] to talk about it in my new book, Spain My Way. You’ll find many recipes that use it inside.”
“If you’re new to Pimentón, try the bittersweet kind first. But it’s also good to play with the hot and unsmoked types to see what you like best,” he recommends.
Sumac
Not the leaves, stems or roots – but the berries. Andrés says every Spanish Chef knows their secret…
“I will always have nearby [this] bright red, electric spice sumac from the Middle East,” Andrés told Food & Wine. “[It’s] made from ground berries, which adds a subtle acidity to tomato sauces and rice, but is also great to sprinkle on scrambled eggs or even mixed into guacamole.”
And it’s the perfect upgrade where you would normally use lemon or lime for citrus zing!
Furikake
Perhaps the most obscure of the three to western cooks, the Japanese spice blend Furikake. The ingredients and their proportions vary from brand to brand – but two constants seem to be Bonito flakes and dried shrimp to contribute umami and seafood notes. Furikake can be sweet, savoury or spicy according to the intended application and your taste. Some versions may call for red pepper flakes for that hint of heat.
‘Furikake’ comes from the Japanese word ‘furikakeru’, meaning ‘to sprinkle’. And that’s how most folks use it – as a pinch-measured finish to almost any savoury dish, ‘to add a hard-to-define depth of flavour…’
My take
Like many of you, I knew about Smoked Paprika before I read the source story on Antrés cherished go-tos. And I’ve used it in many different applications – most on recommendation of the recipe I was playing with. I can tell you, a little goes a long way. It’s definitely best to add it in pinches, as Andrés suggests for Furikake, to avoid disaster.
As for Sumac… I’ve been hearing about it more and more as I pursue my personal studies in Middle Eastern cooking. It’s a real winner: versatile- flavour expanding and full of healthy stuff. Definitely something I’d like to get credit for bringing to the attention of the western culinary world!
~ Maggie J.