Physical Health

What cheese should i use on my pasta? What is the difference between Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese ? Well let me try to simplify this problem.

Even-though both of them are from Italy, Parmesan is a hard, dry, aged cheese made from cow milk and it has a sharp,nutty flavor and a granular texture and lends itself well to grating  fresh over pasta, salads and is the flexible choice for a broader range of recipes. Well Pecorino Romano on the other hand is made from sheep milk and has a firm to hard slightly grainy, oily, salty piquant flavor, therefore with a stronger and different taste, sometime even pungent and can be overpowering in some recipes. Since both of those cheese have similar texture ,they can be used together as long as you understand the flavor difference between the two and the Pecorino is in moderate amount.

When buying either of those cheese i would recommend to purchase them individually versus a pre- mixed blend to have a better control on the flavor of your dishes.

Few dishes employed just one type of spice or herb, even when a dish is dominated by a single flavor you can combine it with others to produce a compound flavor, for example in the following, stews, soups, roast etc.

Spices can also be combined to create a Spice rub which you gently massage over poultry or other cuts of meat that you can apply right before cooking or if you want the flavor of the spices to penetrate deeper into the food, refrigerate the rubbed meat for at least an hour or for larger cut overnight for a spicier more intense flavor.

When combining different type of spices or herbs always keep in mind the ultimate flavor that you want to achieve ,hot,mild,sweet,sour,Asian,Provencal or just plain.

At a base for all seasoning you have Salt and Pepper which don’t need any explanation, so let’s get to the less known ones.

Cloves: whether all or ground cloves are potent and marry well with roasts, stews and braised dishes.

Cumin: Is a very aromatic spice and used primary in south of the border dishes,but if you enjoy it’s peppery flavor you can use it with roast, salad dressing and even on fish.

Nutmeg: Is the dry seed or kernel of an evergreen tree. Its warm, spicy flavor accentuate sweetness in certain recipes and also add a particular flavor to Mushed potatoes, Bechamel sauce and pasta. It is best used freshly grated, just keep in mind that a little goes a long way.

Mace: Is the lacy membrane that covers the nutmeg when dried and ground.

Paprika: Is a fine powder from dried red pepper and can be smoked,mild or hot and generally comes from Hungary or Spain. Paprika can be used to sprinkle over many items and dishes ,along with salt and pepper  or more commonly as a major spice in Stroganof  and Hungarian goulash.

Saffron: By weight it’s the most expensive spice in the world, it is the hand harvested stigma of a red crocus. It is mostly used to flavor Mediterranean dishes, risotto, fish, soups and sauces. Crush saffron threads with your fingers when adding it to a dish to properly release it’s flavor.This is the spice that gives a very unique yellow color to any recipe.

In general  spices are harvested from a single natural product, although this is true for the majority, there are a few that are a blend of various specific ingredients creating a more complex product, such as Curry or Chili powder. Some of the blend of spices in those items are based on an original formula and the flavor vary from brand to brand. For instance Curry powder can include or not Corcuma, Cardamon,Cumin,Nutmeg,Fenugreek,Cotumba,Turmeric which gives Curry its characteristically yellow color,less or more chiles powder making it milder or hotter, the milder one is in preference for general cooking, also Curry powder should be added to the base ingredients of a recipe  ( for instance the ground onions , that you first sweat in the pan with some butter or oil)and sauteed to” bloom” it’s flavor.

Chili powder usually is a blend of 80% ground dried Chiles, dried Oregano,Cumin and Garlic powder. You also can find find Chili powder made solely  from ground Chiles in ethnic market and is  usually labeled by type of Chile. Therefore when your recipe calls for Chili powder be aware of which type you should use (hot or mild) and also blooming it will bring out more flavor.

Both of those spices are unique in their origin and usage and offer a very distinctive flavor and can add a personal touch to a favorite recipe. For instance Curry marries  well with chicken,veal, lamb, shrimp and is a main ingredient in a famous Spanish dish called Paella. Chili powder is what gives one of this country’s favorite dish it’s name and also takes part in the flavoring of many South of the border creations.

It is snowing today! What a perfect day for a simple but bone warming Chili ! Trust me this is not your everyday chili and it will be different then what you are finding in your favorite cook book , it has a bit of a Swiss touch to it !

First, your shopping and preparation list : One and a half pound of 90% lean ground beef, a half cup of virgin olive oil, one cup of diced onions, 4 cloves of garlic finely diced, 2 stalk of celery finely diced, 5 green scallion finely diced, one bunch of cilantro finely chopped, 8 ounce of grated sharp cheddar, 4 ounce of bitter-sweet chocolate, 2 table spoon of grey poupon mustard, 1 teaspoon of  chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon,1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper,one 15 ounce can of pinto or dark kidney beans, one 15 ounce can of diced or crushed roasted tomatoes, 2 ounce of brown sugar, 2 tablespoon of tomato paste, one dark beer of your choice, salt and ground black pepper to taste, one bay leaf.

Preparation : In a 4 quarts pot on medium heat, sweat diced onions and garlic until transparent stirring constantly, 2-3 min. add the ground beef and increase the heat to high, break down the beef with a potato masher and stir regularly until brown, reduce the heat to medium, add the diced celery,  the tomato paste and  the grey poupon mustard, stir well, add the brown sugar, mix, add the beer, the diced or crushed tomatoes, chili powder,ground cumin,cayenne pepper,ground cinnamon, bay leaf and crushed red pepper. Stir well and bring  to a slow boil on medium heat stirring regularly for about 40 min. ( If you need to thin it down, you may add a touch of water or beef stock). Now you may add the beans and bring it back to a slow simmer for 5-10 min. Brake  in the chocolate and stir, (it will melt instantly), check the seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed. Serve in bowls and top with diced scallion, cilantro and shredded cheddar. If you have sour cream on hand, adding a dab of it on top will finish the dish in style. To your health…..