Of Onions and Spices
Since marriage, I have learned, in small part, the art of cooking with onions, having never cooked with onions before because we never ate onions when I was growing up. I have decided that onions are good when they are chopped up and put in other dishes; whole onions or raw onions still don’t appeal to me. Contrary to popular wisdom, cutting up onions has never made me cry–maybe I haven’t been using the most potent varieties. Mostly I use Vidalia onions, since they’re cheap. My favorite thing to do with onions right now is to fry them along with cube steak or throw them in a ground beef dish. They add just a hint of more flavor, I think.
I like using spices too. Lincoln can vouch for the fact that I like throwing random amounts and varieties of spices into just about everything. Cinnamon is a favorite, but savory herbs and spices are great too. I love my Italian seasoning, and my jar of Tuscan seasoning gets frequent use. Of course, creating my own mixtures of spices and herbs is fun too–oregano and basil, sage and thyme, garlic, all kinds of stuff. Basically, if I like the smell of the herb, I throw it in with a roast or a marinade.
As always, I’m looking for recipes–onions, spices, or anything at all! :)
Posted 9 Jul. 2008 at 9:22 pm | Permalink
Ah yes, I seem to remember that someone was regularly unhappy with me over “secret” ingedients in various dishes. Looks like you have caught the vision or the taste! Maybe you are becoming like your father???? What a thought!
Posted 10 Jul. 2008 at 8:33 am | Permalink
Mine aren’t secret, though. I make them known. :)
Posted 10 Jul. 2008 at 12:58 pm | Permalink
Don’t forget Carribean jerk!
Posted 12 Jul. 2008 at 4:40 pm | Permalink
My dad declares that we put weeds in our dishes. But when a meal doesn’t have a spice, there’s something missing!! :) Ask Meg for some of her “herbs de provence”; a collection of yummy spices she picked up in France.