Spices & Garnishes « Spices & Garnishes

How To: Dry basil and tarragon without them turning brown

Drying herbs using this method works well for herbs like basil, mint and tarragon. Herbs that don't have the fleshy body like sage Drying herbs like tarragon can be a bit trickier than fleshy herbs like sage. Tarragon is said to be great for your blood pressure and is a wonderful addition to things like soups and stews. Its also adds wonderful freshness to an early morning omelet. After a rough chop and time to dry, these herbs will hold their color and flavor until you are ready to use them....

How To: Make lemon zest with or without a zesting tool

Making lemon zest isn't hard and doesn't take a long time, especially if you have a lemon zester. A zesting tool is the number one preferred way to get that lemon zest with no mess and no fuss. So, in the first video tutorial, see how to make lemon zest with a zester. Use a zesting tool for the peeling, and make sure to wash the outside of the lemon thoroughly to remove dirt and residue. Then zest away!

How To: Eat edible flowers

Rita Heikenfeld from AboutEating discusses some of the flowers that are not only beautiful but also edible. It is important not to eat flowers that have been sprayed with chemicals. Some of the more common edible flowers are the zinnia, petunia, and the marigold, which has a delicious citrus flavor and is used in bath oils. Impatiens are edible (just the flowers, not the leaves) and come in a variety of colors.

How To: Make raw vegan vanilla extract

In this video, we learn how to make raw vegan vanilla extract. First, take whole organic vanilla beans and chop them into small pieces. After this, place the pieces of vanilla into a high speed blender along with 1 c of purified water. Start blending this on high until you have a pure vanilla liquid and there are absolutely not bumps or husks left in the blender. There should be no fibers or husks on the side of the blender. Place your hand on the side of it to make sure your blender isn't ge...

How To: Chop and mince herbs

Fresh herbs can transform almost any dish. Watch this how to video and let Bon Appetite show you how to chop herbs for your recipes. Learn to chop and mince herbs with woody stems or leafy herbs. Even get tips on how to chiffenade mint and basil leaves.

How To: Use lemongrass in your cooking

CHOW Associate Editor Corinne Trang teaches you how to use lemongrass in your cooking. 1. To use your lemongrass in your cooking, first strip away the dry outer leaves, and cut away the stumpy end and the dry leafy ends.

How To: Make decorative butter shapes

Butte can be very decorative and festive. In this how to video Chef Paul talks about flavored and decorative butters. Watch and learn how to shape and mold butter into any shape for garnishing dishes.

How To: Smoke garlic to add extra flavor to any garlic dish

Johnny O shows how to smoke garlic that adds a great flavor to other dishes. Any recipe that calls to be seasoned with garlic can use the smoked garlic for a new and unexpected taste.

How To: Make a Fancy Lemon Spiral Garnish

Okay, lemon spirals on cocktails aren't exactly necessary, but they're clever, cute garnishes that are simple to make if you're in a rush and need to throw them on several dozen cocktail glasses for a party.

How To: Make cilantro pearls with Molecular Gastronomy

Its a flavor explosion! Take some cilantro, add in a little Calcium Chloride and Sodium Alginate, and give some crab cakes a new twist! The pearl is one of the most useful treats of Molecular Gastronomy. Learn how to make corn cake with bbq crab and cilantro pearls.

How To: Use pimenton de la vera or smoked paprika

If you've never tried Pimenton de la Vera -- smoked Spanish paprika -- you're missing out. Stirred into hummus, sprinkled on roasted potatoes or added to the secret family barbecue rub, the smoky flavor is almost addictive. It comes in hot and sweet varieties and has so many delicious uses it will become a staple in your spice rack.

How To: Dry fresh herbs and use them in the wintertime

It doesn't have to be summer to get deliciously fresh herbs and spices. Check out this tutorial, and learn how to preserve and dry your spices in the summer for use in those dull winter months.

How To: Use leeks and lemongrass like a chef

Check out this video cooking tip from The Chef's Toolbox in Australia. Watch this tutorial to learn how to use leeks and lemongrass like a chef. Using leeks and lemongrass in recipes is easy with a little know-how, see how to do it right here.

How To: Peel and mince fresh garlic

You need to stop vampires and you love to cook with garlic. Watch this how to video and let the Rookie Cook show you how to peel and cut garlic. Mincing and peeling garlic is so simple you will never buy the bottled kind.

How To: Chiffonade herbs for garnishes

Watch this how to video to learn a special cooking technique called chiffonade. Create popular garnish with herbs, spinach and more.

How To: Easily peel a garlic

Holly Chegg shows the best way to peel and chop fresh garlic in a quick way! She first shows us how to peel off the skin in a perfect manner using a simple technique that everybody should be able to do. It is practically fool proof. She then shows us some easy ways to chop up our garlic into the perfect size, depending on your preference. Don't have time to buy and chop up your own fresh garlic for every one of your family's cherished recipes? Holly Chegg leaves you with advice on using the g...

How To: Make a country style dry rub with the BBQ Pit Boys

Dry rub is a must for great tasting barbecue and this basic and easy to make BBQ Dry Rub does the trick. It works real well with pork, chicken, and beef, and it's cheap to make. Start with this recipe as demonstrated by one of the BBQ Pit Boys and then add your own spices to make it your own special rub for your next B-B-Que.

How To: Make Garlic Parmesan Croutons

This video from FoodWishes.com demonstrates how to make garlic Parmesan croutons. This is a great recipe for homemade croutons which will be much better than the ones you can buy at a store.

How To: Freeze ginger

Love the taste of fresh ginger, but hate throwing out dry, moldy roots? Solve the problem by storing it in the freezer. Whenever you have a hankering for fresh ginger, just grate the still-frozen root into your favorite recipes. Ginger will lose some of its potency in the freezer, but not enough to make a significant difference. When previously frozen ginger thaws completely it develops a sodden texture, so once frozen it's best to keep it that way. Frozen ginger is also a little bit easier t...

Prepare Ginger with Three Cuts: Grated, Julienne, and Brunoise

We didn't know that how you cut ginger can impact how it tastes until we saw this video. According to the tutorial, the type of cut you should make to a piece of ginger depends on what you need the ginger for.

How To: Make canna weed butter

This video tutorial will show you how to make cannabutter or in laymen terms, marijuana butter. There are various ways to making this spread, but the video will show you how to make it using these items:

How To: Preserve Sooji for roasting

Anuja and Hetal from Show Me The Curry show how to roast Sooji. Sooji is otherwise known as semolina which is purified wheat used for making pasta. Semolina is known as Sooji in India and is used in many many dishes as a grain and sometimes as a meat substitute. Some recipes like Upma require that the Sooji be roasted before being added into the recipe. This video shows you the easiest way that you can roast Sooji in your microwave so that it can be used in various Indian dishes.

How To: Make homemade ginger and garlic paste

This how-to video is about how to make homemade ginger and garlic paste. This video is provided by Anuja and Hetal, and they explains us the simpler method of preparing ginger and garlic paste which is used in most of the Indian dishes.

How To: Peel, chop and crush garlic like a chef

Check out this video cooking tip from The Chef's Toolbox in Australia. Watch this tutorial to learn how to peel, chop and crush garlic like a chef. Peeling garlic for recipes is easy with a little know-how, see how to do it right here. If there is a little green germ in the clove, make sure you remove it, because it is known to give people indigestion.

How To: Make coffee foam art

Hone your java skills: learn how to create shapes and artistic decorations with your latte foam.

How To: Reuse vanilla beans

Hide leftover vanilla bean pods in the sugar bowl, that way you can re use them.

How To: Make Sure Your Dinner Party Is a Success

Holiday dinners can be the same every year, but many are starting to switch it up, making new traditions and getting a new dining experience for everyone at the table. It’s not unusual to see sweet potatoes on an Easter dinner menu or lamb at Thanksgiving dinner.

How To: Make cold pressed nut butter

In this video, we learn how to make cold pressed nut butter. First you will need to have a crusher that will not juice the nuts it will just crush them. Put your nuts into this and then start to run it. You can add in some raw cashews, raw Brazil nuts, almonds. You can use any type of nuts that you want inside of your butter. Turn the machine on and continue to add the nuts, pressing down with the lever at the top. After this, the nuts will come out at the bottom inside the bowl. To make this...

How To: Peel garlic and pearl onions without stickiness

If you're a home cook, peeling garlic is probably not your most favorite part of preparing a meal. Sure, the first one or two bulbs are a cinch, but once you start peeling garlic in larger quantities the inevitable stickiness arises and the garlic becomes harder and harder to disrobe.

How To: Make wasabi foam to garnish and serve over meals

Looking to add some spice to your dinner but not a fan of straight wasabi? In this tutorial, learn how to make a light and fluffy foam with wasabi that you can serve over fish, sushi, salad or any other light dish that needs some spice.

How To: Make delicious compound butter

In order to prepare Compound Butters, you will need the following: butter, blackberries, lemon, fresh dill, potato masher, 2 bowls, a fork, and waxed paper.

How To: Make Jamaican jerk spice

Dennis McIntosh shows viewers how to make jerk spiced seafood. Jerk is native to Jamaica and was once a way to preserve meat. It is now enjoyed as a spicy marinade and sauce to accompany most any protein. Jerk spices include ginger, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, scallion, onion, nutmeg, and pimento berries. In food processor or blender, add ingredients with oil and blend on low speed. Next, add garlic, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and sugar. Pour marinade over fish and toss to coat. Add to hot pan...

How To: Make vanilla extract

Homemade vanilla extract is tastier and less expensive than many commercial brands, and it makes a great gift!

How To: Blend a famous country style rib rub

This basic BBQ dry rub recipe for barbecue ribs is quick and simple to make. Use this BBQ Pit Boys recipe, and then adjust the spices and quantities to make it your own special BBQ Rib Rub! That's what Barbecue is all about.

How To: Make orange zest

In this how to video Chef Paul shows you how to make orange zest. Orange zest is just that colorful peel of the orange that is full of citrus oils. This oil filled zest is great for garnishes or flavoring dishes.

How To: Make prosciutto bits for salads and soups

Prosciutto bits have a milder flavor than bacon. It is also leaner as it comes from the leg of the pig.

How To: Make pineapple salsa with Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck is unquestionably the most famous chef in the United States, and his recipes are delicious and coveted. In this video, a part of his online only Wolfgang Puck's Cooking Class show, he teaches us how to make pineapple salsa on the grill. No, you don't grill the salsa, just the pineapples, onions, and jalapeno peppers that go into it, bringing out the flavors of each before they are combined with spices and oil to create the finished product. It is easy to make, spicy, sweet, and,...