Spice Adventure

Krysta Anderson, Gleaner Writer

Ask anyone about Jamaican cuisine, and they will tell you we know how to spice things up. Our culture encourages this. It is no different in the kitchen, as spices, in their most natural form, can bring any meal to its peak of deliciousness.

This week, we venture into the deep culinary seas, exploring the perfect match of meats with the spices - onion, pimento, black pepper, rosemary and parsley.

Onion

According to Chef Karl Thomas of Lillian's Restaurant, not many persons know that it falls into, the vegetable category, to be more specific the 'bulb' family. "In Jamaica, it is mostly used in marinades, sautés and stews, but it can also be eaten raw or used to make pickles or chutney." Thomas explains that the flavour in an onion is quite overpowering, to prevent the chemicals it contains irritating our eyes, the next time we slice into one, its best to use a sharp knife. He notes that a raw onion contains small traits of vitamins and minerals - vitamins A, B1, B2, C, calcium, iron, potassium, and zinc among others.

According to chef Kenard Swaby, this seasoning can go with absolutely everything. High in carbohydrates, he notes that it also, "has a vast amount of sugar, especially when it is caramelised." He adds that onion goes well with steak and seafood, mainly fish, and "because of its sweetness, it can be consumed by itself and it is great fried, hence onion rings."

Black pepper

Black pepper, originating from south India, is also cultivated in the tropical regions. According to chef Thomas, the 'spiciness' of black pepper comes from the chemical 'piperine'. The black pepper, cultivated from berries that can be black, white, green and pink (the pink peppercorn is actually not a true peppercorn but comes from a different family). "Black pepper is generally used with salt as the main ingredient to add flavour to any dish. The peppercorn on its own can be used to crust meat items, and even as extreme as making ice cream. But, overall, Swaby asserts that black pepper has a really good flavour but, 'if we do not consume it properly, eating it in excess is not good for our health'. But everything should be taken in moderation, especially for a spice that was made for preparing steak.

Pimento

Pimento or 'all spice', as the name suggests, adds that well-needed kick to meals. According to Thomas, "The Jamaican pimento is traditionally picked green and allowed to dry in the sun. When the berries are dried, they generally have a brown colour and resemble a peppercorn. Pimento berries are traditionally used in soups and stews, for example, our manish water and our curried goat and even that wonderful elixir that all of us enjoy during Christmas time - sorrel. Lately, some chefs have been using pimento as a dry rub to infuse coffee and chocolate dishes and even to crust meats."

But according to Swaby, many avoid cooking with Pimento because the taste is not very pleasant when it is bitten into while enjoying a meal. it can be a little off-putting when bitten into while eating a meal. For a spice that goes very well with pork, his only advice is, a word of caution when consuming it, to prevent this discomfort.

Rosemary

The fragrant needle-like leaves from the rosemary plant, which is native to the Mediterranean region, identifies it as a member of the mint family. While chef Swaby explains that the plant has many medicinal purposes, he notes that it goes very well with lamb.

But according to Thomas, "While most persons have the notion that rosemary is only supposed to be used on lamb, based on my experience, it can be used on almost any meat or poultry." He advised those in the kitchen to use this herb in moderation, "Sometimes a little bit goes along way. Rosemary should always complement your dish, and not overpower it."

Parsley

Native to the central Mediterranean region (southern Italy, Algeria and Tunisia), there are many types - parsley with curly leaves, the one with flat leaves and the root parsley.

According to both chefs, parsley is mainly used as garnish. Parsley may be blended with oils to create garnish for appetisers, soups, salads and entrée plates, notes Thomas.

With little to no nutritional value, because of its greenery, it contains chlorophyll and vitamin C, making it great for juices. Other small traits of vitamin and minerals found in parsley are - vitamins A, B1, B2, E, K, calcium, iron, potassium, and sodium.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com