Spice check keeps tabs on often neglected ingredients
By Marcia Poole | Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thyme, oregano, basil and bay leaf deliver flavor in hearty Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew
Ask me how long that bottle of ground cinnamon has lingered in my cupboard and I'll plead ignorance.
Ask me if the ground ginger I'm about to use for Christmas cookie dough is fresh and I'll draw a blank. The same goes for some of my dried herbs.
Bottles now have expiration dates but they don't pinpoint purchase date. I have no idea when that bottle of rubbed Dalmation sage came into my life. And that tiny container of thyme leaves? The contents look a little pale, but who knows?
I'm not alone in neglecting dried herbs and spices. We store them for years in kitchen cupboards and then expect them to deliver bright, vivid flavors for favorite holiday dishes.
The how-old-is-it question always hits me this time of year as I dig through the spice shelf disarray. Despite my annual resolve to get organized, I inevitably lapse. A quick sniff-test tells me some are still in good shape; others have diminished and need to be replaced. Still others seem all right but their fading labels suggest otherwise. Maybe I should pitch them just in case. But why waste? You know the dilemma.
It wasn't only my nose that urged me to take pre-holiday stock. McCormick, the herb-and-spice giant, recently released a press packet filled with holiday recipes and a sidebar titled, "America's pantries are in need of a spice check."
Some things improve with age but dried herbs and spices aren't one of them. Yet, almost eight out of 10 home cooks don't know how to tell if these ingredients are over the hill, according to McCormick. Here are the guidelines:
Ground spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, have a shelf-life of two to three years; whole spices will keep from three to four years. Dried herbs last one to three years. And seasoning blends are good for one to two years.
So if you don't keep track of time, how can you tell if dried spices and herbs are fresh? Look; touch; and smell, says McCormick. The color should be vibrant. If the color has faded, it's likely the flavor has, too. Aroma is another indicator. Rub or crush the spice or herb in your hand. If the aroma and flavor are weak, it's time to head to the supermarket for replacements.
Spices and herbs should be stored in airtight bottles away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight -- all of which rob them of color and flavor. Spice racks near the stove are not a good idea; they expose the ingredients to heat and steam.
The freezer is not a friend, either. When spices and herbs are removed from the freezer, brought to room temperature and then returned to the freezer, condensation can damage.
Moisture also is the issue when cooks sprinkle dried herbs or spices directly from the bottle into a cooking pot. The better approach: measure the herbs and spices into a ramekin or saucer and then add to the pot. Always make sure the measuring spoon it completely dry before it goes into the spice or herb container.
To cut the guesswork, label containers with the purchase date and then store the bottles out of harms way. They'll be bright and ready for recipes like Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew. The dish slices chicken cutlets into bite-size pieces and then cooks the chicken on the stove-top with diced onion. Thyme, oregano, basil and a bay leaf enter center stage, along with chopped butternut squash, canned diced tomatoes, small elbow pasta and bagged spinach leaves.
The ingredients cook into a stew with red wine and orange juice. Served in soup bowls and topped with grated Parmesan cheese, the stew makes a hearty cold-weather entree.
Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew
2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1.5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tomato paste
One-half cup red wine
1 pound butternut squash, cut into chunks
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
One-half cup orange juice
1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1.5 cups uncooked elbow or other small pasta
1 bag (1 pound) spinach leaves
1 teaspoon salt
One-half teaspoon black pepper
One-half cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
In large frying pan with lid or in a stockpot, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about five minutes. While onion is cooking, place chicken pieces in colander over sink, sprinkle with flour and toss to coat.
Add chicken to the pan and brown, stirring occasionally, about three minutes. Add thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaf and tomato paste; cook one minute, stirring constantly. Raise heat to high, add wine and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cooking another minute.
Add squash, tomatoes, orange juice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until squash is beginning to soften, about seven to nine minutes. Add pasta, stir, cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Add spinach a handful at a time and continue to simmer another three to four minutes, until greens are beginning to wilt and stew is cooked through thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Makes six servings; 450 calories each. Source: National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
Ask me if the ground ginger I'm about to use for Christmas cookie dough is fresh and I'll draw a blank. The same goes for some of my dried herbs.
Bottles now have expiration dates but they don't pinpoint purchase date. I have no idea when that bottle of rubbed Dalmation sage came into my life. And that tiny container of thyme leaves? The contents look a little pale, but who knows?
I'm not alone in neglecting dried herbs and spices. We store them for years in kitchen cupboards and then expect them to deliver bright, vivid flavors for favorite holiday dishes.
The how-old-is-it question always hits me this time of year as I dig through the spice shelf disarray. Despite my annual resolve to get organized, I inevitably lapse. A quick sniff-test tells me some are still in good shape; others have diminished and need to be replaced. Still others seem all right but their fading labels suggest otherwise. Maybe I should pitch them just in case. But why waste? You know the dilemma.
It wasn't only my nose that urged me to take pre-holiday stock. McCormick, the herb-and-spice giant, recently released a press packet filled with holiday recipes and a sidebar titled, "America's pantries are in need of a spice check."
Some things improve with age but dried herbs and spices aren't one of them. Yet, almost eight out of 10 home cooks don't know how to tell if these ingredients are over the hill, according to McCormick. Here are the guidelines:
Ground spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, have a shelf-life of two to three years; whole spices will keep from three to four years. Dried herbs last one to three years. And seasoning blends are good for one to two years.
So if you don't keep track of time, how can you tell if dried spices and herbs are fresh? Look; touch; and smell, says McCormick. The color should be vibrant. If the color has faded, it's likely the flavor has, too. Aroma is another indicator. Rub or crush the spice or herb in your hand. If the aroma and flavor are weak, it's time to head to the supermarket for replacements.
Spices and herbs should be stored in airtight bottles away from heat, moisture and direct sunlight -- all of which rob them of color and flavor. Spice racks near the stove are not a good idea; they expose the ingredients to heat and steam.
The freezer is not a friend, either. When spices and herbs are removed from the freezer, brought to room temperature and then returned to the freezer, condensation can damage.
Moisture also is the issue when cooks sprinkle dried herbs or spices directly from the bottle into a cooking pot. The better approach: measure the herbs and spices into a ramekin or saucer and then add to the pot. Always make sure the measuring spoon it completely dry before it goes into the spice or herb container.
To cut the guesswork, label containers with the purchase date and then store the bottles out of harms way. They'll be bright and ready for recipes like Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew. The dish slices chicken cutlets into bite-size pieces and then cooks the chicken on the stove-top with diced onion. Thyme, oregano, basil and a bay leaf enter center stage, along with chopped butternut squash, canned diced tomatoes, small elbow pasta and bagged spinach leaves.
The ingredients cook into a stew with red wine and orange juice. Served in soup bowls and topped with grated Parmesan cheese, the stew makes a hearty cold-weather entree.
Chicken, Squash and Pasta Stew
2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1.5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tomato paste
One-half cup red wine
1 pound butternut squash, cut into chunks
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
One-half cup orange juice
1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1.5 cups uncooked elbow or other small pasta
1 bag (1 pound) spinach leaves
1 teaspoon salt
One-half teaspoon black pepper
One-half cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
In large frying pan with lid or in a stockpot, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about five minutes. While onion is cooking, place chicken pieces in colander over sink, sprinkle with flour and toss to coat.
Add chicken to the pan and brown, stirring occasionally, about three minutes. Add thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaf and tomato paste; cook one minute, stirring constantly. Raise heat to high, add wine and scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cooking another minute.
Add squash, tomatoes, orange juice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook until squash is beginning to soften, about seven to nine minutes. Add pasta, stir, cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes.
Add spinach a handful at a time and continue to simmer another three to four minutes, until greens are beginning to wilt and stew is cooked through thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Makes six servings; 450 calories each. Source: National Chicken Council and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
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