The bird in the top photo was found in my parents’ house by the window, terrified, unable to escape. He was so scared that when we lifted him up with the pool net and carried him outside, he didn’t move at all. You can see how close he let me get to him in order to take that photo; there’s no zoom or cropping there. We were inches from each other, poor thing.
Unlike the bird, who did not do well in a house where he did not belong, the spices used by everyone who participated in the Spice is Right this month did very well in dishes where they do not traditionally belong.
This is the round-up for The Spice is Right VIII: Frankenstein’s Monster, where I asked you to use a spice (or blend of spices) with a technique or dish from a cuisine that typically never uses that spice (or blend). Everyone came up with such fun fusion ideas! Thank you all for playing around and participating this month.
The entries below are posted in the order in which they were received. For December, I believe that Barbara will be taking back control of the Spice Right at long last. I’ll be sorry to let it go, albeit glad to see her back.
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Brilynn from Jumbo Empanadas made Masalicious Cheese Souffle. I’ll second her – this is genius! French technique using Indian spices led her to create what looks like an airy, beautiful souffle that I imagine had the most intense, pungent aroma floating around it. This is a recipe I absolutely have to try myself.
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Jennifer from Eat Drink Talk runs a newsletter rather than a blog, but she decided to join in anyway, making Turkish-style Strawberry Salad with Black Pepper Shortbread. As Jennifer explained, in British cooking you would never see black pepper used in shortbread. So, she went against the cultural use of the spice, but at the same time used the classic combination of strawberries and black pepper. Jennifer was a traditionalist and a rebel all in one delicious go!
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I made Sichuan Shrimp Chowder, using Sichuan peppercorns to add their distinctive tingle to a more traditional American shrimp chowder. Good thing Sichuan peppercorns are legal in the U.S. nowadays, hm?
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Ivonne from Cream Puffs in Venice made Rice Pudding with Cardamom as her entry for both The Spice is Right and Dishes of Comfort. Cardamom is often used in Indian rice pudding, but for Ivonne, it is a spice that she almost never uses at all. With cardamom as a spice unfamiliar to Ivonne’s personal cuisine, she created a delectable dessert.
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Kathryn from Limes & Lycopene invented Chermoula Risotto, another variant of the classic Italian dish, this time using a Moroccan spice paste. It looks wonderful – all the flavors that might go into an interesting couscous, but made with the slow simmering absorption method of risotto instead.
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Jessica Brogan offended her partner when he caught her throwing powdered mustard into her Burning Wine Brownies. I am in awe. Her Jonathan may consider these a “disgrace to cooking,” but there’s no one right way to chop parsley, and I think it’s an absolutely brilliant idea.
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@ from Yum Yum Mum Mum never encountered brussel sprouts until she came to the U.S., as they are not native to India. She and her family have been enjoying them ever since they found them here, though, and she perked them up with coriander, a spice not normally used with brussel sprouts in Indian cooking, when making her gorgeous Brussel Sprouts Baaji.
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Gluten-Free by the Bay created Quinoa Pilaf with Cardamom and Sage. She entreats you to try out the recipe and help her find its missing oomph, so I hope some of you can offer her some thoughts there. I do think the idea of using cardamom in quinoa pilaf looks very good, so I bet that oomph is not too far away!
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Becke from Columbus Foodie cooked up a batch of Cincinnati Chili, which, unlike more traditional chili, uses cinnamon, chocolate, and allspice. Sweet spices in savory, hot foods are wonderful, so I’m sure this works fabulously well.
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Wonderful dishes! Thanks so much.
Yay! This looks fabulous. Except, um, I’m a SHE, not a he ;-P (Confusion is understandable due to my androgynous name)
Can’t wait to try some of these recipes out
This is a lovely round-up Dannielle, what a great collection of dishes. Thanks for hosting the Spice is Right over the last couple of months – you’ve come up with two really interesting and challenging themes, that I’ve enjoyed cooking for.
Yummy Yummy Yummy. This is not fair. It is already holiday season, but trying each and every once of these recipes may push me past the number of pounds I have agreed to let myself put on in the next two months. Well, so be it. I want to try them all…and I’ve already hidden the scale.
Thanks for hosting this, it looks beautiful.
Super cool idea– and great looking execution. I have to say the Creme Caramel with saffron and pepper sounds particularly tempting….
Brilliant round-up–so many creative dishes! And it’s interesting to see people going beyond their normal spice repertoire and experimenting with fresh flavors.