THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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RECIPE: Shepherd’s Pie With Cumin & Smashed Chickpeas

The seventh of McCormick’s 2010 food trends has an international flair: roast cumin and chickpeas (garbanzo beans). But you’ll see how this dymanic duo can enhance the most traditional English and American standards, as in this new take on Shepherd’s Pie.

  • Cumin is a seed that is often confused with caraway (which is actually a fruit). The two spices do look quite similar, but cumin tastes hotter, is lighter in color and larger than caraway seeds. It is one of the most popular spices in the world, and is a highlight in the cuisines of Brazil, Cuba, India, the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
  • Chickpeas are a common foodstuff in many of the same regions as cumin. They make frequent appearances in curries and vegetarian dishes. They’re the base of the popular dip, hummos. Chickpeas also make an excellent snack. They are a most nutritious food, thanks to their high levels of dietary fiber and protein and their low level of fat, most of which is polyunsaturated. (They do have lots of carbs.)

 

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Cumin and chickpeas add a new spin to
Shepherd’s Pie. Photo courtesy McCormick.

Recipe: Roasted cumin and chickpeas are a duet that delivers warm, earthy flavor harmonies. Try them in this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie with Cumin & Smashed Chickpeas.

Add a bit of cumin in your next batch of hummos, too. (Sprinkle some on store-bought hummos.)

And try this recipe for Chickpea Fries. Switch it up and add cumin to the seasoning.

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GOURMET TRAVEL: Napa Valley Mustard Festival

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A prior year’s winner in the phototgraphy
competition, by Sally Wood.

We wish we had gotten advance notice of the 17th annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival, to be held next weekend, March 12 -14 in Napa, California.

If you can get there, you’re in for a treat. The vineyards, blooming with wild mustard, are breathtaking. There are an impressive number of fine mustards from around the world to be tasted, along with food from the best Napa Valley restaurants and caterers, consumed with great Napa Valley wines.

Makers of the best-judged mustards will receive awards, as will photographers who take the best photos of the mustard fields.

The Napa Valley Mustard Festival is a non-profit community service organization. For information and tickets visit MustardFestival.org.

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TIP OF THE DAY: See Your Tea

We drink our daily cups of fine tea Asian-style—no milk, no sweetener, just clear, beautiful tea. We love our pretty porcelain tea cups and elegant mugs, but switching to a glass mug or cup makes a big difference in the visual appreciation of this beautiful beverage.

Veneziano from Bodum, shown, is a double-walled glass cup with a handsome stainless steel saucer. Double-wall insulation means that you can put the cup directly on a surface without fear of moisture or heat marks.

If Veneziano’s $34.95 price tag is more than you want to spend, for just $5.95, we love our heavy-duty Bodum “Copenhagen” glass mug. For $14.95, you can get the glass mug plus an insert to brew loose tea (the “Yo-Yo”).

Find Veneziano, Copenhagen and a fine selection of additional glass mugs, cups and infusers at BodumUSA.com.

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Ancient tea in a modern glass-and-
stainless saucer. Photo courtesy BodumUSA.com.

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RECIPE: Mini Mousse Desserts

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Banana Creme Mousse is one of the four
variations of the recipe. Photo courtesy
McCormick.

Though pumpkin pie spice is typically found in Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts, pair it with coconut milk and you can add a burst of spice to all kinds of desserts, year-round.

Pumpkin pie spice and coconut milk is the sixth of McCormick’s Top 10 Flavor Pairings For 2010.

  • Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of dried, powdered spices including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sometimes allspice. Though it’s typically found in pumpkin, squash and sweet potato pies and other seasonal baking, it can be used year-round to add a burst of flavor to all types of desserts—and even savory dishes, such as sweet potatoes, coffee drinks, cheeseballs or dairy-based dips for salty snacks.
  • Coconut milk is a sweet, milky-white liquid made from the meat of a mature coconut. It’s created by squeezing grated coconut meat through cheesecloth, and should not be confused with coconut water, which is the naturally occurring foggy liquid found inside coconuts. Coconut milk is widely used in tropical cuisines, especially Indian curries and Thai cuisine (a favorite dish is tom yum, chicken soup with coconut milk).

 

Recipe: Pumpkin pie spice and coconut milk pair together for a naturally sweet combination in this recipe for Mix & Match Spiced Mousse Mini Desserts: Banana Cream Mousse, Fudge Brownie Mousse, Piña Colada Mousse and Strawberry Shortcake Mousse.

Each of the four mousse flavors is tailored from the same pumpkin pie spice/coconut milk mousse recipe. Serve all flavors at once so diners can enjoy the carnival of options, or serve a different mini mousse each time you have dinner guests.

For a fusion dish, add a dash of pumpkin pie spice to your tom yum!

 

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TIP OF THE DAY: Put A Spin On Your Salad Or Sandwich

Give your regular egg salad, chicken salad or tuna salad an Asian spin.

  • For each 1/4 cup mayonnaise, add 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 2 tablespoons of chopped pistachios.
  • Instead of lettuce on your sandwich, add baby arugula.
  • And instead of white bread, go for whole grain bread: two slices equal 2/3 of your daily whole grain requirements. If you want, turn your sandwich into a grilled panini.Then, treat yourself to a whole-grain brownie or cookie from Kodiak Cakes (see the post below).
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Turn your sandwich into a grilled panini.
Photo courtesy Sargento.

Want more inspiration? Take a look at all the different types of sandwiches in our Sandwich Glossary.

 

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