High Flavor, Low Labor_ Reinventing Weeknight Cooking - J. M. Hirsch [3]
Ginger
Fresh ginger (sold as a funky brown root in the produce section) has a peppery sweet flavor and is essential to Asian cooking. Also try it grated over steamed and buttered potatoes or mixed into a vinaigrette. The best place to store fresh ginger is the freezer. Not only does it keep for months, it is easier to grate, and as long as you use a very fine grater, there is no need to peel it first. Dry ground ginger (sold with the other spices) is excellent in meat rubs, chili, and vegetable sautés. Its flavor is milder than fresh. Crystallized ginger has been candied. Sold cut into a variety of sizes, it can be eaten as is, or minced, diced, or ground. It’s also wonderful finely chopped and simmered in homemade cranberry sauce.
Salt
Many foods—even sweets—simply taste flat without a pinch of salt. It doesn’t take much, and it doesn’t take the pricey gourmet stuff. The best bet is kosher salt, which is inexpensive and easy to pinch. Keep a bowl of it next to the stove.
Wine
It’s all about getting sauced. Or is that making sauce? Whichever, wine is great for deglazing pans. When wine is cooked, it reduces and the flavors are intensified. If the wine tastes good, this is good. If the wine tastes bad, this is bad. So while you don’t need to spend a fortune, skip the rotgut. Use whatever you drink. For cooking and drinking, I’m pretty happy with ten-dollar bottles. Use reds for beef- and tomato-based dishes; stick with whites for everything else.
ASIAN
Asian ingredients are great for adding sharp and salty notes to a dish. Soy sauce and rice vinegar, for example, are a brilliant combination with noodles, vegetables, rice, and most meats.
Miso
It’s not just for soup anymore. Miso has a deep, salty, rich flavor that complements meats and seafood. Use it in glazes, marinades, and sauces. Generally, the lighter the color, the sweeter the taste. So stick with white or yellow miso. Keep miso in the refrigerator and it will last until the next ice age.
Rice Vinegar
Use it everywhere you’d use cider, white, or even balsamic vinegar. It has a deliciously sharp, sweet flavor that works well in salad dressings, marinades, and peanut sauces. It’s usually sold in two varieties, seasoned and plain. Seasoned varieties tend to be sweeter; both are delicious sprinkled with soy sauce over warm rice.
Soy Sauce
Salty goodness in a bottle. Use it in place of salt in just about any sauté, or add it to marinades, soups, and barbecue sauces. Low-sodium versions taste just as good as conventional ones, so don’t hesitate to try those. But avoid soy sauces labeled “dark” or “black,” which are especially thick and strongly flavored. Those varieties are intended for specific uses in Asian cooking.
Toasted Sesame Oil
This is the cooking oil equivalent of smoked cheese. It tastes toasty, smoky, and savory all at once. Use it for stir-fries, or drizzle it over warm pasta, rice, and couscous. Combine it with soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot sauce, and chopped scallions for a dipping sauce for sushi, dumplings, spring rolls, and grilled meats. That same combination also makes an outstanding marinade.
Wasabi
Don’t limit yourself to sushi. You also don’t need to use sinus-clearing quantities. In mashed potatoes it offers pleasantly sharp flavors. Or blend it with the butter or oil used to cook fish, especially salmon. Whisk it into oil and use it to coat vegetables, chicken, or beef for roasting or grilling. But note, wasabi needs liquid for its flavor to shine. Don’t sprinkle the dry powder directly onto food.
HISPANIC
Many of these ingredients can really crank up the heat. But as with many Hispanic foods, they are best when balanced with cooling ingredients, such as cheese, sour cream, or avocado.
Jalapeño Peppers
Jars of sliced jalape