Battle of the Bulge - Flavor Combinations

Sorry it's taken so long to put out this installment. The energy just gets sapped during the work week. OK enough of the bitching on to the cooking.

My methodology for creating flavorful, varied, low calorie meals is based upon a set of cooking principles that were articulated in a book, no longer in print, published in 1973 titled, The Flavor-Principle Cookbook, by Elisabeth Rozin. In this book, the author broke down cooking into flavor combinations that were the bases of various international cuisines, and basic cooking techniques. Then she provided a variety of recipes of classic dishes that were examples of specific flavor combinations and cooking techniques, and recipes of innovative dishes that combined a flavor combination with a cooking technique that was typical of the flavor combination. This methodology has resulted in my having a mental filing system that has flavors on one side and cooking techniques on the other.

Here is a list of some of the basic flavor combinations I use:

Asian

This starts with a base of ginger and garlic cooked in oil and then adds some soy sauce, sherry, and broth. From this base one can add a host of Asian condiments and bottled sauces that vary the final flavor. These include but are not limited to:
Thai fish sauce

• Chile garlic sauce
• Five spice powder
• Black bean & garlic sauce
• Sa Cha sauce
• Black pepper sauce

Italian

This starts with garlic sauteed starting with the garlic in cold oil and one or more of anchovy paste, tomato paste, or olive paste. Often augmented with basil and oregano.

Cajun/Creole

This starts with a brown roux of oil (often a pork flavored oil with bacon, pancetta, or salt pork) and flour plus the trinity of onions, celery, and green pepper. To this is added Worcestershire sauce and bitters and white wine.

French

Wine and stock with herbs (bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, marjoram) cooked down into a sauce.

Misc Mediterranean

Onions and garlic sauteed in olive oil with herbs (parsley, oregano, basil) often with citrus such as lemon or orange.

New Mexican Red

Garlic mashed with salt into a paste with red chile powder, Mexican oregano, and cumin

New Mexican Green

Onions and garlic sauteed with roasted green chiles and Mexican oregano

Indian

A spice powder made of a combination of spices. The spices are toasted and ground up. The combination can consist of:

• Cumin seed
• Coriander seed
• Cardamon pods
• Fenugreek seeds
• Allspice seeds
• Cinnamon sticks
• Nutmeg
• Cloves
• Black peppercorns
• White peppercorns
• Red Chiles - dried

The spice powder is added to sauteed garlic and ginger

Next - Raw Materials