Spice It Up!

If you're bored with many of your old stand-by recipes, we're going to show you how to spice up your kitchen repertoire - literally!

John Willoughby, executive editor of Gourmet magazine, introduces three unusual spices -- ones that you may not have heard of or used before -- and shares recipes for adding them to some favorite dishes.

Star Anise:
As its name suggests, star anise looks like a star. It's actually the fruit from an ornamental tree. It's one of the spices in Chinese Five-Spice Powder, and is quite popular in Vietnam and Southern China, where it's used in a lot of hearty meat dishes.

The spice has a mild licorice flavor, like anise, but it's a bit sweeter, a bit earthier. While you may not be familiar with the spice, you'll likely to recognize it as a familiar flavor in a Chinese or East Asian cooking.

Star anise is sold whole or ground, but Willoughby says that the whole spice has a lot more flavor, and is nice to look at.

The citrus salad recipe listed below is delicious and showcases its flavor.

Other uses: add to any stew or dish that you're braising (slow cooking in the oven).

Cardamom:
This is one of Willoughby favorite spices, and it's the third most-expensive spice behind saffron and real vanilla. It's frequently used in Indian food and in Scandanavian sweets.

Cardamom, like cinnamon, is considered a warm spice. You can buy it ground or as whole spice pods.

It's very aromatic and adds an indefinable sweetness to dishes. The recipe below for cardamom sour cream waffles are a great example of how the spice adds a sweet exotic touch to dishes.

Other uses: add to any quick bread or pastry, substitute for cinnamon in spice rubs or add to rice.

Juniper Berries:
This is probably the most unusual of the three spices and
one that few people think about cooking with. Juniper berries are not actually berries, although they look like a small berry; they are cones (like pinecones) and come from pine trees.

Juniper berries taste piney, but sweet. They are the predominant flavor in gin. Juniper has a fresh, almost citrus flavor, so it helps cut through the richness of meats like short ribs or cream like in the potato gratin recipe below.

Other uses: add to pork or beef stews or add to spice rubs

The three spices add very definite flavors to dishes. Unlike a spice such as rosemary, you may not be able to put your finger on what exactly you're tasting.

Citrus Salad with Star Anise
Gourmet, March 2000
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 whole star anise or 1 teaspoon anise seeds
3 assorted grapefruits such as white, pink, and ruby
2 navel oranges

1. Simmer water with sugar and anise in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Cool slightly.

2. Cut peel and white pith from grapefruits and oranges with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut grapefruit and orange sections free from membranes. Pour off juice released during cutting from bowl and reserve.

3. Stir syrup into fruit and chill, covered, 1 hour. Stir in reserved juice to taste.

Cook's note: Salad can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

French Red Onion Soup
Gourmet, Sept. 2008
Serves 4 (first course or light main course)
- Active time: 20 minutes
- Start-to-finish: 45 minutes

In this redesigned French bistro classic, softened red onions join salty Manchego, and star anise gives the peppery broth a subtle undercurrent of sweetness.

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
2 whole star anise
6 black peppercorns
2 lbs. red onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 (1-inch thick) slices of baguette
2 cups coarsely grated Manchego or Gruyère (6 to 7 oz)

1. Bring broth, water, spices, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook onions in oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a heavy medium pot over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, about 15 minutes. Add wine and boil, uncovered, until reduced to 2 tablespoon, about 1 minute. Strain broth through a sieve into onion mixture and briskly simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Season with salt.

3. Preheat broiler.

4. Ladle soup into 4 ovenproof bowls set in a 4-sided sheet pan. Place baguette slices on top and sprinkle each with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil about 6 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes.

Cardamom Sour Cream Waffles
Gourmet, Feb. 2008
Serves 4
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Start-to-finish: 30 minnutes

Cardamom scents and flavors these tender waffles for a taste of Sweden at breakfast.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon mild honey
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Accompaniment: lingonberry preserves
Garnish: confectioners sugar

1. Preheat a waffle iron until hot.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.

3. Whisk together remaining ingredients in another bowl, then whisk into flour mixture until just combined.

4. Lightly brush waffle iron with oil and cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions.

Spice Cookies
Gourmet, Feb. 2004
Makes about 42 cookies
- Active time: 35 minutes
- Start-to-finish: 1 1/2 hours

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two large baking sheets.

2. Whisk together flour, spices, and salt in a bowl. Stir baking soda into warm water in a cup until dissolved, then stir in molasses. Beat together butter and sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in baking soda mixture until combined well, then beat in flour mixture until just combined (dough will be crumbly but will hold together when rolling balls).

3. Working with half of dough, roll level teaspoons of dough into balls, arranging them about 2 inches apart on 1 baking sheet. Flatten balls into 1 1/4-inch rounds with tines of a fork, dipping fork in flour to prevent sticking if necessary. Bake cookies until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool. Make more cookies with remaining dough on remaining baking sheet in same manner.

Cook's note: Cookies, cooled completely, keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

Juniper-Braised Short Ribs
Gourmet, Oct. 2008
Serves 6
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Start-to-finish: 3 3/4 hours

In our Flatiron Steaks with Creamy Juniper Sauce and Hash Browns, juniper stands front and center, injecting the dish with its woodsy, ginny perfume. In this equally beefy recipe, the spice plays a much different role. Although a generous amount of juniper is called for, the result is much more restrained, adding a je ne sais quoi depth to the short ribs. Subtle yes, but if the juniper weren't there, we would certainly miss it. These wonderful ribs are delicious with mashed potatoes, which happily lap up the meat's savory juices.

5 lbs. short ribs
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 carrots, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
2 tablespoons juniper berries, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

2. Pat short ribs dry and season with 2 1/2 tsp salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown ribs in 2 batches, transferring to a plate.
Discard fat from pot, then add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and juniper over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.

2. Add wine and boil until reduced by half. Return ribs to pot along with chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and braise in oven until meat is fork-tender, 3 to 3 1/4 hours.

3. Remove ribs from pot and set aside. Let cooking liquid stand briefly, then skim fat from top. Return meat to sauce and gently reheat. Discard bay leaf.

Cook's note: Ribs can be braised 3 days ahead, fat discarded, and chilled (covered once cool).

Potato Gratin with Juniper
Gourmet, Sept. 2005
Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings

1 1/2 teaspoons juniper berries *
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 lb russet (baking) potatoes (about 4)

Special equipment: electric coffee/spice grinder; adjustable-blade slicer; 2-quart flameproof shallow baking dish

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Finely grind juniper berries in grinder.

2. Whisk together cream, butter, 1 1/4 teaspoons ground juniper (discard remainder), salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Fold potato slices into cream mixture and transfer to baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover tightly with foil and bake until potatoes are very tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Preheat broiler. Remove foil and broil potatoes 2 to 3 inches from heat until golden, about 6 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

* Available in the spice section of some supermarkets.