You know how men become instant experts at anything they try their hand at, right. Well, cooking is no exception. And since The Kontos Report started working from home we have become the master of our kitchen domain, producing culinary masterpiece after masterpiece, sorry, joking, producing sufficiently edible dinners which are ready when She Who Must Be Obeyed (thank you Rumpole of the Bailey) arrives home after a hard day at the office. Which started me thinking the other day about how I cook and what basic ingredients I go to during the week. So I have come up with this week’s Top Five spices in the Kontos Kitchen:
Number 1: Cumin. A lot of people use cumin, and I think it’s for two reasons. One is that it has a beautiful, sweet smell, and the second is that it brings a subtle flavour to whatever you’re adding to. Some spices can be overpowering if you use a tiny bit more than you should, but with cumin you can get away with it most of the time.
Number 2: Seafood seasoning. We grill fish twice a week for dinner most weeks and this spice mixture adds just enough saltiness and flavour to whatever fish we have bought. I discovered seafood seasoning in Liverpool, where I used to order grilled fish for lunch at Mr Seafood in the Macqarie Mall. I took an instant liking to it and asked the owner and cook, Peter, what was in it. “Ah,’’ he’d say. “A secret, old family recipe.’’ I’d ask him again the next time, and the next, and must have worn Peter down, because eventually one day he said: “Eric, mate, you can buy this stuff anywhere, I’ve been pulling your leg.’’
Number 3: Moroccan spice is another subtle spice that’s easy to use. I put it on steaks, lamb or chicken or pork I am about to barbecue and it produces a lovely flavour that’s not over the top. I even rub it on fish when I want to have a change from seafood seasoning, and Moroccan spice does not disappoint.
Number 4: Harissa Middle Eastern blend I tend to rub into chicken mostly, and again it is a subtle spice that does not overpower the meat. Delicious if you want to make home made chicken or lamb kebabs. Just make sure you use Greek pita bread not Lebanese bread.
Number 5. I left the craziest spice, curry powder, for last. Crazy in that use a bit more than you’re supposed to and your beef curry will become inedible or close to it. So I’ve learned the trick is to add a little at a time and taste, until you’ve got the right heat level you require. I do like a good curry but had never made one myself until this year. A work in progress is all I can say about my curries.
