Bloom Your Spices for Bolder Flavors
A spicy future awaits
Today I’ve got a remarkably simple tip that will have a huge impact on the flavor of your recipes. Let’s talk about blooming or tempering our spices.
Consider the process where most dishes that are cooked on the stove begin:
Start with a splash of oil in a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-low.
Cut up half of an onion and add to the shimmering oil.
Mince as much garlic as you’d like to use.
Get the main ingredients (tomatoes, ground beef, vegetables, rice, etc) ready.
When the onions are soft, add the garlic.
Wait 30 seconds, then add the main ingredient.
Add water or broth.
Add herbs and spices - oregano, thyme, chile powder, cumin, ginger, black pepper, chile flakes, etc. Stir everything together.
Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have come together, 30 minutes or longer.
Chili, taco filling, risotto, saag paneer, curries, goulash, frittatas, roasted potatoes, shakshuka, roasted broccoli, soups of all kinds, and so many more - all follow this same basic pattern.
Let’s change it up
One simple alteration, using the same ingredients, will make your favorite recipes tastier, with bold spices and brilliant flavors.
When the onions are soft and it’s time to add the garlic, add all of the rest of the herbs and spices at the same time. Wait 30 seconds or so, and then add the main ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
You’ve just discovered the joy of blooming your spices.
Blooming your spices
When herbs and spices are bathed in warm oil (or butter) for a short time, fat-soluble compounds are released and the flavors are evenly dispersed throughout your recipe. This amplifies their character and brings out the best of their spicy goodness.
It doesn’t take very long - between 30 seconds and a minute - to transform those ground spices from the back of the cupboard (let’s be honest, they’ve probably been there a really long time) into their best selves, something truly fragrant and delicious.
This doesn’t just apply to spices that you are going to use in savory applications either. Sweet things with ground spices (think cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, cloves) get an extra boost here too. Cinnamon rolls, pecan pie filling, sauteed apples, molasses cookies, gingerbread, cakes, pies, and cobblers, are all better versions of themselves when they are made with bloomed spices.
How to bloom your spices
Blooming your spices couldn’t be easier. Add a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil, coconut oil, ghee, or butter to a skillet or saucepan over low heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the spices and gently warm them until the ground spices have turned a bit darker and a spicy aroma fills your kitchen, about 30 seconds. Ground spices can burn quickly, so be prepared to remove the pan from the heat before they get too hot.
If you are using spices in things that don’t typically cook on the stove - like cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes, and pies, bloom your spices in the oil or butter (see Toast #6 - Browned Butter) the recipe calls for, then cool (and refrigerate to firm up, if needed) the mixture and add it to your recipe.
Your favorite recipes just got a spicy upgrade.
Let’s Cook
This week’s recipe is for Borracho (Drunken) Beans. It’s amazing. It’s a great way to try out blooming your spices, as it uses canned beans which can sometimes be a bit lacking, and turns them into something extraordinary.
Use any can of beer you’ve got lurking in the fridge. The alcohol cooks off and it leaves a great flavor behind but sub out non-alcoholic beer or broth if you’d like. Also feel free to play with blooming extra spices - herbs, chili powder, more cumin, or paprika all would be fun additions.
Serve your Borracho Beans alongside tacos, burritos, a steak, grilled cheese, BBQ sandwiches, or as part of my favorite breakfast - topped with a fried egg and a dollop of sour cream. It’s a perfect beginning to a quiet Sunday.
