There are certain spices I always keep on hand. Some I use (or will use) in almost any dish. Changing up the spices you use will give new life to your meals. A lot of the time the spices can make otherwise bland food taste awesome. Parmesan Crusted Fish for example. The original recipe had zero flavor. It tasted like breadcrumbs but I added some Marjoram and Black Pepper to it and it’s amazing! So without further ado I’d like to introduce you the five ingredients that spice up my life.
1. Marjoram – The Marjoram plant is the same genus as Oregano. I find it a bit sweeter with less of the Oregano tang and thus I use it more often. It is also more expensive but I think it’s totally worth it.
2. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Easiest way to spice up any dish. Soup, fish, lasagna, scrambled eggs … anything!
3. Paprika – Sweet paprika, smoked paprika, hungarian paprika. It’s all subtle but always adds a little something. I even put it in stir fries.
4. Cumin – Also great in stir fries and soups. It has a very distinct flavor so a little bit can go a really long way.
5. White Pepper – As opposed to black pepper, this variation is a lot stronger. Less is more with this baby!
So, those are my faves. I also use a lot of sea salt, oregano, basil, turmeric and garlic. I use a ton of garlic cloves but in lieu of that, I’ll happily use garlic powder.
I’d love to know what your favorites are! Maybe there’s something I’m missing out on.
Mmm Cayenne too!
Nice! I use everything but marjoram. Gonna give it a whirl.