Infusion is the Secret to More Flavor
Barley Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Pistachios
It took me some years before I realized what separates a good cook from a splendid cook! That secret, surprisingly enough, came to me as I began learning about Aleppo’s unique cuisine. You see, its reputation for spices is partly the reason. As I mention in the cookbook, the trade route through Aleppo gave its cuisine an international flavor, as humble as it may have been.
Another reason, which is known to most seasoned cooks is infusion.The idea behind infusing a dish is adding layers. Spices are an integral part of many dishes, especially in our Middle Eastern foods. But that subtle extra dimension of infusion will add so much more to many of your home cooked meals.
So, why not infuse some of your dishes for a more complex flavor? Any herb, fresh or dried, using hot water, broth, stock or sauce is your starter. For instance, you can make that stew more flavorful with a lot less effort by adding a bay leaf, some celery or coriander seeds, a bit of red wine or some whole cloves while it simmers. Have a plain pudding that needs some pizzaz? Infusing your warmed milk with a scraped vanilla bean will add a distinctive layer of goodness. Rice pudding can benefit from some cardamom pods while cooking.Chili always tastes richer with some pan-heated cumin seeds before grinding them.Fresh mint or basil works subtle wonders in so many meat and vegetable stewing dishes or crock pot meals.
Simple syrup, which is just sugar and water, simmered until thickened, is a wonderful base for any of the flavored waters available. In the case of our Middle Eastern cookery, we often add Orange Blossom or Rose Water to enhance our syrup. The syrup becomes aromatic and tastier before we pour it over our Syrian sweets. Any citrus juice, lemon grass or even crushed pomegranate seeds, arils, will also add a unique fresh flavor as the syrup simmers. You can add your infused syrup to tea instead of honey. Fresh mint can also infuse a simple syrup for Mint Juleps or other beverages. Star Anise is another flavorful herb that will add unique character to some dishes.
When I make this fruited Barley Pilaf, I put a cinnamon stick into the water as the barley simmers so that the dish has that extra layer of flavor to set it apart.