Martha Stewart Says This Pantry Staple Is Her Favorite Spice
It’s probably already in your kitchen.
I'll take any chance to learn more about Martha Stewart's cooking secrets. Of course, I've rewatched The Martha Stewart Show, and last fall I was lucky enough to interview Stewart in person. I learned that she cooks her Thanksgiving turkey "en papillote" to keep it moist, and that her mom's tip for perfectly tender pierogi is to stir a touch of sour cream into the dough.
Not all of Stewart's culinary advice comes in handy every day. I only make her one-ingredient Coca-Cola granita in the summer, and while her method for cooking steak is foolproof, I'm not willing to splurge on strip steaks every week. However, this entertaining icon also has a long list of tips that are easy to incorporate into daily meals. You can start by using more of her favorite spice.
If you want to hear the latest dispatches from Martha Stewart, I recommend tuning in to her podcast — The Martha Stewart Podcast — where she interviews influential guests and shares her own insights along the way. In a September episode of the podcast, Stewart spoke with several Real Housewives of New York City cast members about everything from tomato soup to their favorite cups of coffee.
Related: José Andrés Shares the 3 Essential Seasonings He Always Keeps in His Pantry
Considering that this episode was sponsored by the spice brand McCormick & Company, it's no surprise that a guest asked Stewart to share her favorite seasoning. According to Martha Stewart, "My favorite spice of all is — I like coriander. Both the fresh and the dry." She's referring to the dry spice, coriander, and its fresh counterpart, which most Americans know as the herb cilantro. Beyond the fact that one is fresh and the other is dry, there's another key difference between these two ingredients.
The dried, powdered seasoning you know as coriander is classified as a spice (not an herb) because it isn't actually made from the leaves of Coriandrum sativum, the coriander plant. Instead, coriander seasoning is made from the plant's dried, ground seeds. You can also buy whole coriander seeds, which are used in a wide range of global cuisines, from Eastern Europe to India.
Coriander and cilantro also have different flavor profiles. The plant's seeds are nutty, warming, earthy, and slightly lemony, while cilantro leaves are bright, fresh, citrusy, and slightly peppery. Although some people find that cilantro tastes like soap, coriander rarely triggers the same response.
Related: Emeril Lagasse Shares the Simple Cajun Spice Blend He's Used for Over 30 Years
Because of coriander's warming, earthy flavor profile, I often use it in place of black pepper. The American tendency to season every dish with a combination of salt and black pepper is inherited from French cuisine. While salt makes everything taste more like itself, pairing it with black pepper is somewhat arbitrary. I prefer to season my scrambled eggs with salt and coriander, and I do the same with most simple salad dressings.
Martha Stewart combines both seasonings in one of her classic Thanksgiving turkey recipes. Her Roasted Turkey Rubbed With Coriander, Black Pepper, and Fennel doubles down on aromatic spices with a punchy rub. The same recipe calls for breaking down a whole turkey before roasting it, which helps each part of the bird cook evenly. It's a holiday showstopper, and you can tell everyone at the table that your turkey is seasoned with Martha Stewart's favorite spice.
Coriander vs. Cilantro
Coriander
The dried spice harvested from Coriandrum sativum is usually referred to as "coriander" in the United States.
This spice is made from the seeds of the coriander plant, which are dried and sold either whole or ground.
Toasting whole coriander seeds before cooking with them helps release their essential oils and natural flavor.
Coriander tastes warming, nutty, earthy, and a little lemony. It can be used in either sweet or savory applications.
Cilantro
The herb "cilantro" is typically called "coriander" outside of the United States.
Cilantro is the tender leaves of the Coriandrum sativum plant, making it an herb, not a spice.
Some consumers have a genetic variant that makes them sensitive to the taste of cilantro, describing it as tasting like soap.
Cilantro is bright, citrusy, fresh, and peppery and is most often used in savory dishes.
Read the original article on Food & Wine
