Courtesy of Food Tips by Angie (FoodTipsByAngie.com)
Cooking with spirits adds heavenly flavor to your dishes, one splash at a time! The first and most important rule is to cook with quality spirits that you would drink: most often you don’t need much. If you can’t or choose not to enjoy spirits, you can still add a great extra flavor to your dishes by substituting a broth or a citrus juice depending on your dish.
Beer will bring your chili to a whole new level. Add a bottle to your next pot and you will see what I mean. (Try this recipe for beer chili)
Use red wine for your red meat dishes like beef stew and steak. When you reduce wine (cook it down so you have half of what you started with), it takes on a whole new dimension enhancing the flavor: deep, dark and delicious (like Julia Child’s beef bourguignon). Use white wine for fish, chicken and pork dishes. Caramelize a finely chopped onion, add a few capers and deglaze the pan with a little white wine for a simple sauce.
Vodka traditionally doesn’t have any flavor, so it will take on the flavor of what you put it in.
Add sherry to your Swedish Meatballs for an awesome tang! (Try Angie’s own recipe for Swedish meatballs)
Brandy – a little goes a long way – add a few splashes to olive tapenade.
Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum gives this Rum Pineapple Sauce a zing. Cook 1/4 cup finely diced pineapple in a little oil until brown, mix in 1/4 cup of Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum and 1/4 cup of pineapple juice. Cook for half an hour and season with salt and cracked pepper blend. Thicken with cornstarch or puree it for a smooth sauce. Serve over grilled pork tenderloin.
Related: Love Your Cabernet but Want to Know More? Try an e-Wine Class!
