A few years ago, I was dining at a French restaurant. I
ordered one of my favourites - a crock of French onion soup topped
with a big crouton and Gruyere cheese. When it arrived, I eagerly
dug in, only to find that something was extremely off about the
taste. It was way too sweet.
French onion soup is full of caramelised onions, which
are cooked properly when they reach an even balance of sweetness
and bitterness. Someone had definitely taken the onions off the
heat too soon. It tasted like dessert onion soup. No, thank
you.
At some point or another, we all bite into a dish that
tastes off. Sometimes the reason is extremely obvious; other times
it's harder to pinpoint the cause. We just know something doesn't
taste right, or perhaps it simply tastes boring.
When you're trying to prepare food from scratch at home
and run into this issue, it can be very frustrating. More often
than not, the key to correcting (and preventing) a dish that misses
the mark is finding a harmonious flavour balance.
Learning to balance flavours is a skill that you will
develop through practice. You can read descriptions about sweet
versus sour, but like learning a musical instrument, it won't make
a difference until you begin practicing. It's a simple skill to
develop as you cook. Taste ingredients while you're cooking to try
to detect and isolate the different flavour components, and figure
out what might be lacking. Before finishing a dish, taste it again
and see if it needs anything.
That's truly what this is all about. It's known as
developing your palate. The more you work on developing your
palate, the more pronounced different flavours will become, making
it easier to intuitively know what to adjust.
Today, we're talking about the five primary tastes
(sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami) and how to balance them. I'll
also go over a few spice basics and show you how to make a
versatile spice blend from scratch that you might normally purchase
at the store.
We'll tie it all together with this week's recipe:
loaded baked sweet potatoes using my homemade Cajun seasoning
blend.
The five tastes
1. Sweet
Shoutout to my fellow dessert lovers and sugar addicts
out there. We are programmed to love sweetness; it releases
endorphins in our brains. It's also a very powerful taste to master
in the kitchen.
Too much or too little can kill a dessert. But
sweetness also plays an important role in savoury dishes. The best
dishes have a balance of sweet and savoury. (This is why salted
desserts are popular.) Sometimes adding a touch of sweetness to
chili - or any stew - is a perfect way to brighten the other
flavours.
How to balance too much sweetness: Add a splash of
vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. Avoid adding salt since that could
enhance the sweetness.
When to add more sweetness: If a dish is overly bitter,
and you want to take the edge off.
More sweet ingredients: Maple syrup, light agave
nectar, fruits (especially berries)
2. Salty
Salt is an amazing ingredient when it comes to
enhancing recipes. When we season with salt, the goal is never to
make things "salty," but to coax out all of the other flavours in
the dish.
Our taste buds adapt to enjoy more or less salt
depending on how much we consume, which is why many recipes
recommend salting to taste. It often truly is a personal
preference, but that doesn't make "to taste" instructions any less
frustrating when you're trying to learn how to cook.
As you taste recipes, ask yourself whether you can
identify the unique ingredients and their flavours. Can you taste
the sweetness of the strawberries? The sourness/acidity of the
lemon?
Adding just a pinch of salt is sometimes all that's
needed to brighten up the flavours and aromas in a recipe. Remember
that it's easier to add than to subtract, so go slowly. And keep
tasting your recipe as you season it.
How to balance too much saltiness: Try adding a pinch
of sugar or a drop of honey. If that doesn't work, you may need to
dilute your recipe by adding more of the other (non-salty)
ingredients to counter the saltiness.
When to add more salt: If a recipe is bland or slightly
bitter. But again, add slowly, "to taste."
More salty ingredients: Anchovies, olives, soy
sauce
3. Bitter
Humans are hard-wired to have a sensitivity to
bitterness, and in large amounts, the flavour can be unpleasant.
However, just the right level of bitterness adds interest and
balance to other dishes, especially sweet ones.
A great example is chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate is
often more pleasing because the bitterness complements the
chocolate's sweetness. On the other hand, semi-sweet or milk
chocolate can sometimes be cloying because there isn't that bitter
contrast. Coffee, another bitter ingredient, pairs wonderfully with
chocolate for the same reason; the flavours complement and enhance
each other.
How to balance too much bitterness: Add some salt.
While salt will enhance sweet, sour and umami, it can actually cut
the intensity of bitterness.
When to add more bitterness: If a dish is too
sweet.
More bitter ingredients: Arugula, mustard, walnuts
4. Sour
The mouth-puckering sensation we associate with lemons
is created by a sour taste, also known as acidity. A teaspoon of
vinegar or lemon juice can quickly brighten and give life to a
bland dish.
Homemade lemonade is a great example of a balanced
drink. Too much fresh lemon or sugar will ruin it. It needs the
right balance of both.
How to balance too much sourness: Try adding
sweetness.
When to add more sourness/acidity: If a dish is
bland.
More sour ingredients: Cranberries, buttermilk, sour
cream
5. Umami
Umami is a savoury taste that occurs naturally in
certain amino acid-rich foods, such as aged cheeses, mushrooms and
soy sauce. It's a great way to ramp up the flavour of your savory
dishes.
How to balance too much umami: Since your dish might
still be otherwise balanced, you can try increasing any
neutral-flavoured ingredients in the dish (vegetables, etc).
When to add more umami: If a savory dish needs more
intensity.
More umami ingredients: Cooked tomatoes, fish sauce,
cured meats
Spices
It can be a little daunting when you're first starting
out with spices, but they're a wonderful tool to have in your
kitchen arsenal. Spices (and herbs) give aroma, flavour and colour
to food.
Much like learning to balance flavours, the best way to
become acquainted with spices is simply to start using them - and
remember to taste as you go. There's no need to stock your entire
spice cabinet all at once. That's overwhelming and often leads to
spices getting stale and going to waste. Work with a few spices at
a time and experiment to see what pairs well together.
Spice blends that you purchase at the store can usually
be prepared at home, and it's a good exercise for learning
pairings. One of my favourite versatile blends to get you started
is below.
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
(Makes about 1 cup)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tsps dried thyme
1 Tbs garlic powder (granulated garlic)
1 Tbs onion powder
3 Tbs mild or sweet paprika
2 Tbs kosher salt
2 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsps ground cayenne pepper
METHOD
1. Use a fork or whisk to blend the spices, salt and
peppers in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container at room
temperature for up to six months.
Suggested uses: Use as a spice rub on salmon or chicken
before grilling, mix with freshly cooked corn, add to egg salad,
and try in my baked sweet potatoes recipe below.
Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes With Cajun Seasoning
4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Four 340g medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
1/2 cup sour cream
2 1/4 tsps Homemade Cajun Seasoning, or more as
needed
One 411g can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
(1 cup)
1 1/2 tsps extra-virgin olive oil
3 or 4 fresh chives, finely chopped (4 tsps)
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 205 degrees Celsius. Line a
baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place the sweet
potatoes on the sheet. Use a fork to prick the sweet potatoes in
several places; this helps to release steam.
2. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, or until they are
soft.
3. Whisk together the sour cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons of
the Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Combine the black beans, red
bell pepper, oil and remaining 3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning in a
separate, microwave-safe bowl. Taste; add more Cajun seasoning, as
needed.
4. Warm the black bean mixture in the microwave on high
for approximately 60 to 90 seconds, stirring halfway through.
(Alternatively, you can warm the ingredients in a small saucepan
over medium heat).
5. To serve, place a sweet potato on each plate. Cut
each one in half lengthwise, opening the slit enough to expose some
of the flesh. Top each one with one-quarter of the black bean
mixture, a generous dollop of the Cajun-spiced sour cream and 1
teaspoon of the chives.
Serve hot.
ST