We mostly think of cinnamon as a baking or mulling spice,
but it's used as a savory spice for cooking main dishes too.
Saigon cinnamon is one of the boldest types of the spice
and works great for savory recipes, but you can use regular
cinnamon in its place. Try one or more of these recipes
to get a feel how to use it in dishes.
Spicy Beef and Bean Stew
Ingredients:
1/3 cup al-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
black pepper to season
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch squares
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (28 ounces) can tomatoes, cut up
1 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 slices orange rind, no white
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 cups sliced or baby carrots
2 (15 ounces) cans chickpeas, drained
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag.. Coat the
meat cubes by adding to the bag and shaking till coated. In a
large skillet or Dutch oven brown the meat in very hot oil
about 10 minutes or until browned. Remove the pan from
the heat. Stir in the undrained tomatoes, water, cinnamon,
orange peel, garlic, cumin and sugar. Simmer covered about
1 hour 15 minutes or until meat is almost tender. Add the
carrots and cook covered until tender (about 20 minutes).
Add the chick peas and cook until heated through. Serve over
noodles, rice or couscous.
Beef Empanadas
Ingredients:
Pastry:
3 cups all purpose flour
11/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 to 2/3 cups ice water
oil for frying
Filling :
1 medium onion, minced
1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 cups shredded boiled beef (or browned ground beef)
1 large potato, cooked and diced
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp.ground cumin
salt to taste
1/2 cup herb or wine vinegar, sherry, wine or water
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening
with a pastry cutter or finger till it resembles crumbs. Add enough
ice water to make the dough stick together. Like with biscuits, do
NOT overwork the dough. Thinly roll out dough to about 1/8 inch
on a floured surface. Cut into four inch rounds. Set aside or make
the filling first if you wish. Sauté onion in oil till softened. Add
meat, potato, raisins, seasonings, and salt to taste. Stir and cook
to heat through. Pour in the liquid . Place a small amount of filling
on one side of each round. Fold over the other half and seal by using
a fork Dipped in cold water. Press the edges together with the fork.
Allow the pastries to sit for 30 minutes on one side , then turn over
and let sit for 30 minutes on the other side to dry and seal edges.
Fry in a 1/2 inch or so of hot oil until golden brown on each side.
Serve hot or cold. Makes about 20 empanadas
Middle Eastern Eggplant Stew
Ingredients:
1 pound beef stew meat into 1-inch cubes
2 onions, sliced very thinly
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
2 medium sized eggplants, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Juice of 2 lemons
1 large tomato, peeled and sliced
In a Dutch oven, brown the meat with the onions and garlic in about 3
tablespoons of oil. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, salt and pepper.
Pour in 3 cups of water with meat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce
heat and simmer for 1 hour. Sprinkle both sides of eggplant pieces
with salt and let it stand 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Sauté the
eggplant in a skillet with a tablespoon of oil; set aside. Add tomato
paste and lemon juice to the meat, mix well. Adjust seasoning if
necessary. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the meat and
sauce into an ovenproof casserole; arrange eggplant and tomato
slices on top. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Serve hot with rice.
Serves 6 to 8.
Savory Brown Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 cinnamon stick or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
Rinse rice several times and drain. In 3-quart pan, heat oil over
medium-high heat. Add onions, caraway and cinnamon. Sauté,
stirring, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice
and sauté for an additional minute, add stock and water, bring
mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30-40
minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff the
rice with fork, remove cinnamon stick and serve immediately.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three living in the Midwest
United States. She is also editor of OldFashionedLiving.com.
