Sometimes, even a familiar face is hard to recognize when seen out of context.
This has happened to vanilla. Although the flavoring usually is relegated to cakes, cookies and most everything else with a sugar coating, vanilla has a sophisticated side, offering rich, earthy undertones to savory dishes in ways that are worth exploring.
Vanilla is a tropical plant, Vanilla planifolia, and it hasn’t much more inherent sweetness than a clove or stick of cinnamon. Fresh vanilla beans aren’t even particularly aromatic until they have had time to ferment. But because vanilla’s dreamy fragrance and flavor are so widely paired with sugar, it is firmly associated with dessert.
Nothing wrong there. But in the same way vanilla so superbly enhances the tastes of chocolate and cream, it also can boost the finer qualities of savory ingredients from shrimp to duck.
“It just brightens things,” said one ardent fan, Patricia Rain, a California author and the owner of The Vanilla. COMpany, an online store selling a variety of products made from vanilla extract.
A longtime researcher of the history and sources of vanilla, from Mexico to Tahiti, Rain also is the author of two cookbooks about the spice (one, “The Vanilla Cookbook,” is out of print; the other, “The Vanilla Chef,” is to be published this fall). She has many inspiring ways to incorporate the bean into menus.
Rain often makes a vanilla-honey-chipotle glaze for poultry and pork and a vanilla butternut squash risotto. She also likes to rub a split vanilla bean around the rim of a margarita glass before adding the salt.
“In Tahiti, I met a chef who would toss the scraped pod into soup stock,” she said. In another favorite dish, chicken with dried chilies, the vanilla cuts a little of the heat.
Rain would find a like-minded culinary friend in chef John Bubala of Thyme restaurant.
Two of Bubala’s menu items feature the spice. One, an appetizer, sauces lightly breaded shrimp with a vanilla bean nage, or froth, and a drizzle of red wine syrup. The other is a spit-roasted rabbit scented with lavender and leeks and a bit of vanilla butter.
“Vanilla is not like garlic. You can’t use it in every course,” Bubala said. “But with naturally sweet shellfish like shrimp and lobster, with a second component of acid from the red wine, there are these wonderful flavors contrasting in your mouth. Lobster bisque is wonderful with a touch of vanilla bean.”
Meat can get the same treatment. Guillermo Pernot of Pasion! restaurant in Philadelphia pairs roasted rabbit with a vanilla sauce, while Michael Gaspard of Chicago’s Pump Room scents a grilled foie gras dish with vanilla.
Nor can you rule out the bean’s appeal in a side dish. Chef Norman Van Aken of Norman’s in Coral Gables, Fla., has a recipe for a cream of smoked plantains seasoned with bacon and hot peppers and a touch of vanilla.
With the spice’s successful transition into so many savory courses, it is surprising that it isn’t seen more often.
Deborah Krasner, a cookbook author based in Vermont, said she had to go to Turkey to rediscover the seasoning.
“I was sitting in a seaside restaurant in the coastal town of Bodrum,” said the author of the new “Flavors of Olive Oil.” “An eggplant puree arrived at the table and it was so fabulous. They had infused the olive oil for the puree with vanilla. I never in my imagination would have thought of vanilla and eggplant together.”
Krasner has made a vanilla-infused quince preserve to serve with her Thanksgiving turkey, but the Turkish restaurant led her to re-create the eggplant recipe for her book. She also demonstrated it for a class she taught recently at Sur La Table in Chicago.
Everyone on the vanilla learning curve will discover that the plant began its culinary life as an aromatic and aphrodisiac long before it became a staple in sweet things, according to “Chilies To Chocolate: Foods the Americas Gave the World,” edited by Nelson Foster and Linda S. Cordell. In this respect, vanilla was a lot like chocolate.
An edible orchid native to Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, vanilla was first cultivated by the Totonac Indians in what is now the Mexican state of Veracruz. The flowers, which grow on climbing vines, bear fruit that in their unripe state look like greenish-yellow string beans. The Totonacs learned to develop the beans’ signature scent by curing it with heat or hot water and sun-drying it, processes still used today. (Liquid vanilla is extracted through a cold solution of alcohol and water.)
The Spanish colonizers took the Totonac crop to Europe, where it soon became popular, if expensive. The French learned to cultivate vanilla in colonies including Madagascar and the Seychelles. Madagascar, Mexico, Tahiti and Indonesia are now the world’s four main producers.
It took until the late 1700s for the bean to come full circle back to North America when Thomas Jefferson brought vanilla back from France.
Apothecary shops in the U.S. sold tinctures of highly sweetened vanilla extract, used to settle upset stomachs, until early in the 20th Century, according to Rain.
“It was a very high dose of alcohol and sugar,” she said. “The extract was used as a medicine, then increasingly as a flavoring.”
It went on t o become a popular scent, too, widely used in perfumes and home products.
The pervasiveness of vanilla extends further than scented candles, explained Julie Mennella, a biopsychologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadephlia.
“If a lactating mom eats a lot of vanilla, it transmits to the milk and babies develop a preference for it,” said Mennella of her research. “We found that if we added it to formula, infants sucked differently. If you add it to a toy, babies explore it more. It is the same even with a day-old baby.”
Although Americans consume 1,200 tons of vanilla beans a year, much of the vanilla we smell and taste is not the real thing. Vanilla is expensive to market, as vines can take up to three years to bloom, the flowers must be hand-pollinated and the fruit is harvested only once a year. The cultivation process from planting to market can take up to six years, according to the Waukegan-based firm, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.
Most of the vanilla in processed foods resembles the bean in name only. Manufacturers long ago learned to synthesize vanillin–the naturally occurring compound that gives the plant its flavor–from such things as wood pulp.
For serious cooks, real vanilla, despite its expense, is the only option when it comes to flavor. And quality vanilla is easier to find than ever.
When it comes time to use that vanilla, laboriously planted and lovingly ripened in the sun and shade of a rain forest, think of it in terms of a banquet.
You don’t have to go straight to dessert.
Vanilla’s other side
Perhaps because vanilla is an orchid, it makes so many other flavors blossom.
In desserts, vanilla often is expected to make a strong statement. But in savory dishes, it adds the subtlest effects.
If you’d like to experiment with vanilla’s other side, here are some suggestions:
– A teaspoon of vanilla in Italian tomato sauces or Mexican chili helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
– Add a small amount to fruit or vegetable chutneys or relishes.
– Try sprinkling vanilla in a baked nut-and-cereal cocktail mix.
– Add a vanilla bean to chicken broth, chicken soups or cream soups for a rich, round flavor.
– Make a vanilla oil for cooking seafood or for adding to a vinaigrette: Heat extra-virgin olive oil or a light vegetable oil it is the temperature of hot bathwater. Scrape out a vanilla bean and place the seeds and the pod in the oil. Cover; let stand 5-10 minutes. Strain before using. You may keep the oil in the refrigerator for a week or two.
– Add vanilla to a coconut curry.
– Stir a small amount of vanilla extract into a mint julep, or any Bourbon or rum drink.
— Kristin Eddy
Sources for vanilla
Look for good-quality vanilla beans and pure extract at specialty food retailers, such as Fox & Obel and the Chopping Block in Chicago, and area Treasure Island and Whole Foods stores; at spice stores, such as The Spice House in Chicago and Evanston; Penzeys Spices in Naperville and Oak Park; and Let’s Spice It Up in Highwood; or on the Internet from the Vanilla.COMpany at www.vanilla.com or The Spice Hunter at www. spicehunter.com.
Some of these retailers also may carry vanilla powder, which contains no sugar or alcohol, and vanilla paste, which, because it does not completely dissolve like extract, is used for decorative purposes. Check the product label or with the retailer for information on equivalencies.
When you come across vanilla extracts from different countries, you will discover a difference in price. The quality of the plant depends on where it is grown and how is was cured and processed. Many vanilla connoisseurs prefer Tahitian vanilla because they find it to be fruitier and more floral, but it is also is the most expensive.
At home, store vanilla extract, tightly sealed, at room temperature. Do not refrigerate it. Depending on the product, a bottle of vanilla extract can last for a couple of years, but smell it before using to make sure the aroma is still strong. Vanilla beans are much more perishable; if they are not tightly wrapped and kept in a cool dry place, they can get moldy. They should keep for about a year. If they become too dried out, they can be rehydrated in liquid.
Vanilla beans may be added whole to the foods they season, but to maximize their flavor, use a thin, sharp knife to slit the pod lengthwise. Use the knife tip or a small spoon to scrape the seeds and pulp from inside the bean. Stir the seeds and pulp into whatever you are making; if the dish requires slow cooking, throw the pod in as well. Discard before serving; the pod is too fibrous to be edible.
— K.E.
Tough assignment: Vanillas smell better than they taste
Imitation vanilla flavoring may be what many of us grew up on, but the food industry has recently offered consumers a range of pure vanilla extracts and whole beans from all over the world.
When it was time to do a blind tasting, the Good Eating staff located 10 brands of pure vanilla extract at local supermarkets and specialty food stores. We also threw in a ringer, McCormick’s imitation vanilla, which, surprisingly, was rated the same as the company’s pure extract.
Although the Tribune test kitchen smelled heavenly when all the extracts had been poured into tasting dishes, the experiment itself was not fun.
You know what? A sip of plain extract, a solution composed of various combinations of vanilla beans, alcohol, water and sometimes sugar, is pretty awful. Many of the extracts were sharp, bitter or just totally alcoholic. To balance our evaluation, each extract also was added in equal amounts to a sweetened custard, so that the lovely flavor of vanilla could be enjoyed in a more typical setting.
Our tasters were looking for full, rich vanilla aroma and a balanced taste.
The top finisher, Simply Organic Vanilla Extract, was purchased at Whole Foods Market, as was the third-place winner (in a tie), The Spicery Shoppe. Dominick’s house brand was the second place winner. The other third-place finisher, Nielsen-Massey, is available at some supermarkets, as well as specialty food shops; information about which retail stores carry the product also is on the company’s web site, www.nielsen-massey.com.
Six judges tasted the unidentified vanillas and rated them on a nine-point scale. Prices are what we paid and may reflect frequent-shopper card discounts. Price per ounce is rounded off to the nearest cent.
Here are the winners, with tasters’ remarks. The rest are listed in order of finish.
1. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract. (7 points. $6 for 4 ounces; $1.50 per ounce.) “Very intense and astringent; sweet overtones.” “Mild vanilla notes.” “Putty and wet plaster aroma.”
2. Dominick’s Pure Vanilla Extract. (6.6 points. $6.59 for 2 ounces; $3.30 per ounce.) “Sweet, nice aroma.” “Spicy aroma.” “Dark, rich appearance.”
3. (Tie) Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract (6.4 points. $10 for 4 ounces; $2.50 per ounce.) “Nice, smooth flavor.” “Fruity and round aroma.” “Very bland.”
The Spicery Shoppe Pure Vanilla Extract (6.4 points. $4.69 for 4 ounces; $1.17 per ounce.) “Smooth and rich flavor.” “Hint of chocolate aroma; restrained.” “Nice clean vanilla taste.”
Others tasted
4. Trader Joe’s Tahitian Blend Pure Vanilla Extract (5.3 points.) 5. (tie) McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract and McCormick Premium Quality Imitation Vanilla Extract (4.9 points). 6. Organic Frontier Natural Flavors Vanilla Extract (4.8 points) 7. Jewel Pure Vanilla Extract (4.7 points) 8. Morton & Bassett Spices Pure Vanilla Extract (4.6 points) 9. Flavorganics Pure Vanilla Extract (4.1 points).
— K.E.
Ginger carrot salad with vanilla
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Although no sugar is added to this crunchy, refreshing side dish, vanilla beautifully enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots. Serve it alongside poached salmon, grilled chicken or pork tenderloin. Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
1/2 cup each: slivered almonds, vegetable oil
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, grated
1 piece (1/2-inch long) ginger root, minced
1 cup golden raisins
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds in single layer on baking sheet. Toast until lightly colored, stirring once, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar and vanilla in serving bowl; add salt and pepper. Add carrots, ginger, raisins and almonds; toss with dressing.
Nutrition information per serving:
330 calories, 59% calories from fat, 23 g fat, 2.7 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 225 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3.9 g protein, 4.5 g fiber
Asian veal stew with vanilla
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
Vong chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten turns a classic French veal stew into one with an Asian accent in this recipe, adapted from “Simple To Spectacular.” Fresh lemon grass is available at ethnic specialty stores and many supermarkets.
2 tablespoons each: canola oil, unsalted butter
2 pounds boneless veal shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
Ground white pepper
1 each, coarsely chopped: carrot, celery rib
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 sprigs thyme
1 stalk lemon grass, trimmed, cut into several pieces
1 small chili pepper, seeded, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried crushed pepper flakes
1 vanilla bean
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
8 pearl onions, peeled
8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, quartered
1 cup (4 ounces) sugar snap or snow peas, trimmed
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1. Heat the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the veal with salt and pepper. Cook veal in small batches, turning often, until browned, about 4 minutes per batch; remove meat to a platter.
2. Add carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, lemon grass and chili to pan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape out seeds; set seeds aside. Add vanilla pod to the Dutch oven. Stir in chicken broth, scraping bottom of pot. Heat mixture to boiling; return veal to pot. Lower heat to simmer; cover. Cook until veal is tender, about 11/2 hours.
3. Remove meat from pan with a slotted spoon. Strain the liquid; discard solids. Return liquid to Dutch oven. Add onions, cook 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and peas; cook over medium heat until peas are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Return veal to pan. Stir in coconut milk, lime juice and reserved vanilla seeds. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
330 calories, 51% calories from fat, 18 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 925 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 32 g protein, 1.4 g fiber
Sauteed shrimp with vanilla-orange butter
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This buttery shrimp dish, developed in the Tribune test kitchen, is perfect with basmati rice.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled, deveined
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons minced parsley
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; stir-fry shrimp until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan; set aside.
2. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet; cook shallots until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add orange juice and wine; cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine cream and vanilla; stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes; turn off heat. Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thicken sauce. Return shrimp to skillet; toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley.
Nutrition information per serving:
480 calories, 65% calories from fat, 35 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 400 mg cholesterol, 680 mg sodium, 4.8 g carbohydrate, 36 g protein, 0.2 g fiber
Sweet and sassy barbecue sauce
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Here’s an adaptation of a Southern barbecue sauce that uses cola for a sweet but intriguing flavor. It’s great brushed over grilled or roasted poultry or pork during the last half-hour of cooking. Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
1 cup each: vanilla-flavored cola, ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine ingredients in a heavy saucepan; heat over high heat to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cook, covered, 1 hour.
Nutrition information per tablespoon:
21 calories, 3% calories from fat, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 130 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g protein, 0.2 g fiber
