At this year's Boston Seafood Show, which opened on March 20th, worldwide organic farming advocate Naturland is urging the fishing industry to consider more eco-friendly fishing techniques.

Hans Hohenester, chairman of the Naturland board of directors, says current fishing practices are unnatural, unsustainable, and contaminate waters with harmful chemicals and antibiotics.

That's why Naturland has impressive standards and strict procedures for ensuring organic and sustainable production.

We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and the easiest way to learn the culture is to immerse yourself in its cusine.

Fortunately for North Americans, Latin fruits and veggies have become quite accessible, and just about anyone can prepare an authentic meal.

You’ll also need to keep seven important herbs and spices on hand.

The spice aisle at my local natural and organic food store is a culinary playground, and I’m always intrigued by the various spice blends designed to give homemade dishes an international flair.

Companies that produce these blends carefully combine up to a dozen herbs and spices to create foolproof seasonings that make life easy for home cooks.

In my experience, however, spice blends can be much more expensive than their individual components. That’s why I tend to buy individual herbs and spices to create my own blends. This also allows me to buy readily available organic ingredients, control the amount of salt used and tweak the recipe to suit my individual preferences (i.e., more pepper, less garlic).

Our recent post for Southwestern Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing called for 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning. Instead of purchasing a bottle of the Cajun blend, I prefer to take the do-it-yourself approach. Dressing recipe creator Dana Jacobi (The Essential Best Foods Cookbook, New American Plate Cookbook) shares her DIY recipe here.

Simply combine the ingredients, and store them in a glass jar. You can quadruple the recipe so it’s ready to use when you’re seasoning meat, veggies, egg dishes, rice and other side dishes.

FYI: I reduce salt by 50% when preparing a spice blend. You can always add more salt, if your palate screams out for it.

For an Indian-flavored blend, check out Taj Rub.

DIY Cajun Seasoning

Makes 2 tablespoons

Recipe courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

The American palate has become more adventurous, so spicy curries are no longer outside the culinary mainstream.

Many home cooks and restaurant diners may be surprised to learn that curry powder—a blend of spices like turmeric, ginger and hot peppers—may help prevent cancer:

• Turmeric may delay the growth of colon and prostate cancer.
• Ginger contains gingerol, a phytochemical that has killed ovarian cancer cells in some studies.
• Capsaicin, a compound in hot peppers, may shrink pancreatic tumors.

Today’s recipe pairs the health benefits of cauliflower and curry. Prep time is 20 minutes, and all of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Curried Cauliflower

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup frozen green peas
1 head of cauliflower, chopped and steamed
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat canola oil in large skillet. Add onion and sauté for one minute.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until vegetables are coated with the spices.
3. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Editor’s note: Be sure to check out Friday’s recipe for Cauliflower with Mustard and Minced Dill.

A Flurry of Curry

• Thai Roasted Squash Soup
• Indian Chickpea Dip
• Spiced Lemon Rice
• Cashew Turkey Croissants
• Madras Curry Dip for Fish/Seafood
• Curry-Ginger Oil
• Kootu Curry
• Creamy Curried Soup with Wilted Spinach
• Pumpkin Curry Soup
• Curried Sweet Potato
• Organic Wine Pairings: Mexican, Indian & Japanese Food

Recipe courtesy of the CDC

If I had to choose my favorite way to cook fish or seafood, grilling over an open flame—caveman style—would trump indoor methods.

I usually apply a dry rub, such as Friday’s recipe for Taj Rub. The grill can take it from there.

If you prefer to sauce your fish or seafood, I’d suggest the following recipes from our Organic Blog:

• Moroccan Sauce
• Madras Curry Dip
• Creole Mustard Dip

Sustainable salmon is a year-round favorite. It’s high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and has the perfect texture for grilling.

Preparing the Grill

• Fish cooks best over a medium-hot fire; shellfish requires a hot grill.
• Make sure the grill is hot before you start cooking.
• Liberally brush oil on the grill just prior to cooking.

Grilling Fish and Shellfish

• Cut large steaks or fillets into meal-size portions before grilling.
• Use a grill basket or perforated grill rack to keep flaky fish or smaller shellfish from falling through the grill bars.
• Brush fish or shellfish with oil very lightly just before cooking.
• Always start to grill fish with the skin side up. (If the skin has been removed, the skin side will appear slightly darker.) This allows the natural fat carried beneath the skin to be drawn into the fillet, keeping it rich and moist. It’s also easier to turn when the more delicate or “flesh” side cooks first.
• Turn fish/shellfish only once. For easy turning, use a two-prong kitchen fork inserted between the grill bars to slightly lift fish fillets or steaks; then slide a metal spatula under the fish and turn. Use long-handled tongs to turn shellfish. (Check out this slotted fish spatula.)
• Cook fish approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Fish/shellfish continues to cook after it’s removed from the heat, so take it off the grill just as soon as it’s opaque throughout. To check for doneness, slide a sharp knife tip into the center of the thickest part of a seafood portion, checking for color. Remove from the heat just as soon as it turns from translucent to opaque throughout.

Tips and photo courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

Spice rubs, often called “dry rubs,” are carefully crafted spice blends that are used to season meat, poultry and fish in lieu of a wet marinade or grilling sauce.

Simply coat your protein of choice with the rub, and allow it to marinate so the flavors can be absorbed.

Our weekend recipe is an Indian spice rub that’s ideal for a sustainable fish like Alaska salmon. It starts with garam masala, an aromatic blend of coriander, black pepper, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon. Commercial blends are available in the spice aisle of your local supermarket, natural and organic food store, or Indian market.

Taj Rub

Suggested Reading

• Budget-Friendly Seafood Solutions
• Add Omega-3 Power to Your Organic Kitchen
• Fatty Fish May Lower Kidney Cancer Risk
• Your Organic Diet: Improve Heart Health with Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Recipe and photo courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

Americans consume far too much sodium, which contributes to high blood pressure and fluid retention.

You can replace much of the salt you add to foods with organic herbs and spices. They’re flavorful, economical and add variety.

“Simple dishes become deliciously elegant when paired with the right herbs and spices,” says Kendall McFarland, product development manager and food specialist at Frontier Natural Products Co-op in Norway, IA.

With eight basic herb/spice staples, you can add zing to any meal:

1. Garlic: Compatible with virtually any savory food. Available in fresh and dried forms. Use it in tomato-based dishes, dressings and spice blends. Sprinkle it on buttered bread before broiling.
2. Onion: Seasons a host of international cuisines. Many available varieties. Can serve as a primary ingredient, vegetable accompaniment or seasoning. Use in casseroles, soups, sauces, vegetable dishes, relishes, breads and stuffings.
3. Paprika: A sweet relative of the chili pepper. Adds warm, natural color and mildly spicy flavor to soups, grains and hors d’oeuvres. A shake or two livens up cheeses and garlic bread. Try it in spreads, salads, egg dishes, marinades and smoked foods.
4. Parsley: Brightens up soups, dressings, salads, casseroles and stuffings—any dish that benefits from fresh green color and a clean vegetable taste. Especially good with fish, egg and grain dishes.
5. Cinnamon: A key baking ingredient that wins the spice world’s popularity contest. Adds depth of flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. A surprisingly delicious addition to vegetables like carrots, spinach and onions.
6. Basil: Has a warm, sweet, mild, minty/peppery flavor that’s delicious with vegetables—especially tomatoes. Add to soups, stews, sauces and dressings. Pairs well with many other seasonings.
7. Oregano: Has a strong personality, but partners well with other seasonings—especially basil. Use in any tomato sauce, as well as baked chicken and fish. A must atop pizza.
8. Rosemary: Adds texture and taste to meats, marinades, dressings and casseroles. A perfect addition to potato salad, egg salad and stir fries. Can also enhance soups.

Photo courtesy of ARA

Cardamom pods

Pods or ground? That’s the decision you need to make when you cook with cardamom.

“Whether you choose the ground spice vs. pods depends on how you plan to use the ingredient,” says Chef Anis Toumi, a chef instructor at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena.

“Roasting and grinding a fresh pod leads to a stronger flavor vs. using the spice pre-ground,” he tells Organic Authority. “You can use the full pods to infuse flavors and then discard them, whereas if you use ground cardamom, it cannot be removed.”

Here's Chef Toumi’s recipe for a cardamom-flavored flan. Note: Because you follow an organic lifestyle, Organic Authority recommends using certified organic ingredients, when available, in all recipes to minimize your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals and preservatives.

Cardamom Flan

8 ounces sugar (for caramelizing)
2 ounces water
12 fluid ounces milk
3 pods or a pinch of ground cardamom
3 eggs
2¾ ounces sugar

1. Combine 8 ounces of sugar and the water in a saucepan to make a caramel. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture becomes golden and caramelized (not too dark, not too light).
2. Let caramel cool; coat the bottoms of several ramekins with it.
3. Pour the milk and cardamom into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer.
4. Whisk the eggs and 2 ¾ ounces of sugar in a separate bowl. Add the milk to the mixture.
5. Strain the custard and pour it into the ramekins.
6. Place the ramekins in a shallow baking dish. Add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins (a “water bath”). Bake at 300°F to 325°F until set.
7. Chill for 24 hours. Unmold upside down onto a plate.

Read More About Cardamom

A Passage to India
Masala Chai
White Hot Chocolate
Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Pecan Streusel Topping

If you had to pick the “hot” new spice for 2006, which would it be?

You may be surprised to learn that cardamom tops the list, according to chefs interviewed at a recent American Culinary Federation conference.

“Use of this spice is going through the roof,” notes J. Hugh McEvoy, a certified executive chef with the ACF. In fact, industry statistics reveal cardamom sales have increased 650% over the last year.

Cardamom is one of the most common spices used in Indian cooking, cultivated from the dried, unripened fruit of the perennial Elettaria cardamomum. Tiny fragrant brown seeds are encased in green pods. (You may purchase cardamom as dried whole pods or ground seeds.) Many home cooks mispronounce the spice as “card-a-mon,” but notice that its name is correctly spelled with an “m” at the end.

Cardamom’s popularity may be attributed to Americans’ growing fascination with Indian cuisine, but it’s showing up in Asian, Arabic, Latin American and North African entrées, as well as Scandinavian desserts and coffee drinks, McEvoy notes.

This week, Organic Authority will feature a series of top chefs’ unique recipes featuring cardamom—from traditional Indian fare to one-of-a-kind desserts and spiced beverages. If you’d like to submit a recipe for consideration, please email me at organic@journalist.com. In the meantime, stock your organic pantry with this highly flavorful spice.

Sources for Organic Cardamom

Frontier Natural Products Co-op
Mountain Rose Herbs
Well, Naturally Products Ltd.

Read More About Cardamom

Masala Chai
White Hot Chocolate
Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Pecan Streusel Topping
Cardamom Flan