Spice Dumb

[SpiceDumb]

I am new here and I hope this is not a forum for professionals. I have had this thought of a tasty recipe for quite awhile. To me, chicken and ham are flavors that compliment each other. I have tried to create a recipe of ham, egg noodles and cream of chicken soup. However, as my username suggests, ignorant about spices. I tried oregano which tasted good, but when I added garlic, it didn't go well. I thought garlic was good with anything! Any suggestions?

[KYHeirloomer]

Can you give us a few more details of how you're putting this together? That can make a big difference.

For instance, you could just toss ham chunks with the noodles in a casserole, cover with the soup, and maybe bake. That would provide one taste/texture profile.

On the other hand, you could roll an egg noodle around a small piece of the ham; bread and fry it using the three-plate method. Then pour the soup over the fried rolls, top with freshly grated parmesan, and pop it under the broiler. A totally different texture and flavor profile. But the ingredients are, essentially, the same.

So, too, can the form of the ingredients affect taste. Fresh garlic, for instance, lends a totally different (and, it goes without saying, better) flavor than does garlic powder.

Also, a caution about using canned soups. They tend to be very high in sodium. So watch your salt additions so as to not overdue it.

[JungleJim]

I think this is a forum for folks at all levels of cooking expertise. I'm certainly not a pro, though I think there are others here who are. The purpose of the forum it seems to me is to allow all of us to ask questions, share techniqes, share recipes, etc., etc., etc.

Regarding your question about spices:

Personally, though I like garlic very much, I don't think that it goes very well with ham at all. (And it seems that you've also arrived at that conclusion.)

For me, spices that go well with chicken and ham would include parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (all included in most off-the-shelf Italian seasonings), as well as ground ginger, marjoram, tarragon, basil, and Chinese 5-spice.

Also consider ground mustard seed, various kinds of prepared mustard (particularly Dijon) and various kinds of prepared horseradish.

Just don't be afraid to experiment--you'll come up with some klinkers, as you've already experienced--but somewhere along the line you'll eventually find "the right stuff."

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hey JJ!
I tend to agree with you about garlic and ham not complementing one another well, but I love garlic and chicken. I do not know about the dish you are trying to make, noodles, soup and all. But I know you'll perfect it in time. But I do love to eat this chicken cordon-bleu that has both chicken and ham and yes they go very well together. I might suggest you try this...... take a chicken cordon-bleu recipe and convert it to the casserole you are tring to create of-course converting it into a whole new dish! Just make changes where needed but stick to the seasonings used and I bet you will have a great tasting dish on your table! Oh yeah and since it will be a casserole you can throw in a splash of white wine when you make your creamy cheese sauce.

Enjoy experiementing, CCCathy

[Mama Mangia]

I'm a garlic lover - always have been. But I don't use garlic with ham - with chicken cordon-bleu I will.

Many times when cooking with soups/cream soups and depending on the dish - you don't have to add much in the seasoning department. The ingredients in the soup seem to dominate.

And there is also "over-seasoning" as well that can destroy a good dish as well.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hello MamaM!

I agree with you about the over-seasoning and how it can have a negative effect on a dish. I have a few times in my life over-done it, but not too often.

And garlic----well It just can not be overdone in my opinion!

The last time I made hummus I put in what I thought was too much garlic, but it was delicious!!!

Have a great day Mama!

Cathy

[KYHeirloomer]

There's no such thing as a little garlic!

[shipscook]

That's my feeling. I actually have a few Asian recipes with no garlic. At first it was hard for me not to add it to the mix. But, would you believe they are perfect without it?

But in the too much area, I actually love the heat from garlic, made a pesto a while back, peeled a pile of garlic. Put in the usual amount, there were quite a few left on the board, what the heck----tasted wondeful, but could smell it on my skin days later. A bad thing, naw.
Nan

[Mama Mangia]

I think I am the biggest garlic lover in the world! It goes on everything - even bread and butter in my book!

If I had to choose ONE herb/spice - it would be garlic. There is no such thing as too much garlic - there never could be.

shipscook - Garlic perfume or aftershave????? mmmmmmmmmm

LOL

Mama

PS - Helps to keep the vampires away.

[chubbyalaskagriz]

Nan & KYH have heard me say this before at another site... I love garlic... but I don't personally believe that it belongs just anywhere. Many cooks put the stuff in everything- not me. Garlic where it doesn't belong to me is as bad as the perverbial turd in the punch-bowl! (Hee-Hee! Hope no one was here w/ their bowl of wheaties!)