Shake it like a chef
SPICE LINE | Viand's Chiappetti hopes blends help home cooks
Steven Chiappetti is into spicing up the lives of others.
No, the native Chicagoan is not a soap opera star or an author of romance novels.
(Scott Stewart/Sun-Times)
He's the creator of Chicago-inspired gourmet dried spice blends under his own label, Chef Chiappetti's Edible World.
"I set out to create a personal chef in a can," reasons Chiappetti, executive chef for the past two years at Viand, 155 E. Ontario, where American comfort food -- spiced with his concoctions -- takes center stage.
The result of Chiappetti's year of research and taste-testing is a four-pack of signature spice blends ($22), packaged in silver tins. Blends include:
Chiappetti's Classic: Oregano, rosemary, roasted garlic, lemon myrtle, chiles and salt to deliver Mediterranean flavor to lamb, pork and chicken.
Chicago Steak House: Thyme, Italian pepper, marjoram, chili flakes, garlic, onion, dill, bell peppers and salt to provide "a little heat, a little kick" to steak.
Southside BBQ: Spicy peppers, cumin, coriander, dried molasses powder, mustard, tomato powder, dried red wine vinegar and smoked salt to duplicate sweet-sour barbecue flavor to steak, chicken or salmon.
Sicilian Seafood Blend: Dill, roasted garlic, cumin, tomato powder, coriander, fennel, lemon myrtle, vinegar powder, salt and black pepper for an Italian touch to grilled seafood or crab dip.
The 40-year-old Chiappetti, who grew up on the South Side in the family that owns Chiappetti Lamb and Veal, Chicago's oldest slaughter and packinghouse, decided to venture into the spice business while teaching cooking at Bloomingdale's.
"People are interested in learning the method and technique of cooking, but what they want most is learning that flawless chef technique. They want to duplicate the chef's perfect seasoning," explains the graduate of Culinary School at Kendall College and a chef for 26 years. "I make it easier -- I give the home cook confidence in a can."
Chiappetti, whose father is Italian and mother is French, doesn't hesitate when it comes to naming his favorite herb and spice. "Dried tarragon is my favorite herb -- I love bearnaise sauce. And cumin is my favorite spice. I love to cook Moroccan, Greek, Indian -- cumin transcends all borders; it's a very versatile spice."
"Unfortunately, spices are intimidating to many home cooks, and they need not be," states Chiappetti, a White Sox fan who lives in Westchester with his wife, Leslie, and children, Grace, 6, and Leo, 3.
His spice advice includes:
u First and foremost, replace all your spices at least once a year, preferably every six months. "The ambient oil, which provides the flavor, dries out. Once that drying occurs, the spices are flavorless and useless."
u Be liberal in your use of spices.
u Learn to taste test as you progress through a recipe, correcting spices as needed.
u Dried spices are better than fresh spices for grilling and provide more flavor than sugary barbecue sauce for barbecued foods.
u Store spices in a dry, cool and dark place.
Asked his favorite spice secret, Chiappetti responds, "Shaking cinnamon and nutmeg on a buttered turkey before roasting it -- but credit goes to my mom. Cinnamon and nutmeg provide a memorable aroma while baking, both spices go with stuffing and sweet potatoes, and they make the turkey golden brown."
Shortly, Chiappetti will introduce a spice blend (cocoa powder, dehydrated brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin) to enhance coffee with Mexican flavors. Following that, he will add four sea salts -- one from Australia, two from Hawaii, and one smoked in chardonnay barrels -- to his Edibles line, available at Viand and online at www.chiappetti.com.
After all, variety is the spice of life.
Sandy Thorn Clark is a local free-lance writer.