Culinary Uses for Allspice

Allspice is one of the most common ingredients of Caribbean cuisine, and can be found in many popular Jamaican dishes. Beyond Caribbean cuisine, allspice is used by cultures throughout the world.

United States: In the United States, allspice is used in the flavoring of Spiced Boniato, a type of sweet potato. This dish is very popular in the Florida Keys. Another signature dish that uses allspice is the Tyree's Gumbo Filet A La Creole of New Orleans. Generally, allspice is also used in jams, ketchup, pumpkin pie, roasts, ham, and gravies. Allspice oil extract is used in sausages.

Mexico: Allspice is one of the ingredients used to create an achiote paste named recado rojo for general use in Mexican cuisine as well as in pibil recipes. Unused paste can be stored in the freezer and needs to be diluted before each use. It is also used in some mole sauces.

Argentina: Powdered allspice is used to make Argentinean fish soup (chupin de pescado).

Brazil: Ground allspice is used to prepare a popular snack dish called quibe assado, or roasted meatballs. This dish was brought to Brazil by Middle Eastern immigrants. Allspice is also present in the Brazilian pork, a signature spicy dish.

Chile: A traditional beverage named punche is purportedly enjoyed by the Huazo people of Chile. To make the beverage, allspice and branches and leaves of the culen plant are boiled in water. The drink is often chilled with ice or snow and sweetened with aguardiente.

England: In Britain, allspice is used in stews and sauces. It is also used for pickling vegetables and meats, as well as in cured meats. Allspice is sometimes used to make desserts, such as the ginger and orange cake, a popular British food, or puddings for the holidays.

Germany: In Germany, ground allspice is used to season many meat and fish dishes, such as pork chops with dried fruit and smoked pork ribs. It is also used in the pickling of Sauerbraten and herring, as well as gingerbread for the holidays.

Italy: In Italy, allspice is used in the signature dishes venison casserole and osso buco (a Milanese dish made with veal). Italy is one of the top allspice consuming countries in Europe along with Germany and Scandinavia.

France: Allspice is not commonly used in France. However, it is present in French Provencal cooking as a mixture called quatre epices. In Martinique, a Caribbean island that is a part of France, allspice is commonly used to make a sauce called sauce au chien.

Scandinavia: In Scandinavia, allspice is used in pickled herring and meat pastry fillings. Historically, it has also been used to preserve fruit, which was considered a luxury for the holidays. Allspice is often used in meat dishes such as the Finnish three-meat ragout and reindeer with cloudberries.

Sweden: A pinch of ground allspice is used to flavor Swedish beef, veal, and pork meatballs, which are usually eaten without sauce.

India: In India, allspice is used to make curry dishes such as the Kerala fish curry. It is also used to flavor garam masala, a Northern Indian spice mixture. Other Indian dishes that may contain allspice include bhooni murg (baked chicken) and kheema tiki (lamb patties).

Iran: Allspice is used in jaj mihshee, or Persian rice stuffing. It is commonly used in Persian cuisine for meats, sauces, and stuffing.

Lebanon: Allspice appears in the Lebanese Steak Tatare, which uses minced raw beef. Allspice is used widely in a variety of meat dishes and stews. A spice mix called baharat contains allspice and is used in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.

Turkey: Allspice is one of the most important spices of Turkish cooking. It is referred to as yeni bahar or dolma bahar. Crushed allspice berries are mostly used in vegetable, rice and fish dishes, and also appear in cold stuffed vegetables.

Iraq: A popular spice mixture in Iraq combines allspice with paprika and hot chile.

Morocco: Allspice is one of the most commonly used spices in Moroccan cuisine. Allspice is used in a spice mixture called berber seasoning (after the Berbers, nomadic people of Africa), which is commonly present in grilled meats, especially lamb. There is another famous spice blend called ras-el hanout.

Ethiopia: Like Moroccans, Ethiopians also use the berber seasoning. Allspice is also used to make alecha, which is a less spicy version of the Ethiopian national dish, wat, or spicy stew.

North Africa: There is a North African dish called sikbadj, or lamb stew with dates and apricots, that uses allspice as a main condiment.

Tunisia: In Tunisia, allspice is used in the preparation of veal breast as well as other meat stews.

South Africa: Allspice is used in many South African meat/fish dishes, such as the Snoek Curry, Denningvleis, and Frikkadels. Some of these dishes were first introduced to South Africa by European settlers.

References
1.Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/