Chocolate's Versatility

One of the most remarkable aspects of chocolate is its incredible versatility. From white chocolate to dark chocolate and everything in between, each type brings its unique character to a dish. Let's explore how different chocolates can enhance various savory recipes:

White Chocolate:

Known for its creamy and sweet profile, white chocolate can be a surprising addition to savory dishes. Its mild sweetness pairs beautifully with seafood, adding a luxurious touch to crab risotto or complementing the delicate flavors of scallops.

The contrast between the briny seafood and the sweetness of white chocolate creates a harmonious balance that's truly exquisite.

Dark Chocolate: The rich and slightly bitter notes of dark chocolate make it a classic choice for savory recipes.

When used judiciously, it can elevate meat dishes like beef, lamb, or game meats to gourmet levels. Dark chocolate's depth of flavor enhances the complexity of stews and sauces, creating a velvety texture and subtle tartness. It's like a secret ingredient that takes your savoury dishes to the next level.

Cocoa Powder:

Cocoa powder is a versatile kitchen staple that can be used in various forms. Adding a touch of cocoa powder to batters, crusts, or BBQ rubs infuses a subtle yet distinctive chocolate essence. It's like a whisper of cocoa that lingers on the palate, making your dishes unforgettable. You'll find that cocoa powder can be a true culinary secret weapon.

Balancing Act: Chocolate and Savory

The key to successfully using chocolate in savoury dishes lies in balance. Chocolate should never overpower the other ingredients but rather enhance and elevate them. Think of chocolate as a supporting actor that adds depth and complexity to the ensemble cast of flavours in your dish.

Texture and Consistency:

Chocolate's unique properties can work wonders for the texture of your dishes. When melted, it can create a silky and glossy sauce, making even simple meat stews feel like gourmet creations. The secret is to temper your chocolate correctly to achieve that desirable sheen.

Flavour Depth:

Chocolate should contribute to the overall complexity of your dish. Its slightly bitter and earthy undertones can harmonise with spices, herbs, and other ingredients. Imagine a rich, red wine sauce infused with dark chocolate and chili, coating tender venison or wild boar. The result is a symphony of flavours that dance on your taste buds.

Global Influence

Chocolate's use in savoury dishes isn't limited by borders. It has made its mark in kitchens around the world, each region adding its unique twist:

France: Known for its culinary excellence, France uses chocolate in red wine sauces. The marriage of chocolate and red wine creates a luscious and robust sauce that pairs wonderfully with various meats.

Spain: In Spain, you'll find chocolate enhancing dishes like calf's tongue and lobster. The bold flavours of Spanish cuisine are beautifully complemented by the subtle sweetness of chocolate.

Italy: Italy is famous for incorporating chocolate into both pasta dishes and sweet-and-sour sauces. Additionally, it finds its way into hearty stews like rabbit stew, adding layers of complexity.

South Africa: In South Africa, chocolate is a treasured ingredient in game dishes like pigeon and guinea fowl. It's also used in sauces served with beef fillet, providing a delightful contrast of flavours.

Mexico: Mexico's renowned mole sauce, made with tomatoes, chilies, and chocolate, is a symbol of the country's rich culinary heritage. Served with turkey, it's a cherished ceremonial dish that showcases the incredible versatility of chocolate.

In conclusion, don't be daunted by the idea of using chocolate in savoury dishes. Embrace its subtlety, experiment with different types and forms of chocolate, and let your creativity run wild in the kitchen. Chocolate's ability to elevate and transform flavours is a gift to any chef or home cook. So, go ahead, unlock the full potential of chocolate in your savory creations, and savour the extraordinary culinary experiences it brings to your table. Happy cooking, and may your dishes be filled with the sublime joy of chocolate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate in Savoury Dishes

We all love a bit of chocolate at the end of the meal, but there’s no need to limit chocolate to desserts only, the flavour of cocoa powder or a single origin chocolate bar can be rich and more bitter than sweet.

Following on from How to use cocoa nibs in the kitchen we know Chocolate has been a common ingredient in savoury cooking in certain parts of Europe and South America for thousands of years.

Chocolate is and should be one of the most welcome ingredients in any kitchen professional or home. For me It's impossible not to feel a sense of pride when I find it listed in the ingredients of a recipe.

Melted chopped, flaked, moulded, piped or poured on a savoury dish like duck. from the first sight of the high gloss or the sharp sound when you snap it to the bursts of aromas when the test piece hits your tongue (you have to test it). Heaven But people still get intimidated by chocolate especially tempering and how to make ganache. Even professional chefs sometimes avoid using it Which is a real shame, I want to help give all home cooks-chefs that same feeling of pleasure I get when chocolate is placed centre stage That's what this is all about. the sublime joy that is cooking with chocolate.

The intense flavour of chocolate makes an excellent addition to a huge variety of meat dishes, from beef, Lamb, pork, chicken and the classic game. But chocolate can work just as well with earthy vegetables, like mushrooms and aubergine.

But here is the key "When used in small amounts", chocolate can add a depth of flavour and complexity to lots of dishes - even savoury ones! treat the cocoa powder like a Bouquet garni.

Using Chocolate in savoury

Don’t be frightened to use chocolate in savoury recipes. The flavour of chocolate shouldn’t be detected in dishes and helps with the consistency of the sauce more than the flavour. Chocolate used in any stewed meat dish should give a silky texture with slight tart overtones. The sweetness of the chocolate shouldn’t be very noticeable. try adding a dash of chocolate the next time you make chilli con carne or spaghetti bolognaise. 

Chocolate is also a fantastic ingredient to use seafood dishes like white chocolate and crab risotto or cocoa dusted scallops’ salmon and tilapia can work really well with a white chocolate sauce.

Chocolate and Spice

Mexico has a very famous dish called mole (pronounced mo-lay), which is a turkey tomato, chilli and chocolate sauce that's used as the basis for several meat and vegetable dishes (including enchiladas). In Italy chocolate is used with wild boar and hare dishes; chocolate also works perfectly game dishes. try making a sauce to that’s made with red wine, chocolate and chillies? This sauce will go well with red meats such as venison, pork and wild boar.

Chocolate and chilli make a fantastic combination in the kitchen. Chocolate and chilli is the oldest culinary chocolate combination in the world.

The Olmec of Central America first enjoyed chocolate as a spicy drink, made with chillies.

I usually add a little cocoa powder to my batters and crusts to add taste and colour and often make BBQ rubs with it I think Chocolate can be better than a Bouquet garni in some instances.

I developed a Beetroot turmeric and rum truffle to blend spices and vegetables into a truffle, the earthy beetroot blends perfectly with the turmeric and dark chocolate.

Chocolate Dishes over the World

The following countries all enjoy using chocolate in savoury dishes

France – with a red wine sauce

Spain – with meaty dishes such as calf's tongue and lobster

Italy – to flavour pasta and sweet-and-sour sauce, or in a rabbit stew

South Africa – used in game dishes such as pigeon and guinea fowl or in a sauce served with beef fillet

Mexico – in the sauce mole (pronounced molay). When served with turkey, it makes one of the most respected ceremonial dishes in Mexico