Ingredients
Chicken broth is commonly used in soups and stews as the liquid. It is made by simmering chicken bones with water, vegetables and seasonings. The thin broth is a golden color with a savory taste that has hints of chicken, vegetables and salt. Chicken broth can be used for many dishes aside from soup.
Rotisserie chicken without the bones is an herbed chicken served in boneless sections. The meat is roasted on high heat. The result is a crispy golden brown, herbed skin with a succulent meat that is tender and full of flavor. The texture is meaty and soft and the flavor is full yet mild.
Zucchini is a member of the squash family. Most varieties are long and thin with a dark green or striped skin. The flesh is creamy white with edible seeds when immature. When raw, zucchini is crisp and crunchy with a mild flavor. When cooked, zucchini becomes soft and absorbs the flavors of the seasonings that it is cooked with.
Yellow squash is a vegetable in the cucurbit family that is also known as summer squash. Long and narrow in shape, it has a thin, edible skin and the creamy white flash has a mild, slightly sweet and nutty flavor. Yellow squash can be prepared by roasting, frying, grilling or sautéing, or added to casseroles and stews.
Eggplant is a vegetable in the nightshade family that was introduced to the Mediterranean region by Arabs in the early Middle Ages. The fruits are usually long and bulbous, with a dark purple skin, although there are varieties with different colors such as white or pink, or with a round shape. Eggplant is usually served cooked, either by roasting, grilling, frying, or steaming. When cooked, it has a soft, creamy texture and a mild taste that easily absorbs the flavor of the ingredients that it is cooked with.
Tomato paste is a made by cooking tomatoes down, straining them and then continuing to let them cook until they have been reduced to a thick, dark red paste. This paste is tart and sweet with very little moisture due to the reduction of juices which creates an intensified and rich tomato flavor. Tomato paste is used in sauces and many Italian dishes.
The yellow bell pepper is a vegetable by culinary measures, but botanically it is a fruit. Bell peppers grow in warm to hot climates and are somewhat bell shaped, hence the name. They are large, with wide ridges and smooth, shiny, thin skin. The flesh of the bell pepper is thin, crunchy and a bit juicy. They four main colors of bell peppers are red, green, orange and yellow, some are purple. The flavor is sweet, vegetal and mild. The inside has seeds that should be removed before consuming the flesh of the pepper. These peppers are used in dishes, both raw and cooked.
The bell pepper is a vegetable by culinary measures, but botanically it is a fruit. Bell peppers grow in warm to hot climates and are somewhat bell shaped, hence the name. They are large, with wide ridges and smooth, shiny, thin skin. The flesh of the bell pepper is thin, crunchy and a bit juicy. They four main colors of bell peppers are red, green, orange and yellow, some are purple. The flavor is sweet, vegetal and mild. The inside has seeds that should be remove before consuming the flesh of the pepper. These peppers are used in dishes, both raw and cooked.
The onion is a bulb vegetable, meaning its bulb and not its leaves are eaten. Onions come in many varieties, including white, yellow and red. Shallots are small and mild onions. Vidalias are sweet, while red onions are strong and sharp. The onion is usually round and has a thin dry skin around its juicy layers. This skin depends in the color of the onion, as does the flesh. The flesh, or body of the onion is made of multiple round layers, that get smaller towards the center. The flavor of onions are sharp and sweet when raw, with an astringent taste. When cooked, these flavors mellow and the sweetness emerges. Onion are a very common flavoring and ingredient for many savory dishes.
Parsley is an aromatic herb with slender green stalks and sturdy, small green leaves. There are two common types of parsley, curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. Italian parsley has a more robust flavor than curly parsley. Though each type tastes green, spicy and vegetal, with a hint of bitterness. Parsley is used as and herb to flavor dishes and as a garnish.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
