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Brighten Up Heavy Wintertime Food
Garnishes exist for a reason
This time of year, food can get heavy, and flavors meld together from longer cooking times and cooking methods that take longer since we don’t mind the extra heat from a pot simmering on the stovetop or in the oven or in your crock- or instant-pot. Winter is the prime time of year to come home to a hot meal when it is cold outside.
These types of foods are the perfect recipient for a little extra love and attention in the form of a fresh garnish. Garnishes are not a necessary component, but they elevate the flavor of a dish by adding complexity and will show off your cooking skills.
The two rules of garnishing plates are that they should complement the food in the dish, and it should be edible. The generic sprinkling of chopped parsley on top of every plate “to give it color” does not do much for flavor and don’t even get me started on garnishing with a sprig of rosemary, which will just be pushed aside to eat the real food. There is a difference between decoration and garnish. Decoration is about appearance and presentation; a true garnish is about the flavor of the dish.
Garnishing can be as simple as sliced green onions on top of a bowl of chili or gumbo. The freshness of the raw scallions helps to balance out the richness of the dish and the simple touch…
