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Doris Joo
How to Use Garnishings to Enhance Your Dishes
Garnishings are the finishing touches that add color, flavor, texture and visual appeal to your dishes. They can make a simple meal look more elegant and appetizing, or a complex dish more balanced and harmonious. But how do you choose the right garnishings for your dishes? And how do you prepare and apply them properly? Here are some tips and tricks to help you master the art of garnishing.
Choose Garnishings that Complement Your Dishes
The first rule of garnishing is to choose garnishings that complement your dishes, not overpower or clash with them. You want your garnishings to enhance the main ingredients, not distract from them. Here are some factors to consider when choosing garnishings:
- Color: Choose garnishings that contrast or harmonize with the color of your dishes. For example, green herbs or vegetables can add freshness and brightness to a creamy soup or pasta dish, while red or orange fruits or flowers can add warmth and vibrancy to a chocolate cake or pudding.
- Flavor: Choose garnishings that match or contrast with the flavor of your dishes. For example, sweet or sour garnishings can balance out a salty or spicy dish, while savory or spicy garnishings can add depth and complexity to a bland or sweet dish.
- Texture: Choose garnishings that vary or complement the texture of your dishes. For example, crunchy or crispy garnishings can add interest and contrast to a soft or smooth dish, while soft or smooth garnishings can add richness and creaminess to a dry or crumbly dish.
- Shape: Choose garnishings that fit or contrast with the shape of your dishes. For example, round or oval garnishings can echo or contrast with the shape of a round or oval plate or bowl, while square or rectangular garnishings can create a geometric or modern look on a square or rectangular plate or platter.
Prepare Garnishings Properly
The second rule of garnishing is to prepare your garnishings properly, so that they look fresh, crisp and appetizing. Here are some tips on how to prepare different types of garnishings:
- Herbs: Wash and dry your herbs thoroughly before using them. You can chop them finely for sprinkling over your dishes, or leave them whole for placing on top of your dishes. You can also use herb sprigs for tying around your dishes, such as meat roasts or cheese balls.
- Vegetables: Wash and peel your vegetables if needed, and cut them into thin slices, strips, curls, ribbons, flowers or other shapes using a knife, peeler, mandoline, spiralizer or cookie cutter. You can also use vegetable leaves for lining your plates or bowls, such as lettuce, cabbage or kale.
- Fruits: Wash and peel your fruits if needed, and cut them into thin slices, wedges, segments, balls or other shapes using a knife, melon baller, citrus reamer or cookie cutter. You can also use fruit peels for creating twists, curls or ribbons using a zester, peeler or knife.
- Nuts: Toast your nuts lightly in a dry skillet over low heat until fragrant and golden, stirring occasionally. You can chop them coarsely for sprinkling over your dishes, or leave them whole for placing on top of your dishes.
- Seeds: Toast your seeds lightly in a dry skillet over low heat until fragrant and golden, stirring occasionally. You can use them whole for sprinkling over your dishes.
- Cheese: Grate your cheese finely for sprinkling over your dishes, or cut it into thin slices, shavings, curls or crumbles using a knife, grater, peeler or fork.
- Chocolate: Melt your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals until smooth and glossy, stirring after each interval. You can drizzle it over your dishes using a spoon, fork or piping bag. You can also shave it into thin curls using a peeler or knife.