By Craig Nielsen and Dan Fox, Contributing Editors
What comes to mind when you think of vanilla? For most, it would be the sweet, delicious desserts that feature vanilla’s classic, rich creamy flavor—vanilla ice cream, sugar cookies, crème brûlée. But, this renown is not without its price. Because we associate vanilla so specifically with sweet applications, we tend to overlook its ability to play a flavorful role in other parts of the menu, especially savory dishes.
The complexity of vanilla
Yes, there’s a sweetness to vanilla. But, depending on where the bean was cultivated, other aromas and flavors come through, as well. For instance, beans from the Bourbon Island of Madagascar, the most widely used beans, have a mellow creaminess. Mexican beans possess a certain spiciness—a marriage of sweet and woody notes, with a deep, spicy character similar to cloves or nutmeg. Tahitian beans, which are a species of vanilla found only in the French Polynesian Islands, intermingle floral and fruity aromas, while Indonesian beans have a sharper, woodier scent.
Vanilla beans have over 300 compounds that make up the whole of their flavor. Some of these compounds are sweet, such as the natural vanillin found within the bean. And while vanillin is the most dominant, it actually only constitutes a tiny percentage of the total number of flavor components (which gives you some insight into why artificial vanillin, which features only this one compound, pales in comparison to natural vanilla). The other flavor components run the gamut, featuring such notes as honey, nutty, anise and peppery, and it’s this multitude of flavor components that, as we’ll discuss, enables vanilla to complement such a wide range of ingredients.
Vanilla also acts as a flavor enhancer (or potentiator), so it “enhances" our ability to taste other flavors by intensifying those flavors. So, for example, when used in smaller amounts so as not to overpower the flavor it’s meant to be intensifying, vanilla can be used to boost such flavors as coffee, nuts and fruits.
In fact, when used with citrus fruits, vanilla covers the fruits’ acidic bite, giving them a creamier taste. For dairy products, it helps increase the richness and creaminess. And, of course, what we know as chocolate flavor in ice cream, cakes, bars, cookies, etc. would not be the same without vanilla’s smoothing influence.
For these reasons, many product and menu developers have begun to look beyond desserts and are using vanilla in the preparation of dishes throughout the meal. Sometimes vanilla is the main ingredient, providing a sweet creaminess to the flavor. Other times, it plays a supporting role, complementing other flavors and enhancing the overall nuances of the dish.
Soups and salads
In soups and bisques, vanilla often acts as a flavor enhancer, helping to intensify the headlining flavors in pumpkin, butternut squash and cauliflower soups, while also adding a perception of creaminess. Chef Karla Lawrence of Shandies restaurant and Artisan Kitchen catering and take-out, both in Paducah, KY, adds vanilla to her Creamy Tomato Basil Soup to mellow out the acidic bite inherent in the tomatoes and, in so doing, smoothes out the flavor.
For any of these, just a few drops of pure vanilla extract are all you need (about one-eighth to one-quarter teaspoon of vanilla per quart). Madagascar Bourbon vanilla will add to the creaminess, but you can experiment with other varietals (for instance, Mexican pairs nicely with tomatoes) to see how they influence the overall flavor. Just err on the lighter side. Add too much, and it’s no longer enhancing the flavors in the soup, it becomes one of the noticeable flavors.
For salads, the sweet creaminess of vanilla can be incorporated into a number of different dressings. For example, mix together vanilla, corn oil, chives, and salt and pepper to create a simple, yet delightful, vanilla salad dressing. Or, create a dressing in which vanilla shares the stage with other flavors, such as a vanilla-almond vinaigrette or a balsamic vinaigrette infused with vanilla beans.
As always, the choice of dressing is going to depend on the ingredients within the salad. But, thanks to vanilla’s ability to complement and play off of vegetables (from root to leafy green), as well as fruits, nuts and seafood, there are a wide range of salads vanilla can brighten with its sweet, creamy flavor. Tahitian vanilla, which works best in cold, no-heat applications, pairs nicely with tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. And, in fruit salads, adding a little over the top simply pops the natural flavor and independence of the salad’s individual fruits.
Vanilla and tomatoes
As mentioned in reference to tomato soup, vanilla complements tomatoes by smoothing out the fruit’s acidic bite. So, any dish featuring tomatoes can be enhanced with vanilla. And, because tomatoes make up the foundation of so many dishes from cuisines around the world, there are many possible applications.
