Getting the Rubs Right

Mix it up when it comes to the right spices for the griller in your house.

By Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Scripps Howard News Service
Filed under: Recipes, How To

Dear Lynne: Our official griller is running out of ideas. All she does is marinate everything in Creamy Italian. - Roommates in Idaho

Dear Roommates: Come on! You should kiss the hem of her apron for cooking every night. We all get stuck sometimes. I ate cream cheese and jelly on whole wheat bread for lunch all through grammar school.

Mix up these rubs and give them a try:

Fragrant Spice Rub

Ingredients:

1/4 to 1/2 cup hot chili powder
1/2 tight-packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ground cumin
3/4 cup ground coriander
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

Combine in an airtight jar. Rub on fish, meat and poultry. Add to stews and stir-fries. Sprinkle on grilled vegetables as they cook. It's delicious with olive oil over ripe tomatoes.

Asian Rub

Puree together these ingredients:

1/3 cup Fragrant Spice Rub
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

Mexican Rub

Combine these ingredients:

1/3 cup Fragrant Spice Rub
shredded zest of a small orange
juice of a small orange
2 cloves garlic, minced

Any blend with fresh garlic should be refrigerated and used within 24 hours.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper is the host of national radio show "The Splendid Table."