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Chocolate is a miracle ingredient.
I can’t live without chocolate. If I could inject it straight into my bloodstream, I would. Whether it’s hot chocolate with marshmallows, fudgy brownies (I call dibs on the corner piece!), or a fun-sized candy bar from my Halloween stash, eating chocolate is the highlight of my day. However, if you’re like me and love chocolate but still want to be mindful of your sugar intake — or you simply want some non-dessert ideas to spice up the snack — I have good news: There are several delicious ways to use chocolate in savory dishes. Below is a quick explanation of chocolate’s salty history, plus a few chocolate-based dinner recipes you can make tonight.
Loving chocolate is a longstanding tradition: According to History.com, humans have been enjoying it since as far back as the early 16th century B.C., when Mesoamerican cultures used cacao — the seeds that grow into cocoa and are cultivated into chocolate — in celebratory beverages. From there, explorers and conquistadors are believed to have brought chocolate to Spain, thus beginning its proliferation throughout Europe and beyond. According to Food Network, the first chocolate bar was invented in Switzerland in 1819. Now, Americans eat more than 12 pounds of the stuff annually. (I’m sure doing my part in contributing to that average.)
Though dessert is chocolate’s primary mode of consumption in the U.S., several cultures use it in savory recipes. Among the most popular of these is mole, a rich, aromatic sauce that’s a staple in Mexican cuisine. America’s Test Kitchen says that mole poblano, one of seven definitive mole variations, “has a rich, bittersweet flavor and deep, dark-brown coloring that comes from a special ingredient: cocoa.” Cocoa is also a recommended ingredient in the Egyptian spice mix, dukkah, and the foundation of a Spanish pesto called picada. Italians have been topping their pasta and meats with chocolate for a long time too, according to food historian Francine Segan.
The reason chocolate works in both savory and sweet dishes is scientific. As cookbook author Sue Quinn explains, “in their natural state, cacao beans contain more than 600 aroma molecules, the volatile airborne compounds that impart flavors, and these range from fruity and earthy to nutty and toasted.” Chocolates, she says, is “a much more versatile ingredient than many cooks realize.” (She also shares a recipe for Pasta With Gorgonzola, Walnuts, Rosemary, and Chocolate that I am definitely trying soon.)
Some sources note that chocolate’s unique blend of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness make it the perfect ingredient for balancing and deepening the flavors in savory dishes. Ready to test this theory for yourself? Check out these three recipes. (Keep in mind that when cooking savory chocolate dishes, you’ll be using cocoa powder, cacao nibs, or dark chocolate — save the Snickers for dessert.)
Though it’s not pumpkin-flavored or sugary like Halloween candy, the combo of squash and chocolate in this dish screams “fall.” Impress your guests with the recipe adapted from author, scholar, and restaurateur Maricel E. Presilla’s cookbook of Latin American recipes, Gran Cocina Latina; it was also posted on The Earthy Delights Recipe Blog.
Ingredients:
Garnish (optional):
Directions:
You can have this unique and hearty steak dish on the table with just five ingredients and less than 30 minutes of prep time. The recipe from Taste of Home makes four servings and promises “smoky heat and chocolaty rich color.”
Ingredients:
Directions:
If you’re not ready to commit to a chocolate-centric main dish, these carrots are a perfect side dish to try. The author of this recipe, posted on Theo Chocolate’s website, notes that this syrup goes well with meats or other veggies, and recommends you use “real baby carrots, the kind with lacy green tops and delicate peel” and not “the factory-shaped cylindrical ones that come in a bag.”
Ingredients:
For the syrup:
Directions:
I don’t exactly need any more reasons to reach for chocolate — but it looks like it might become a part of my dinner rotation from now on. I hope you give these recipes a try (and don’t skip dessert! If it makes you feel any better, chocolate has plenty of health benefits).
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