Bismarck Tribune

By KAREN HERZOGBy KAREN HERZOG

Bogie and Bacall. Bonnie and Clyde. Butch and Sundance.

Some things just go together: yin and yang, light and dark, sweet and sour.

We acknowledge this when we sprinkle cinnamon on our apple pie or add hazelnut creamer to our coffee. Some flavors just have an affinity with one another.

And we all know people who mix odd things together, too, in ways we never thought of, such as a friend of mine who eats vanilla ice cream and saltines together. With some persuasion, I tried it, and guess what? It's reminiscent of apple pie, though without the apple - just the ice cream and crust. (This one belongs in the "don't knock it until you've tried it" category.)

Time to update the sophistication of your palate? For those who are eager to adventure beyond traditional taste combinations, McCormick Foods has created a series of "trendy pairings" that combine spices and foods in unexpected ways. One of these might just become your personal Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - that unexpected, but perfectly right, pairing.

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Tangerine and thyme:

Tangerine, Thyme and Ancho Roasted Salmon

1/4 cup fresh tangerine or clementine juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons thyme leaves, divided

2 pounds salmon fillets

1 tablespoon ancho chile pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon Saigon (or regular) cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated tangerine or clementine peel

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 cup tangerine or clementine orange sections

Mix tangerine juice, oil and 2 teaspoons of the thyme in large glass dish. Add salmon; turn to coat well. Cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix chili pepper, brown sugar, cinnamon, tangerine peel, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and sea salt in small bowl. Set aside. Remove salmon from marinade. Place in greased foil-lined baking pan. Discard any remaining marinade. Rub top of salmon evenly with chili pepper mixture. Place tangerine sections around salmon in pan. Roast salmon 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with tangerine sections. Serves 8.

Per serving: Calories: 218; sodium: 183 mg; fat: 10 g; carbohydrates: 7 g; cholesterol: 62 mg; fiber: 1 g.

Apricot and cumin:

Couscous with Apricots and Toasted Cumin

2 cups water

1 package (10 ounces) plain couscous

11/2 cups diced dried apricots

2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Bring water to boil in medium saucepan on high heat. Stir in couscous and apricots. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 5 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Spoon into large bowl. Cool about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally with a fork. Add tomatoes, parsley and green onions; toss to mix well.

Meanwhile, cook and stir cumin and coriander in small dry skillet on medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant and darker in color. Pour into small bowl. Stir in oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper with wire whisk until well blended. Add dressing and almonds to couscous mixture; toss to coat well. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8.

Per serving: Calories: 404; sodium: 284 mg; fat: 16 g; carbohydrates: 55 g; cholesterol: 0 mg; fiber: 6 g.

Smoked tea and sea salt:

Beef and Noodles in Smoked Tea-infused Broth

8 ounces linguine

4 ounces snow peas, cut into long thin strips

1 teaspoon oil

1/2 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips

1/2 cup sliced green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon anise seed, coarsely crushed

1/4 teaspoon red pepper, crushed

4 cups beef broth

11/2 cups water

6 Lapsang-Souchong tea bags

Coarse sea salt

Cook linguine in lightly salted water as directed on package for al dente, adding snow peas during last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. Divide among six soup bowls.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large deep skillet or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add steak; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or just until browned. Remove from skillet. Divide steak among soup bowls.

Cook and stir green onions, garlic, anise seed and crushed red pepper in same skillet 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and water; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add tea bags; let stand 5 minutes to steep. Remove tea bags. Ladle broth into soup bowls. Season to taste with sea salt. Serve immediately.

Per serving: Calories: 237; sodium: 789 mg; fat: 5 g; carbohydrates: 31 g; cholesterol: 18 mg; fiber: 2 g.

Maple and wasabi:

Spinach and Asian Pear Salad with Maple Wasabi Dressing

Maple Wasabi Dressing:

1 teaspoon wasabi powder

1/2 teaspoon water

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper

1 cup olive oil

Spinach and Asian Pear Salad:

8 cups baby spinach leaves

2 Asian pears, sliced (If Asian pears are not in season, substitute half regular pear, half apple slices)

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

For the dressing, mix wasabi with water until well blended. Place prepared wasabi, maple syrup, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, sea salt, basil and pepper in blender container; cover. With blender running, pour in oil in a steady stream until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Divide spinach among 8 serving plates. Top with pear slices, onion and almonds. Serve each salad with about 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Refrigerate remaining dressing for another use.

Per serving: Calories: 219; sodium: 165 mg; fat: 15 g; carbohydrates: 19 g; cholesterol: 0 mg; fiber: 4 g.

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For recipes using other combinations, such as clove and green apple, lavender and honey, tellicherry pepper and berries, ginger and pistachio, and fennel and mustard seed, visit www.mccormick.com.

(Reach reporter Karen Herzog at 250-8267 or karen.herzog@;bismarcktribune.com.)