Recipes
Brussels Sprouts with Za'atar and Nigella
Brussels sprouts are a leftover food trauma from childhood that I've finally overcome. The limp, stinky-sulfur blobs (sorry, Mom) have been replaced with a crisp, roasted vegetable that is full of flavor and befitting a fall feast. Best of all, these are easy to make and a perfect vehicle for one of my favorite spice blends, Green Za'atar. The combination of herbs, sesame and sumac make this spice blend good enough to eat straight out of the jar, but it is even better on the brussels sprouts. A sprinkle of nigella seeds tops the dish off with an exotic garnish and a hint of nutty onion flavor.
Learn more
Pasilla Oaxaca Vegetable Soup
Sometimes it's hard to get enough of a good thing, and that is certainly true with Pasilla Oaxaca chiles. Every summer we run out of the small crop of these rare chiles, and celebrate when they are harvested again in the fall. They come only from the Oaxaca region of southern Mexico and combine a rich dose of smoky chile flavor with just the right level of heat - not too much. We are thrilled, because this years crop just arrived!Use Pasilla Oaxaca in your favorite recipe for chili or vegetable soup, or try this creative Afro-Latin fusion. We've used both our Harissa spice blend, traditional in North Africa, and the Pasilla Oaxaca chile to season a chunky melange of carrots, zucchini, okra and black eyed peas in this satisfying fall soup. Enjoy!Pasilla Oaxaca are traditional in molé sauces, rellenos and salsas but are also SUPER easy to use whole if you want fabulous flavor in your next hearty fall soup. Just drop one in and remove before serving...like a bay leaf!
Learn more
Kale Tabbouleh with Ras el Hanout Dressing
This festive salad is perfect holiday fare. At a time when greens can often be over-shadowed by sweets, this salad will have everyone second guessing. A bright citrus vinaigrette infused with the warming spices of Ras El Hanout helps to tenderize the kale, and the pomegranate seeds add a sunny pop of flavor. This salad is sure to bring some holiday cheer.
Learn more
Coriander Roasted Beets
Roasting beets concentrates their flavor, and the complement of coriander is delicious. We like to roast a whole pan-full and serve them alone as a side dish or atop a dark leafy green salad of chard, kale and spinach. Choose beets of a similar size so they cook at about the same rate, and both the gold and red varieties can be used alone or in combination. The spice mix of coriander, sesame, marjoram and Urfa is bright and pleasing with just a hint of mild heat. Inspired by our love of Dukkah and Green Za'atar, this blend is a variation on those themes with coriander taking center stage.This spice mixture goes well with other roasted vegetables too - like carrots or parsnips and can be used as a crust on meat and seafood. You can vary the consistency to go with your dish - we like it medium-fine to sprinkle on vegetables and a more coarse to use as a crust. For another variation, grind the coriander seeds, but leave the sesame seeds whole for additional crunch. Out of the oven, these beets have heavenly, and healthy flavor. Enjoy.
Learn more
Heavenly Hawaij Mushroom Soup
This Heavenly Hawaij Soup is the perfect starter for a long holiday feast. Combining aromatic spices, earthy mushrooms and velvety cream, it is as decadent as holiday fare should be. Cardamom, turmeric and saffron are the essential spice elements of the Yemenese blend Hawaij, and they play wonderfully in this exotic mushroom soup. Serve as elegant soup shots to start a meal or by the bowl as a first course. It's a leftover that will have you sneaking back to the kitchen in the middle of the night!
Learn more
Rooster Grilled Artichokes with Spicy Garlic Mayonnaise
Seattle's local farmers have been showcasing artichokes for a few weeks now, so what better produce to highlight one of our favorite blends, Rooster Spice!! Inspired by everyone's favorite Vietnamese hot sauce, Rooster Spice packs a wallop of heat, but boasts a delicious complexity that will keep you coming back. It's the perfect accompaniment to these artichokes, or really anything else your market basket can throw at it.
Learn more
Cinnamon Toast Spice Blondies
Sometimes we just want a little something sweet, but not too heavy. This updated version of a classic blondie fits the bill. Our Cinnamon Toast Spice, featuring Indonesian and Vietnamese cassia-cinnamons with true cinnamon, brown sugar and just a hint of nutmeg, perfectly complements the sweet potato base. These disappeared in moments at our last recipe test, and may need a "re-test" in my personal kitchen tonight. They've got sweet potatoes in them... so they're totally healthy, right?
Learn more
Brunch For Mom
Eggs Benedict is a classic, there's no denying that, but "classic" is perhaps not the word I'd use to celebrate my funny, youthful, and adventurous mother! For Mother's Day, her poached eggs will sit atop crisp potato pancakes, under a blanket of creamy Orange Tarragon hollandaise sauce. The sweetness of the orange peel plays against the anise notes of the tarragon in this classic French combination, made whole with shallots and Tellicherry black pepper. The sauce is so sumptuous, and the crunchy fried potatoes make a perfect vehicle for it. Not to mention the eggs - nothing says "love" like a perfectly poached yolk, don't you know! Make these for Mother's Day, or just because - and let her know how sorry you are for your teenage years.
Learn more
Harissa and Vegetable Couscous
This recipe has been a long time coming. Hardly anyone who comes in to the shop -- spice masters and novices alike -- can pass over the North African section without some long, lingering sniffs. The spices from that region are so exotic, in their perfect union of sweet-spicy-aromatic. "How do you use the Harissa?" is one of the most common questions following the exclamations of delight. And though my fellow merchants and I have written versions of this recipe on many a business card, envelope, and scratch paper, it's about time it took its place among our favorites here on the blog.The tender-crisp vegetables and fluffy couscous are a perfect vehicle for this sumptuous sauce, our version of the traditional Tunisian red pepper condiment that is so ubiquitous in Northern Africa. The cumin, coriander, and caraway add complexity and depth, with the guajillos lending just enough heat to be interesting without being overwhelming. You can also try the Harissa sauce on grilled meats or eggplant -- or even on halibut!
Learn more
