Snacky Bits
Ancho Chili Beef Empanadas
Who doesn’t love food that you can hold in your hand? The beauty of empanadas is that the rich, buttery dough can be filled with almost anything - sweet or savory. Our Ancho Chili Powder is mild-medium in heat and adds magnificent depth to the beef and vegetable filling we chose. Ancho chiles have a wonderful, darkly sweet flavor, so we added a little Alderwood Smoked Salt for just a touch of smoky contrast. They can be served either hot or at room temperature; we like ours with salsa, sour cream and a Hibiscus Margarita. They freeze well, so make a bunch and plan to enjoy them another day, or surprise yourself at how quickly your guests devour the extras.
.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sift flour into a large bowl. Add salt and chilled, cubed butter. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, mix together until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
- In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, chilled water and vinegar and add to flour mixture.Combine until well incorporated.
- Empty onto a lightly floured surface and knead just enough to bring the dough together. Cut dough in half and form each half into a rectangle. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- In a heavy skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onions, red bell peppers and garlic and saute until softened. Add Alderwood Smoked Salt, Ancho Chili Powder and Mexican Oregano, and saute for about 1 minute.
- Add ground beef, breaking up any lumps and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add olives and mix well. Taste for seasoning, adjust as needed. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Cut each rectangle into 12 pieces. Form into discs and cover with a towel.
- On a lightly floured surface, take one of the pieces and roll it out into a circle (about 1/8 inch thick). Holding the circle in the palm of your hand, place 2 heaping teaspoons of the chilled filling in the center.
- Fold the two edges of the circle together over the filling. Press the edges to seal. Using a fork dipped in flour, crimp the edges so the filling won't escape.
- Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Lightly brush the empanadas with egg wash.
- Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. They are done if they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes.
- Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Dolmades for Greek Easter
If you thought that the Easter fun was over far too soon, not to fear! Greek Easter is this coming Sunday, and awash with delicious traditions all its own. Not to be missed are these tasty little pockets of meat, rice, and nuts, expertly seasoned with our savory and tangy El Greco blend. They’re called “dolmas” in the singular, and “dolmades” when referring to the scores of them you’ll eat once you’ve had a taste of their perfect balance of Mediterranean flavors, all wrapped in a convenient little two-bite gnosh. All of the ingredients ought to be readily available in most markets, including grape leaves, which often come in cans or jars. If you’ve got a grape vine over an arbor, fresh work wonderfully, too; just poach them a bit of salted water with a half a lemon thrown in. Admittedly a little time-consuming, the dolmades can be prepared 2 to 3 days before serving, and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to use them. If you do freeze them, they can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator, and gently heated with a little broth or water before serving. You’ll find them more than worth the effort! Kalo Pascha!
.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Add onion and saute until translucent.
- Add meat, stirring to break up pieces.
- Add rice, dill, El Greco, pine nuts, water and tomato paste.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Cover the bottom of a Dutch oven with a layer of grape leaves.
- Stuff remaining leaves by placing leaf (shiny side down) on the palm of your hand, with the base of leaf the toward your wrist and tip pointing to your middle finger.
- Put a spoonful of meat mixture in center.
- Fold the base of the leaf over the filling, then fold sides of leaf over (like an envelope), tucking the edges in snugly
- Arrange, tip side down, (to prevent unrolling) in the Dutch oven.
- Add broth to Dutch oven within 1 inch of top layer of stuffed grape leaves.
- Use any left over leaves to cover top layer.
- Place a heat-proof plate upside down over the top layer of dolmas, and press firmly.
- Cover and cook over medium heat until rice is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice and cook 5 minutes longer.
- Let cool to room temperature, or chill thoroughly.
- Serve garnished with lemon slices and a little greek yoghurt for dipping.
Rooster Spice Asparagus
Songkran (สงกรานต์) is the traditional Thai New Year water festival which starts on April 13 every year. Traditionally, the throwing of water is said to be a symbol of luck to bring good rain for the crops. Well, we are swimming in good luck with a bountiful asparagus harvest this year and a brand new spice blend, Rooster Spice! We designed this spicy chili powder drawing inspiration from Indonesian sambal, Thai nam phrik, and Vietnamese tuong ot toi. Rooster Spice has limitless possibilities but here we combine the seasonality of asparagus with the celebration of Thai New Year. Enjoy!
Rooster Spice Asparagus
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a deep saute pan, gently heat oil to 375 degrees
- Bring 4 quarts of heavily salted water to a rolling boil
- Add asparagus, cook for 50 seconds
- Transfer to a bowl of ice water to shock, then dry thoroughly
- In a medium bowl, mix egg yolks with flour, cornstarch, Rooster Spice and beer, taking care not to over mix
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs whites to soft peaks
- Fold egg whites, very gently, into egg yolk mixture
- Do not over mix or allowed batter to sit too long
- Toss asparagus with a few tablespoons of flour, shaking to remove excess
- Dredge in batter and fry in oil, until golden and crisp
- Season with Sel de Mer, a squeeze of lemon, or a generous dousing of malt vinegar
- Serve in newspaper cones
Le Quebecois Mini Pies
We were recently asked by another spice company to change the name of our Montreal Steak Spice because they owned the rights to the name. Well, okay….
We had to brainstorm a new name, take the labels off of jars in gift sets, redo the store displays, and adjust our website all in a very short amount of time. We were busy! While all of this change was taking place, I recalled a quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, ‘We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.’ Change can be good, our store displays are fresh and new our website got a nice update, we have a fantastic new name for one of our earliest blends and an outstanding recipe to go with it. Introducing……Le Quebecois Steak Spice (applause, applause)!
Paying homage to the Canadian Provence were the blend originated, Le Quebecois Steak Spice showcases both the French flair for deft seasoning, and the British love of beef. While usually associated with steak, we tried it in these vegetarian mini pies with great success – you know how how we love to play with our food! Bon appétit.
Le Quebecois Mini Pies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat
- Add onion to pan and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes
- Add chard stems and celery, cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add chard leaves, raise heat to medium high and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes
- Add scallions, arugula and herbs. Cook for two minutes more and transfer to a collander
- Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much liquid as you can
- Transfer to a bowl and mix in cheese, zest, eggs, salt, sugar and Le Quebecois Steak Spice
- Lay out a sheet of filo, cut into 12 squares and brush with olive oil
- Lay the oiled squares into the cups of a muffin tin
- Repeat, alternating the angles of the squares so that they cover the sides of each muffin cup, until you have 5 layers of filo
- Fill each cup with herb mixture and fold excess filo over the edges of the filling
- To top each cup, make another 5 layer filo piece, cut in a round, and place atop of each cup
- Brush lightly with olive oil and bake for 40 minutes until the filo turns golden brown
- Serve warm or at room temperature as an an appetizer or an accompaniment to roast lamb or beef
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 cous cous 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!
.
Ingredients
Instructions
- To make the Harissa – In a small saute pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add the chopped red onion, and saute until it starts to get a little color. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomato paste, roasted peppers, Harissa, garlic granules, 1/3 cup olive oil and red wine vinegar. Pulse until it’s still a little chunky. (You can also puree it until it’s smooth.)
- Transfer to a bowl and add salt to taste. Add the sauteed red onions and green onions and mix well. (You can prepare this ahead of time – let it get to room temperature before serving. If you have any leftovers, it will keep well in the refrigerator. This works well as a condiment to any meal.)
- To make the Couscous – In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over low heat. Saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add stock, dried apricots, squash, zucchini, cauliflower florets, chickpeas, turmeric, ginger powder and Aleppo pepper, stirring well. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Place the cover on the pot, reducing the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, but still a bit crispy. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Then mix in the diced tomatoes, peas, cilantro and couscous. Remove the pot from the heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes. (This will cook the couscous.)
- Remove the lid and fluff the couscous with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle some of the Harissa onto the couscous, serving the rest of the Harissa on the side.
Ginger Snappiest Cookies
These Ginger Snaps are the snappiest in town and offer a classic belly warming tingle all season long. Equally at home with a glass of milk, egg nog, hot cocoa or a cocktail, they offer a petite bite of concentrated spice. We added a sprinkle of sugar to our finished cookies for some holiday sparkle.
Yum!
So pretty and delicious on the plate, and so yummy straight off the rack!
Do we have to wait?
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light. Then beat in the egg, followed by the molasses and maple syrup.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and incorporate well using a sturdy wooden spoon. This batter takes a little muscle.
- Cover the bowl and set aside to rest for half an hour.
- The dough could be refrigerated or frozen at this point for later use. I like to keep some around from November until January!
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a teaspoon for portioning, roll a small balls of dough lightly between your palms, and place onto the sheet pan. Fill the sheet, leaving about an inch or so between the balls of dough. Rinse your fingers with warm water and pat each ball flat.
- Bake 10-13 minutes until browned. Remove and slide parchment onto a rack to cool.
Aleppo Pepper Muhammara
This eastern Mediterranean dish is the perfect example of that regions ability to take simple ingredients like nuts, peppers and olive oil…and make something magical by adding a spice such as Aleppo Pepper. The sweet and sharp chile from the Aleppo region of Syria has a moderate heat and fruity flavor that brings a taste of the sunny Mediterranean to every bite. An elegant alternative to hummus, Muhammara will be the easy holiday hors d’oeuvre that your guests adore.
.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put the toasted nuts in a food processor or blender, and pulse until they are broken down into small pieces.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning - you might want to add more salt, lemon juice or pomegranate molasses.
- You can then transfer to a serving bowl or put in a container for the fridge. It will keep about a week.
Indian Coriander Energy Bars
Sometimes I get so busy doing things that I forget to eat breakfast and/or lunch. I know, I shouldn’t do that, but I do. I’ve tried various power or energy bars, but I find them too sweet, lacking in flavor, or really just not very healthy. So I set out to make an energy bar that tasted good, was high in all of the “good” stuff we’re supposed to be eating every day, and was full of things that I loved (like Indian Coriander). I’m also a huge fan of chia seeds, and using them eliminated the need to use oil or eggs in my energy bars. (Chia seeds are full of essential fatty acids, antioxidents, calcium, iron, fiber, and are a source of natural extended energy.)
I’ve found this to be a great recipe for experimentation and using up tasty odds and ends. Got a quarter cup left of fig butter? Put it in your next batch. Found an apple or banana you need to use? Mash the banana or grate the apple, and add it to your next batch. (These are also good with grated carrots, too.) I’ll make these every week or so, and bring them into the shop. Somehow, they always seem to disappear…there are even some days where I might actually get one or two pieces! (We have some sneaky people here at the shop, especially where baked goods are concerned.) They’re always a big hit, and no one feels guilty about eating them. Yes, I will admit to sometimes putting chocolate chips in them, but chocolate is good for you, too, right?
Dried cherries and almonds make this a tasty treat…and it’s good for you, too!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 pan with foil, making sure that you have extra hanging over the sides. (This will make it easier to take the bars out of the pan, as there is no fat used in this recipe. Just pull the foil & bars out, and your pan is still clean!)
- In a small bowl, add the chia seeds and water. Whisk together with a fork, being careful to make sure that all of the seeds are submerged in the water. Set aside for 10 minutes, gently stirring after 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the Indian Coriander, high-fiber cereal, non-white flour, oatmeal, salt, nuts, dried fruit and Poudre Douce. Mix together well.
- Add the maple syrup or honey and the orange zest and juice to the rehydrated chia seeds. Stir well. Add to the ingredients in the large bowl, using a rubber spatula to scrape out all of the chia seeds. Gently mix all of the ingredients together. (It will look like it won’t come together, but it will. If it find that it might need some more liquid, add a tablespoon or two of orange or grapefruit juice. You just want the ingredients to “bind” together – it won’t look like any batter you’ve worked with!) This makes a slightly soft bar - if you want a more cake-like bar, add about 1/4 cup more juice.
- Scoop out into the foil-lined pan and press down to fill every corner, smoothing out as you do it. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes – when you touch the center of the bar mixture, it should be very firm.
- If you want a drier, firmer bar, cook for an extra 5 - 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan. Then remove, using the foil.
- Place a cutting board on top of the pan and flip it over, so that the pan is on top of the board. Unwrap the bar from the foil carefully, and cut the bar into pieces. It’s great cut into bite-sized pieces, or just cut into 16 bars. Place in a zip loc bag or covered container and keep in the refrigerator. These will keep for over a week.
Svaneti Seasoned-Salt Kale Chips
I adore kale. The moment I discovered this particular leafy green it immediately beat out broccoli and chard at the top of my favorite vegetable list. Luckily for me it is available practically year-round here in the northwest, and right now there are some exceptionally beautiful bunches showing up in the Farmer’s Markets and grocery stores. My favorite way to prepare kale is to bake it into chips with a little bit of salt to bring out its natural savory flavor. Whether you are new to kale chips or they are an old favorite of yours you’ll love mixing it up with some of our seasoning salts. Along with our Svaneti Salt, some of my favorites are Celery Seasoned Salt and Osaka Seasoned Salt.
Kale Chips
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 °F.
- In a bowl, toss kale with just enough olive oil to lightly coat each piece.
- Spread the kale pieces in a single layer, touching but not overlapping, on a baking tray (parchment paper or aluminum foil on your baking tray makes for an easier clean-up).
- Sprinkle Svaneti Seasoned-Salt lightly over the kale.
- Bake for ~15 minutes until crisp but not browned. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
- If you are using a scrambler, sprinkle to taste over the baked chips after cooking and enjoy!
- Leftovers they will keep for a day or two in an airtight bag.
Classic Hummus
Hummus is one of those things best made fresh from scratch, and neither grocery store nor restaurant versions can compare. Served with crunchy veggies, olives, feta and warmed pita bread, hummus is always a crowd pleaser! Our hummus always comes to the table with a hearty sprinkle of spice right on top. Our taste-testers couldn’t agree on just one, so we recommend, Israeli Zahtar, Syrian Zahtar or Sumac.
Perfect hummus!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Soak garbanzo beans overnight. Discard soaking water, and place in a pot and cover with water by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender. Strain and reserve cooking liquid.
- Place all ingedients in a food processor or high-speed blender. Add just enough of the cooking liquid to get the mixture moving. Process to desired consistency.
- Note: You can also substitute 2 15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, drained, for this recipe - just use water in place of the cooking liquid.
- Garnish hummus with a sprinkle of sumac (or Israeli Zahtar or Syrian Zahtar) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. (This would be where you could use that good extra virgin olive oil you have.)
