Latin America
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.
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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.
Hibiscus Margarita
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo like never before with this delicious cocktail. The hibiscus infuses a deep rich red color to this libation. Add a slice of lime and Sel de Mer to the rim of your glass and you have the colors of the Mexican flag! Almost cranberry in flavor, it’s got a “zing” that is enhanced by using silver tequila and the homemade spiced simple syrup. Tune in to the mariachi station on Pandora while you whip these up for an absolute fiesta!
Hibiscus Margarita
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a medium sized pot
- Bring to boil over medium-high heat
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes
- Strain and pour into jar. Allow to cool to room temperature
- Once cooled, place in refrigerator. Your syrup will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks
- Combine tequila, lime juice and Hibiscus Spiced Simple Syrup in a glass with a couple of cubes of ice.
- Stir well
- Drink
- Repeat
Mayan Cocoa
Heavenly Mayan Cocoa
The delicious comfort of drinking chocolate is ancient ritual. Both the Aztecs and Mayans believed cocoa to be a gift from the gods. This recipe may have changed a bit in the last 500 years, but the taste is still heavenly. Our Mayan Cocoa mix rests on a deep chocolate base with a mellow chile warmth alongside the intricate flavors of almond, true cinnamon and allspice. Whisk together 2-4 tablespoons of Mayan Cocoa per cup of whole milk and heat to just below boiling. Hold at this temperature for a few minutes, then strain to remove any spice chunks. Sweeten to taste and enjoy!
Mole Ole! Sauce with Turkey
Mole is a topic that is close to my heart. As a child, my parents took my sister and I for an extended stay in Mexico, where we lived with a host family and attended school for the purpose of learning Spanish. It was there that I had my first taste of mole negro; the “mother sauce” of Mexico. I’ll never forget that first, heady taste of rich chiles with bitter chocolate, at once round and bold and assertive, yet simultaneously beautifully complex and nuanced.
Though I sometimes make a version of the sauce that I first had in the hills of Mexico as a child, the three day commitment it requires is often more than I have to give over to my food fetish! This hearty sauce, using our fantastic Mole Ole blend, incorporates everything that I love about true mole, and satisfies the craving in a way that isn’t to be believed by something this easy. The sweetness of the Ancho and Pasilla Negro chiles in Mole Ole perfectly offsets the bitter tones of the Valrhona cocoa, highlighted by the fragrant top notes of true cinnamon, and supported by nutty sesame seeds. It’s a perfect vehicle for leftover turkey in the days following Thanksgiving, either as filling for tacos, as we’ve pictured, or in enchiladas.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add almonds and toast until golden, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to paper towel–lined plate, reserving the oil.
- Add raisins to oil in skillet and sauté until plump, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate, again reserving oil.
- Add onion and garlic and plantain to skillet and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and tomatillos to onion and garlic mixture, and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about ten minutes.
- Transfer almonds and raisins to the tomato mixture along with the Mole Ole spice blend and the challah.
- Working in batches, add mixture to blender and purée until smooth, adding the stock to thin to the desired consistency.
- Return the blended sauce to medium heat, and season to taste with salt, sugar and Chipotle Flakes.
- Simmer over low heat for ten minutes to develop flavors. Add the cooked, shredded turkey meat, and toss to coat in the sauce. Use to fill enchiladas, tacos, burritos, or to top nachos.
Pumpkin Kale Enchiladas
Last October the shop was bedecked with lovely heirloom pumpkins. As they began to see the end of their lives as decorations, we roasted them and added them to everything — and I mean everything! This recipe was conceived to please the vegetarian we had on staff at the time, as well as all of the ardent carnivores we always have around. It’s the best of our pumpkin experimentation and was the first dish to disappear at our most recent tasting.
Cooking with whole chile pods can be intimidating if you’ve never done it, but it isn’t difficult and the flavors are unparalleled. It should be mentioned that “chile” is not synonymous with heat. In this sauce, darkly sweet Anchos complement the roasted pumpkin, while Pasilla Negro and Mulato provide an earthy base to support the sharpness of the kale. Just a touch of smoke is added with the Pasilla Oaxaca, producing a rich and complex concoction that is remarkably mild. If you like your Latin fare a little spicier, you can customize the heat level with a pinch or two of Chipotle Flakes.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- To make the sauce, remove stems from chiles, and add to a 2 quart saucepan with beer, garlic and bouillon. Cover with water, and allow to simmer for about one hour, then allow to cool. (This step can be done the night before - just transfer the mixture to an uncovered bowl in the refrigerator.)
- When cool, remove chiles and garlic from poaching liquid and puree in batches with the tomato sauce, adding back enough of the poaching liquid to form a thin sauce (about the consistency of teriyaki sauce). You should end up with about seven cups of sauce.
- To roast the pumpkin, Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put an empty sheet pan in the oven to heat up. Toss the cubed raw pumpkin with the spices and enough neutral oil (canola, corn, safflower, peanut) to coat. Pour spiced pumpkin on to the hot sheet pan in an even, single layer. (Be careful to avoid over-crowding or you won't get good caramelization.) Roast until tender but still ‘al dente.’
- To make the filling, Wash, stem and chop the kale, then combine with the cooled, roasted pumpkin, beans, and cumin seeds.
- To assemble and bake the enchiladas, Heat up enchilada sauce until it simmers, and place enough sauce in a 9x13 casserole dish to thinly coat the bottom.
- Dip tortillas in to heated sauce, coating both sides.
- Add a bit of cheese, and a generous handful of the pumpkin/kale/bean mix to the sauced tortilla, and roll it up. Plan to use about 2/3 of the cheese inside the enchiladas, and reserving 1/3 for the top.
- Place rolled enchilada in the prepared pan, and repeat until filled. For best results, pack them in tightly. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas, and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 325 degrees until bubbly and cheese has browned on top, about forty minutes.
Chipotle Chili Powder Black Bean Burger
Meat. It tastes good, and I love it. Perhaps a bit ashamedly so, now, mostly for environmental reasons, some animal activism, and a little first-world guilt to make up the balance. Inspired by my sister, the tireless vegan, I’ve jumped on the trendy Meatless Monday bandwagon in an effort to mitigate my carbon footprint. Believe it or not, (and I’ve got a hard time believing it myself!) I’ve actually come to like it! This burger represents the best of my vegetarian/vegan efforts. Quinoa gives the black beans bulk, along with a nutty flavor and pleasing texture. The Chipotle Chili Powder adds smoke and spice, and the Epazote, that enigmatic ingredient- adds that “umami” characteristic that we so take for granted when eating meat. Most of the World Spice team shares my adoration for all things meat and cheese, but the combination of creamy avocado, tangy Vegenaise spread, and crisp, spicy Mama Lil’s peppers had us all vegans for the day. This one is a guaranteed hit, even with the most devoted carnivores.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine quinoa and water over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Bring to a simmer, and cover until quinoa has absorbed all water.
- Add oil, onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin seeds, and sauté together until onion has softened.
- Mash one can of the black beans with the mustard powder, tomato paste, salt, soy sauce, epazote, and cilantro, and fold the other two cans of beans in whole.
- Add in the quinoa and onion mixture, and combine thoroughly.
- Form handfuls of batter in to patty shapes, and dredge in Panko.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat, and pan-fry burgers for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy
- Serve on toasted buns with vegan “mayonnaise” spread, sliced avocado, crisp Romaine lettuce, and Mama Lil’s Mild Pickled Peppers.
Aleppo Pepper Basil Lemonade
It’s not back-to-school-time in our backyard yet! The sun is shining, the BBQ is fired-up, and a wild game of badminton is underway. The players and onlookers are thirsty and I’ve got just the thing. This refreshing lemonade is perfect for hot summer afternoons like these. The soothing taste of fragrant basil and the zesty flavor of ruby-red Aleppo Pepper create a delicious, thirst quenching treat. The simple syrup can be used to make wonderful cocktails as well. Many thanks to Carol Peterman of SpiceCare for sharing her recipe with us.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- For Simple Syrup - Combine all of the ingredients for the simple syrup together in a medium-sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let the syrup boil for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat. Be sure to let cool to room temperature before using it for the lemonade. Once it has cooled, strain and refrigerate it for use in beverages.
- For Lemonade - Combine the simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and water in a large pitcher. Stir to combine, and chill until ready to serve. Pour over ice, adding fresh basil sprigs and lemon slices for a garnish.
Notes
Thank you to our good friend and spice goddess, Carol Peterman of TableFare, for this fantastic recipe!
Aji Mirasol Salsa
Aji Mirasol Chiles, the dried form of the Aji Amarillo, are a unique chile pepper absent from the arsenal of many chefs. A staple of Peruvian cuisine, their uniquely fruity flavor make Aji Mirasols a versatile pepper; great in a wide variety of dishes, but especially salsa. You can use this salsa as a dip with tortilla or cassava chips, but it’s even better served with grilled meat or seafood. Aji Mirasol Salsa is the perfect accompaniment for anticuchos, the grilled meat kebabs that are classic Peruvian street food. The combination of fresh citrus, cilantro and the slightly spicy Aji Mirasol chiles just begs to be eaten with grilled halibut, shrimp, chicken, pork or goat. Try some at your next barbecue and wow your guests with one-of-a-kind South American flair!
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Snip stems from chiles, then cut lengthwise, and remove ribs and seeds. Cut chiles into 1" pieces, and place in heat-proof bowl. Pour boiling water over chiles until just covered, and allow to sit 30 minutes.
- Strain chiles, reserving liquid, and place in blender with 3/4 cup of the liquid. Add 1 tsp. salt, and blend until smooth. Strain the paste through a sieve, pushing through patiently. (The flavor and texture will be worth the effort!) Discard pulp remaining in sieve.
- Whisk in the onion and lime, and salt to taste. Add the chopped fresh cilantro, mint and parsely, and stir. Allow to sit at least 15 minutes for flavors to meld.
Yucatan Rojo Fish Tacos
I don’t know about you, but this sunshine activates my wanderlust something fierce! Long days, hot sun… I crave a remote beach and what I like to call “barefoot cuisine.” Near the top of my travel list is a combination yoga and surfing retreat on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula… As a mum, a student, and a spice merchant, my travel budget is limited, so I have to rely on the transportive quality of food, for the time being. These tacos do just the trick! Far from the oily, breaded fish tacos you’ve had before, these are perfect summer fare, getting their flavor from beautiful swordfish, the smoke of the grill, and the tangy, complex flavor of World Spices’ Yucatan Rojo BBQ Rub. The creamy and crunchy slaw and the crisp, spicy pickled vegetables are refreshing in their acidity, and a perfect complement to the dense corn tortillas. Garnish with plenty of fresh cilantro, and if you’ve got them, slices of buttery avocado. With my eyes closed and taco in hand, the Yucatan Peninsula comes to me!
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut fish into 1 inch strips. Toss the fish and the rub into a Ziploc bag, making sure that the fish is covered with the spice. Refrigerate overnight.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the pickled veggies together in a covered container, and let them marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the slaw together in a large bowl. Taste for seasoning (you might want to add more salt). Transfer into a covered container and refrigerate.
- Season the fish with salt and a squeeze of lime, and grill quickly over high heat, lightly brushing with a little oil once the pieces have been flipped.
- Heat the tortillas on both sides on the grill. Put a spoonful of slaw on the tortilla, then some grilled fish, then top with the pickled veggies, sliced avocado and tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
Caribbean Spice Grilled Salsa
Fresh pineapple tastes of a wild summer, its tropical sweetness tempered by raucous acidity. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find a ripe one and some folks can be overwhelmed by the tartness. My favorite way to tame pineapple is to cook it slowly until the pale yellow becomes a rich gold and the sugars take center stage, as in this grilled salsa. Make sure to place your pineapple slices away from the hottest parts of the grill; caramelized pineapple requires time (20-30 minutes) and indirect heat. Our Caribbean Spice, with the richness of allspice berries, is the perfect blend for this salsa. A bit of extra cumin adds an intense savory note that’s perfect for grilling. While I broke everything down in a food processor for the smoother texture and ease of preparation, fans of chunky salsa can chop everything together by hand. The smoky flavor from the grill counterpoints the sweetness of the pineapple and tomato perfectly, leaving you with a well balanced and delicious side for tortilla or plantain chips, chicken, and fish.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Lightly oil the pineapple, tomato and onion, so that they won't stick to the hot grill (or grill pan). Place on the grill and cook on both sides, until almost done. (You mostly want to get good grill marks on them - that's flavor! You can also grill your citrus, too. It will make them easier to juice, and give you a little more flavor, but you might want to let them cool before you juice them.) After you take them off the grill, cut them into smaller pieces for the food processor.
- In a food processor, add the garlic and ginger and process. (This will just break them down a little bit.) Now put in the rest of the ingredients the food processor and puree. Taste for seasoning - you might want to add more salt, lime juice or Caribbean Spice, depending on your taste. Depending on how sweet your fruit is, you might want to add more honey, too.
- This is a great topping for grilled meats or fish, but is also just as good with chips.
