Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 28th, 9:30am By Michael Franco

It should come as no surprise to YUM readers, that I have a passion for spices. You can expect to find me foraging through the city’s ethnic markets, hunting for treasures with which to restock my spice cabinet. The more exotic the spices, the more excited I am to try them. And excited is exactly the way I felt when I first discovered zatar.

Not to be confused with Za’atar (which is a sort of hybrid of thyme-marjoram-oregano), zatar is a traditional Middle Eastern aromatic spice mixture of sumac, thyme and white sesame seeds. With an earthy woodsy flavor zatar is a popular tabletop condiment that is often used in bread making. For a flavorful treat, brush naan bread or pita bread with olive oil and sprinkle it with zatar. Cut the bread into wedges and bake in a 350 oven for 5-10 minutes, just until the bread is browned and crisp. Or, you can make your own exotic spiced nuts by simply tossing a mixture of your favorite nuts with a drizzle of olive oil, a light sprinkle of zatar and a pinch of cinnamon. Bake in a 350 oven for 10-15 minutes, and you’ve got a great snack.

If you are looking for a new taste sensation, try one of these quick and easy dip ideas. Start by using a store bought roasted red pepper spread; add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of zatar, and you have a special dip to serve with your classic crudites. Or, try using this dip as a spread on a grilled salmon filet or chicken breast. Another creative and easy use for zatar is to drain unflavored yogurt well (to remove the liquid), and then add a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of zatar and a teaspoon of lightly toasted black mustard seeds. Although this makes a tangy dip for crudites, it is also a zesty, flavorful dressing for a salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and thinly sliced red onions.

One of my favorite ways to use zatar is when making a Tagine. A tagine is a cooking pot made of clay that is traditionally painted or glazed. It consists of two parts; a circular base in which food is cooked, and a cone shaped cover designed to return condensation back down to the food during cooking. Typically popular in the North African country of Morocco, a Tagine is a more effective cooking vessel than the Dutch oven we Americans are more familiar with. It is most well-known as the dish used to cook the aromatic dish of the same name, tagine.

Moroccan tagine is a slow-cooked stew, that can be made using lamb, beef, chicken or fish as the animal protein source, with an addition of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts or spices depending on what the recipe calls for. The key is to create an intricate balance of sweet, sour and heat with spices that successfully marry with the other ingredients you have selected to use. It’s really very simple to prepare this entirely vegan meal as well, just follow the easy, short-cut recipe below for Vegetable Tagine that I have devised for the American kitchen. You may adjust the type of spices used or the amount of each spice to suit your personal taste. The list below is a beautifully aromatic balance that is my personal favorite. And you don’t even need a tagine to prepare it!
Vegetable Tagine

What you need to start:
Equipment: a dutch oven and a wooden spoon

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes (about 3-4 cups)
1 medium zucchini, cut in 1 inch circles (about 2-3 cups)
1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes (about 2-3 cups)
2 medium carrot peeled and cut in 2 inch pieces (about 1-2 cups)
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beens, rinsed and drained
1 cup of dry white wine (or water)

Spices:
1 tablespoon zatar
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon each of; smoked paprika, turmeric, ground coriander, whole fennel seeds, ground cinnamon and dried mint
1/2 teaspoon each of; ground cumin, ground ginger and ground cardamom, 20 saffron threads
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup slivered blanched almonds, lightly toasted
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (or either mint or parsley, if you prefer)

To start cooking:
1) In a dutch oven, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until they are soft and slightly golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2) Add all of the spices and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
3) Add the eggplant, zucchini, sweet potatoes and carrots, stirring to coat the vegetables with the onions and spices, for 3-4 minutes.
4) Add the wine and tomatoes stirring to combine and cook covered for 20 minutes on low heat.
5) Add garbanzo beans stir and cooked covered for 10 minutes on low heat.

Garnish with raisins, almonds and chopped cilantro and serve with steamed couscous.
Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your personal taste or omit any spice that you do not like. After preparing this particular tagine many times I personally prefer the balance of spices listed in this recipe.

I enjoy serving this aromatic dish with a salad made of fresh oranges and slivers of red onion dressed with a drizzle of rose flower water and chopped fresh mint. This fragrant and refreshing salad is the perfect complement to the robust flavors of the tagine.
With this quick and easy meal, an exotic evening awaits you any night of the week.

Al Noor Grocery
1200 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo, 14216
716.876.4752

Lexington Co-Operative Market
807 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo,14222
716.886.2667

Pinch of Spice
The Broadway Market
999 Broadway, Buffalo