SPICE ROUTE
LET YOUR TASTEBUDS TAKE YOU FAR AWAY
Ameal at Byblos, the Toronto restaurant that specializes in the cuisines of the Eastern Mediterranean, always takes me to faraway places. However, my tastebuds have never travelled as far as they did during their recent Spice Dinner — a collaboration between Byblos’ Executive Chef Stuart Cameron and Chef and Spice Expert Lior Lev Sercarz.
Sercarz is the owner of La Boite Spices in New York City, author of the newly published The Spice Companion ( Clarkson Potter) and a spice blender for some of the world’s top chefs. The following two recipes were part of the Byblos multi-course spice dinner. I took Chef Sercarz’ advice and adapted them to my taste and home cooking methods.
BAKED HUMMUS WITH MEAT AND HAWAIJ SPICE
Although you can buy hummus everywhere now you can’t beat fresh homemade hummus t hat has never seen a refrigerator. Served warm topped with spiced meat makes it even better. Serve with challah or pita. ❚ 2 cups cooked chickpeas ( freshly cooked or drained canned chick peas)
❚ 1/2 cup raw tahini
❚ 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
❚ 1/4 cup lemon juice
❚ 1 tsp kosher salt
❚ 1/3 cup ice water or more ❚ 1/4 tsp ground cumin
❚ jalapeno and cil antro schug:
❚ 1 jalapeno, cut into chunks (remove ribs and seeds if you want it milder)
❚ 1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut into pieces
❚ 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems
❚ 2 tbsp lime juice
❚ 1/2 tsp kosher salt
❚ 1/4 tsp each ground turmeric, cumin and black pepper
❚ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
❚ pinch citric acid
❚ garlic sauce:
❚ 1/3 cup mayonnaise
❚ 1 tbsp lemon juice
❚ 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
❚ spiced meat:
❚ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
❚ 1/2 small onion, chopped
❚ 1/2 lb sirloin steak, hand chopped into small pieces
❚ reserved chick peas
❚ 1/2 tsp each smoked paprika, ground cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper
❚ 1/4 tsp ground allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg
❚ 1/2 cup chicken stock
1. Reserve a few tbsp cooked chick peas for the meat. Place remaining cooked chick peas in a food processor and pulse on/of until finely chopped. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, 1/3 cup water and cumin. Puree 4 to 5 minutes or longer until very smooth and creamy. Add additional ice water until hummus is the consistency you like. Season to taste with more lemon juice and/or salt.
2. Spread hummus in a shallow bowl ovenproof dish, leaving a shallow indentation for the meat. Reserve. (Cover but do not refrigerate.)
3. Place jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt, turmeric, cumin, pepper and citric acid in a blender and chop finely. Add oil slowly while the machine running. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned. Add meat and brown well. Add chick peas, all the spices and cook one to two minutes, stirring. Add chicken stock and simmer a minute or two until mixture comes together and liquid evaporates. Season to taste. Spoon on hummus.
5. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until warm. Drizzle with garlic sauce, dot with some schug and top with a few cilantro leaves.
Makes 6 servings. TAH DIG WITH APRICOTS AND FIGS WITH TANGIER SPICE
Persian rice is the best rice imaginable. Everyone who makes it has a slightly different touch. The sign of an accomplished cook is the tah dig — or crispy crust — that forms on the bottom of the pot. It may take a few tries to achieve it but all the trials will taste delicious so don’t worry. ❚ 2 cups basmati rice
❚ 2 tbsp butter
❚ 1 small onion, chopped
❚ 1/4 cup dried apricots, diced
❚ 1/4 cup dried figs, diced
❚ 1/4 tsp ground cumin
❚ 5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
❚ 1 tsp grated lemon peel
❚ liquid:
❚ 1/2 tsp saffron threads (or 1/2 tsp turmeric)
❚ 1/2 cup boiling water
❚ 1/3 cup butter - divided
❚ 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
❚ topping:
❚ 1/4 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios
❚ 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
❚ 2 tbsp dried rose petals if available
❚ 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1. Rinse rice in a sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Soak rice in a bowl of cold water for one to two hours.
2. Heat butter in a medium skillet and cook onions, without browning, until fragrant and tender about 5 minutes. Add apricots, figs, cumin, cardamom pods and lemon peel. Cook a few minutes longer. Cool.
3. Bring 4 quarts water to the boil in a large pot. Add 2 tbsp salt. Drain rice well and add rice to water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes until rice turns opaque but is only parboiled. Drain rice and rinse with cold water. Drain again and combine with apricot and fig mixture. ( This can be done ahead.)
4. Crush saffron slightly in a small bowl and add boiling water. Add 3 tbsp butter and salt. Reserve.
5. Melt remaining butter in a heavy 4L Dutch oven. When butter begins to sizzle and brown slightly add rice letting it mound to a peak in the centre. With the handle of a wooden spoon make 6 deep ( right to the bottom) holes through the rice. Drizzle saffron mixture into the holes. Wrap the lid of the pot with a tea towel (be sure the ends do not hang down!) and cover pot. Cook on medium heat 30 to 40 minutes. After 30 minutes check to see if a crispy layer is forming on the bottom and if not, turn heat up and cook 10 minutes longer.
6. To serve, fluff the rice (not the crust) and then invert onto a large shallow serving plate. Hopefully everything will come out with the crispy tah dip on top. Or, spoon rice onto the serving dish and lift out the crispy rice in pieces and scatter on top. Sprinkle with pistachios, pomegranate seeds, rose petals and cilantro.