Search Results

The country of Georgia is filled with delicious comforting foods and some of the worlds best and oldest semi-sweet red wines! But they do occasionally enjoy a salad and when they do, its almost always with a walnut dressing. This unique dressing provides a creamy texture with vibrant spices such as marigold petal and blue fenungreek which elevates this salad to a whole new level. Prep time: 15 minutes Yields 7 salads INGREDIENTS 3 medium sized tomatoes chopped 1 cucumber chopped ½ of 1 red onion finely chopped 1/4 Cup parsley finely chopped 1 small bouquet of purple basil (tear into pieces) 2 cloves of garlic minced 2 Tsp Khmeli Suneli 1/2 Cup cup walnuts ½ Cup cilantro, chopped 1/2 of a lemons juice 3 Tbsp water 2 Tsp Svaneti INSTRUCTIONS: Cut up your vegetables and set aside in a separate bowl. Place the garlic, Khmeli Sunneli, walnuts and cilantro in a food processor until it turns into a paste. Add in the vinegar and water slowly until the paste is the consistency of a pesto. When ready to serve, pour the pesto on the veggies, mix well and sprinkle the Svaneti over top.

Shichimi Togarashi is commonly seen in Japan where westerners would expect to see salt and pepper, centre stage on the dinner table. This slightly spicy, citrus umami-loaded spice compliments avocado's perfectly making this delicious salad a go to side dish for dinner guests and a great dinner idea once you add a side of rice with Furikake spice on top! Prep time: 15 minutes Yields 7 salads INGREDIENTS 2 Avocado Rice Vinegar Soy Sauce Sesame Oil Shichimi Togarashi INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the avocado's in half and then thinly slice spreading them out in a fan on your serving dish Mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil together and drizzle over the avocado evenly Sprinkle the Shichimi togarashi over top and serve!

Nisi is Greek for Island, this simple salad brings me back to the Seafood loving Island of Naxos, Greece with each bite! Prep time: 40 minutes Yields 4 salads INGREDIENTS SALAD Half of 1 Red onion 2 Cups Cherry tomatoes - Halved 5 Green olives - Halved & pitter 1/3 Cup of chopped Parsley ½ Cup of Feta Cheese - Crumbled 3 Cups Diced Cucumber DRESSING 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice 3 Tablespoons Olive oil 2 Tablespoons Greek Island Blend 1/2 Teaspoon Sicilian Caper powder 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher salt 1 Pinch of Pepper INSTRUCTIONS: Mix the dressing ingredients and let soak for minimum 30 minutes to allow spices to soften While the dressing sits, prep the salad ingredients. Toss dressing with Salad ingredients and serve!

This creamy ranch dressing is perfect for wings, veggies, salads and much, much more. INGREDIENTS 2 TBLS Mayonnaise 2 TBLS Milk 1/2 TBLS Buttermilk Ranch Spice (For a spicy version use Louisiana Blackened Ranch) 1 TSP lemon juice INSTRUCTIONS Mix all the ingredients together & chill for 15 minutes, this dip will keep for about 2 weeks (depending on expiry of your milk when refrigerated.

By Hetal Bulsara www.atasteofhomewithlove.com @a_taste_of_home_with_love Local foodie and recipe creator, Hetal Bulsara is a gifted home cook and mother of two who tells a story with each recipe she creates. It is always exciting to have a new creator work with The Spice Merchant and with Hetal's food photography skills and delectable recipes she is no exception. Shaahi paneer literally means “paneer for royalty”, and true to its name, this Mughlai dish is creamy, rich and full of bold flavor. Prepared with notes of Cloves, Cardamom, Saffron and Cinnamon, it’s very hard not to lick your fingers and go for seconds! It can be paired with naan or rice. While the traditional Mughlian Shaahi Panneer uses yogurt, this recipe substitutes it with tomatoes so it’s easier to cook without splitting the gravy! If you’re having guests over for dinner, this dish is sure to delight! Yields: 4 servings Heat: Mild (add more chili powder for a spicier dish) Duration: 1 hour (15 minutes prep time) INGREDIENTS Gravy 4 cloves 4 Green Cardamom pods ½ Cinnamon stick 1 thai green chili (sliced in half, lengthwise) 4 tbsp ghee or oil 2 chopped onions (medium) 1 heap tsp crushed ginger and garlic Handful of raw cashew nuts ¾ cups of canned whole tomatoes (blended) 3 teaspoons (leveled) salt 1 tsp crushed Coriander (heap) ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Mirch or crushed Reshampatti chili (more if you prefer spicy) 5 strands of Afghanistan Saffron 4 cups celery, chopped Paneer 1 tbsp ghee on oil 340g paneer cut into cubes and soaked in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. 230 ml heavy or whipping cream 1 tsp honey (optional) 1 ½ cups of water ½ tsp Garam Masala Chopped cilantro (optional) INSTRUCTIONS: Warm 1 tbps of cream in the microwave for a few seconds, then add the saffron strands so they can sit in the cream and release their flavor. Now let's start the gravy. Heat 4 tbsp of oil or ghee on medium heat, then add the first 4 ingredients (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, green chilli), and sizzle for 1 minute, or until slightly changed in color. 2. Add the onions and braise for 2 minutes, then add in the ginger and garlic paste and cashew nuts, and braise further until the onions are slightly golden, around 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the green chillies from the onion mixture, then transfer the mixture in the blender, add the tomatoes and blend until a smooth consistency is formed. In the same pan on medium heat add 1 tbsp ghee, followed by the blended mixture, chili powder if using, coriander powder and salt. Cook this mixture well, stirring often for about 5 minutes. The mixture will be quite thick, don’t worry it will smoothen out later! Add the cream, water, saffron, Garam masala and honey, and mix well until you get a smooth gravy, you can add more water if you prefer a thinner consistency. Add in the paneer and cook for 3 minutes. Garnish with coriander and enjoy with rice or naan!

Ever wanted to eat like the Romans did? This aromatic, sweet and herbal wild boar recipe is inspired by the writings of Apicius! His unique and abundant use of herbs still impacts chefs to this day. As Roman's did not have sugar this dish is sweetened with raisins and honey which gives it a very "ancient" flavor you may not recognize. Paired with the intensely herbal Roman Agora blend, vinegar, chicken stock and red wine you will soon be transported to the kitchen of Apicius himself as he develops the flavors of the ancient world. INGREDIENTS 4-5 Lbs. of Boar or Pork roast 3 Tbsp Ancient Roman Agora spice blend 1 Tbsp salt 1 cup red wine 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 Tbsp lard OR olive oil 2 onions chopped 2 cups raisins 1 cup chicken stock ¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup honey 4 cups celery, chopped INSTRUCTIONS: Place the ground spices, salt, wine and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Refrigerate for between 12 and 72 hours, Place the raisins in a bowl and barely cover with hot water. Heat the oven to 425 °F. Remove the meat from the bag and pour the marinade into a small pan. Place a casserole on medium heat. Heat the lard and sauté the meat lightly on all sides. Add chopped onions and sauté for another minute. Put the casserole in the oven for 30 minutes and reduce the heat to 375 *F. Add ½ cup water and continue cooking for 1½ hours. Pour the stock into the pan with the marinade. Bring to a a boil and skim. Allow to reduce by one third. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey. Bring to a boil then set aside. 5.Thirty minutes before the cooking ends, place the celery around the roast and mix into the cooking juices. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, then place the drained raisins around the meat. Pour the reduced sauce on the roast. Cook for another 15 minutes. 7.Remove the casserole and let rest for 20 minutes in a warm place before carving the meat. Taste the sauce and correct for salt, if necessary. 1 Boar OR pork roast (4-5.

By Sarah Gustafson @Just_a_cook_in_canada This recipe is brought to us by Sarah Gustafson, a talented cook and loving mother who has amazed us by her creative and exemplary culinary expertise. This cardamom-flavoured enriched dough will produce a bread with a soft, tender crumb that is lightly sweetened. Popular in Sweden and Finland, it is perfectly paired with coffee or tea, or toasted with peanut butter (the author's favourite way to enjoy it). INGREDIENTS: 2 TSP Active Dry Yeast 1 Cup lukewarm Water 1/4 Cup softened Butter 1 Cup Milk 1/2 Cup Sugar + 2 TSP extra for sprinkling the loaves 1 TSP Cyprus Pyramid Salt 6 Cups Flour 2 Eggs, beaten + 1 egg for brushing onto the loaves 6-8 crushed Green Cardamom seeds, shelled (about 1 TSP) INSTRUCTIONS Combine yeast & 2 tsp sugar with the lukewarm water. Let stand for 10 mins. It should get frothy. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat scald the milk, taking care not to let it burn on the bottom. Pour the scalded milk into a large bowl with the butter and stir until the butter is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and the salt and let sit until lukewarm. Stir in the water and yeast mixture. Stir in enough flour into the milk mixture to make a thick batter, then stir in the eggs and crushed cardamom. Stir in more flour until it is still a bit sticky but workable, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface to knead. Take care not to add too much flour at once. You can add little sprinkles of flour as you knead to create a smooth, soft dough that does not stick to your hands. If you add too much flour you will end up with a dense crumb. You can achieve this whole step using a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, slowly adding flour and checking it for wetness/stickiness as it starts to come together. Knead for about 10 minutes on low. You are looking for a soft smooth dough. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours. Punch down and give it a quick knead. Cut dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into rods/stands - you are going to be braiding 3 pieces together and making 2 loaves. Join 3 strands at one end, make a neat, even braid, and tuck the ends under. Transfer the loaves to either 1 large tray, or each loaf unto 2 smaller ones. Let rise for another 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl with 1 TBLS of water. Generously and evenly brush the loaves with this mixture, finishing with an even sprinkle of sugar. Bake the loaves until golden brown, 25-35 minutes. Let cool before tightly wrapping to keep the bread soft.

As the central part of the meal a lot of pressure is put onto the turkey, but not to worry we have a herbal light and juicy roasted turkey recipe that will offer a welcome break from the typical turkey that is served at the annual family functions, thyme and thyme again (get it? time...thyme) Ingredients 12- 14 LB fresh Turkey 4 TBLS Butter 10 Sage leaves 1 TBLS Herbs De Provence 1 TSP Sea Salt 2 TSP Black Pepper 1 Onion cut in 4 1 Granny Smith apple cut into 4 (cored/seeded) 2 pieces of celery ribs - chopped 2 Cups Dry White Wine 2 Cups Apple Juice Instructions Preheat oven 400º. Remove innards and rinse the turkey. Place the butter under the skin of the turkey breast, then add 6 sage leaves under skin of each breast. Season inside and outside of the turkey with Herbs De Provence, sea salt, and pepper. Place apple, celery, onion and 4 sage leaves in cavity of turkey as well as on the bottom of your roasting pan so that it will be under your turkey. Add the wine and apple juice and place the turkey into the pan. Cover with foil leaving legs out. Roast for 1.5 hours. Remove the foil and roast 1 hour more. Baste every 20 mins with drippings from the pan. You will know the turkey is done when the juice run clear or when an instant-read thermometer reads 165º when in the thickest part of thigh. Remove from oven and baste one 3 more time. Allow the turkey to rest for 45 minutes. Turkey will continue to cook another 5 to 10 degrees. Serve with Turkey Gravy, if desired.

This coconut curry dish is a well balanced combination of sweet, acidic, sour & salty with a touch of spice to bring the whole dish to life. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 3 Chicken Breasts 1 TSP Cyprus Pyramid Salt 1 TBLS Tapioca Starch 1TSP Sarawak White Pepper (Ground) 1 Cup Coconut Milk (Box not can) 1 1/2 Cup Thin Coconut Milk (1/2 Coconut Milk 1/2 Water) 3 TBLS of Thai Green Curry Spice 1-3 sliced Bird's Eye chili's (depending on the heat level you want) 2 Medium Red Peppers (sliced in long strips) 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves 1 1/2 TBLS Fish Sauce 2 TBLS Palm Sugar 1 TBLS Tulsi Thai Basil INSTRUCTIONS Slice chicken into long thin strips Mix the salt, tapioca starch and white pepper in a bowl and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes minimum (ideally 3 hours). In a large wok add 1 cup of coconut milk over medium-high heat until boiling. Add in the Thai Green Curry Spice and stir constantly for 3 mins Next add the chicken and the thin coconut milk mixture; cook for another 3 mins. Add the chili's, red peppers, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and palm sugar, cook for 5 mins. Turn the heat to low and stir in the Thai basil. Allow to simmer for 5 mins. Serve with sticky rice.

As an avid baker I enjoy playing with new flavors and elderflower quickly became top of my list. It's fresh & floral profile pair perfectly with light summer time treats and pair perfectly with anything citrus. - Chelsea Klapwyk INGREDIENTS LEMON LOAF: 1 1/2 cups Flour 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest 1/2 tsp Cyprus Pyramid Salt 1/2 cup Butter (soft) 1 cup Sugar 2 Eggs (room temperature) 3 Tbsp Elderflowers 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1/2 cup buttermilk FOR THE LEMON SYRUP: 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 Tbsp powdered sugar FOR THE ELDERFLOWER ICING: 1 Tbsp Elderflower 2 Tbsp water 1 Tbsp milk 1 Cup powdered sugar, sifted INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F & grease a loaf pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy (about 4-6 mins on medium-high speed). Turn mixer to low, add eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla & lemon juice. Beat to combine. Next add about 1/3 of the flour mixture & mix slightly. then add in 1/2 the buttermilk and mix slightly, then another 1/3 of the mixture....etc. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until the cake is golden brown (baking times vary so keep an eye on it) Let the cake cool for 15 mins in the pan & make the lemon syrup by stirring the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar. Take the loaf out of the pan and transfer to a plate. Then brush the syrup on the cake. While the cake cools prepare the icing: Boil the milk & water then add the of 2 tablespoons of elderflower (let sit for minimum 10 mins). Next drain the elderflowers out of the liquid and add the liquid to a large bowl along with the powdered sugar & mix. Pour onto the loaf once fully cooled. Garnish with Elderflowers and serve!

This pasta is a unique twist on a white wine pasta dish. The star ingredient is Old Bay Spice which ads a spicy full bodied flavor to the dish. We often add scallops,crab and any other seafood we can get our hands on as it pairs so perfectly with the Old Bay Spice seasoning. Newfoundland Shrimp Scampi Recipe Serving Prep Time Cook Time 4 5 20 Ingredients 12-ounces pasta (375 g) 1 Lb Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined) 2 – 3 Tablespoons Newfoundland Old Bay Spice 4 Tablespoons of Butter 1 Tablespoons minced Garlic 1 Tablespoon Parsley 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 cup dry white wine Instructions Cook the pasta and drain. Keep 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Toss the shrimp and Newfoundland Old Bay Spice in a bowl until coated. Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and saute until no longer pink. Then set aside. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for about 30 seconds. Deglaze with the white wine and lemon juice. Add the shrimp into the pan and turn heat to low. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and pasta water to the pan and toss with the shrimp and sauce until combined

The Horn of Africa conjures up images of beautiful landscapes, fascinating tribes and a cuisine inspired by the ancient Gulf of Arabia spice trade. Ethiopian cuisine is influenced by Arab and Indian flavors, but the region is famed for its own rare spices. Spices such as Besobela and Koseret, which can only be found around the Horn of Africa, but more specifically Ethiopia, which gives this regions cuisines flavors that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. In the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa I found the nations main ingredient, Bebere. Bebere is the main spice bled in Ethiopia and what an amazing spice it is! I Traveling across Ethiopia I was introduced to a whole new world of delicious flavors. One dish in particular that stuck with me was Doro Wat, A delicious blend of Onions, Ethiopian Spices and chicken slow cooked for hours to release the fragrant spices of Ethiopia. Another Key component to Ethiopian cuisine is the sour flat bread, Injera. You cannot have a single meal in Ethiopia without the ubiquitous bread being brought out. Its cooked in a massive circle form and all of the meals are plopped on top of it using it as a plate. This way everyone shares from the same plate together slowly eating the plate itself. once again, food brings us together! Learning to Make Doro Wat in Ethiopia In the heart of Addis Ababa you will find the Addis Merkato. Here you can buy just about any product from all around Ethiopia. The spice market was my favorite part as I could barely recognize anything! One of the shops welcomed me in when I told him I was "The Spice Merchant". He showed me an abundance of spices which I had never used before and how to blend them into the quintessential Ethiopian spice, Bebere. Inviting me to his home I asked of his wife could teach me the secret behind an authentic Ethiopian Doro Wat. Although the answer to "what makes it authentic?" was "love", the market mans wife did show me their delicious recipe for Doro Wat. Here it is right from the heart of Ethiopia! Ethiopian Doro Wat Recipe Many would call this the national dish of Ethiopia! A delicious blend of Ethiopian Spices combined together in a thick based chicken stew! Serving Prep Time Cook Time 4 Servings 35 min 1 .5 Hour Ingredients Ethiopian Doro Wat 2-4 Chicken Breasts or Thighs 6 Tbsp Ethiopian Berber Spice 4 Onions 3 Tbsp Sunflower Oil 3 Tbsp Niter Kebbeh (Recipe for Ethiopian Butter Below) 4 Garlic Cloves Finely Chopped 1/2 Tbsp Grated Ginger Pinch Nigella Seeds Pinch Ajowan Pinch Ground Cardamon 1 tsp Salt 4 Hard Boiled Eggs 1 Injera to Serve Instructions Step 1 - Niter Kebbeh To make the Ethiopian butter take 1 pound of unsalted butter and cook on low heat until it is melted. Add the Niter Kebbeh spice mixture into the butter and cook for 15 min on low heat stirring every five minutes. Using a very fine strainer or cheese cloth sieve the spices out of the butter and put in the fridge until solid. Step 2 - Doro Wat Create a the spice paste first. Add the Bebere into a bowl with 6 Tbsp of water and stir until its a paste like substance. Next, dice the onions or blend in a blender to a very fine chop, almost a paste. Put onions into a deep pot and cook on medium heat until translucent, do not use any oil at this point. When the onions become clear and fragrant add the garlic, ginger, Niter Kebbeh, Oil and Bebere paste. Cook for another 10 minutes until the fragrance becomes very strong. Be very careful not to burn the spices. Add the remaining spices, chicken, and 1 cup of boiled water. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. You should cook the Doro Wat at this point for around an hour, keep an eye on the consistency, it should be a nice thick gravy rather than watery. Final Step Waiting for the Doro Wat you can hard boil the eggs and have them ready to serve, make small cuts to the side of the eggs so the sauce gets in it. When its ready add the eggs on top of the Injera and pour the Doro Wat over it. You can find Injera at local Ethiopian markets. If you have none near by to you here is a recipe you can try out, Injera Recipe. I highly recommend using Injera, but you can always substitute for a flat bread or rice. Traveling to Ethiopia I spent almost two months exploring Ethiopia. From the historic ancient churches in the North, The scorching deserts in the East which are home to the Somali's and the tribal regions of the South. Ethiopia is a diverse and culturally rich nation. Part of the reason the country is so special as it is the only African nation to have never been colonized allowing Ethiopia to develop a truly rich "African" culture that is unique to anywhere on the planet. Traveling Ethiopia comes with a plethora of challenges. Public transport is extremely unreliable, many regions have virtually no information and English can be hard to come by in many places, but those who brave it and love challenges will see why I love traveling in Ethiopia so much. Ethiopia - Land of Tribes and Churches Across Ethiopia you will find very distinctly different tribes. In the Southern Lower Omo Valley you can see tribes who still live a nomadic way of life and tribal wars over cattle are still a common practice. Visiting these tribes gives you a "real" experience of how all of us were at one time. In the North of Ethiopia You can visit the oldest Christian churches on the planet. Lalibela is the shining gem of historical sights. With dozens of ancient stone churches cut straight down into the mountains remincing a fairy tale like scene. Its a bewildering experience climbing into some of these churches, monks are chanting and incense wafting through the halls. Its extremely ancient and remote feeling to be there and I highly recommend Ethiopia as one of my top favorite destinations on the planet. See more of my Ethiopia adventures on Ethiopia - Uncharted Backpacker