Archives for June 2013

Bahārāt (Middle East Spice Blend)

June 26, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

I’ve been using Baharat in a few dishes lately and enjoying it quite a bit. Baharat is an all purpose blend used in the Middle East and parts of North Africa. It turns out that each area has a slight variation in their spices. Since my most recent recipes used black lemons, I decided to go with a Persian gulf variation that calls for them. I made about a cup so I could have some pre-made for any other recipes that might happen to use it in the future. To heighten the spice’s aroma, you can toast to order for a recipe or just toast the whole batch in a hot pan before sealing in a jar.

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Bahārāt and Black Lemon Roasted Chicken

June 23, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

Ever since I tried black lemons in another Saudi Arabian dish I loved the complex flavors they provided. The lemons are technically limes that are dried and charred, giving them a smokey citrusy taste. I punctured the lemons and placed them inside the chicken cavity to roast. The chicken is roasted in Baharat, a middle east spice blend and honey. The dark color of the skin comes from the ground black lemons. It was a simple dish that goes nicely on a bed of jasmine rice or with sourdough flat bread.

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Sourdough Flat Bread

June 23, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

For a few months I’ve been feeding a sourdough starter. I just think it’s awesome that the yeast and bacteria comes to hang out naturally with just a little warm weather and regular feeding. The hardest part is actually getting a successful rise out of the starter and it took me a few tries to get it working right. There’s a lot of tutorials online about how to use a homemade starter. This recipe for sourdough flat bread is a great way for a beginner to try it out once theirs is ready! The bread turned out great, with mild tangyness and fluffy interior. I sprinkled a little Baharat spice on the bread before baking for added flavor and served the bread with hummus.

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Baked Chipotle Fries

June 10, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

I love baked potato fries and I actually prefer them over the deep fried kind. They’re easy to prepare and can be seasoned with a seemingly endless amount of spices. These fries are seasoned with smoky ground chipotle pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder. I like to get the fries pretty brown and crispy so I turn up the heat at the end of cooking to get that effect. The end result is a soft interior with a golden crispiness on the exterior. I use a handy tool that cuts the potatoes into a fry shape but making wedges by hand would work fine too. As a healthier alternative you could easily substitute russet potatoes for sweet potatoes or yams with this recipe.

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BBQ Grilled Cheese Chicken Sandwich with Chipotle Fries

June 10, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

The messiest foods are the best foods, especially when we’re talking about sandwiches. If the sandwich can’t be contained inside two pieces of bread it’s gotta be good! This sandwich has a lot of good things going for it: shredded chicken smothered in spicy BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, and sharp cheddar cheese. Since barbeque sauce is a staple in my kitchen, I just make my own since it’s so easy. This sandwich packs a ton of flavor! The combination of the melted sharp cheddar with the flavors of the BBQ sauce and caramelized onions was so tasty. I served the sandwich alongside some smoky chipotle fries. I will definitely be making this again!

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Moroccan Chicken Tacos With Harissa Salsa and Goat Cheese

June 1, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

One of the great things about tacos is the endless possibilities that comes with them! I’ve always loved Moroccan food and I thought that tacos would be a great way to experience it again. The chicken is seasoned with a fragrant blend of spices and shreds easily with a fork. I always choose whole chickens for taco meat as I’ve noticed they come out perfectly tender every time. I chose a spicy salsa based on the flavors of traditional Moroccan Harissa paste. It gave the tacos a good amount of spiciness and flavor. Since preserved lemon is an important ingredient in Moroccan food I topped the tacos with a refreshing Preserved Lemon and Mint Salsa. To cool things down I garnished the tacos with creamy goat cheese.

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