Winter Archives | Page 12 of 17 | SpiceBreeze

18

May, 2020

Georgian Badrijani

Georgian Badrijani

Georgian Badrijani

Badrijani

SpiceBreeze

The Georgian cuisine developed unique spice blends influenced by their East European and Middle Eastern neighbors. Every family has a secret recipe for the traditional Khmeli-Suneli blend. Walnuts play a prominent role in their daily diet. Enjoy this rich eggplant-walnut dish with an exotic spice blend.

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Hands-on Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Georgian

Servings

Ingredients

Shopping list

2 eggplants cut into round slices, 1/4 inch thin
2 cup walnuts unshelled
fresh bread of your choice

You might have

3 cloves garlic or more to taste
1 tbsp white vinegar
olive oil
salt

Optional

2 tbsp cilantro chopped
1 onion chopped
8 oz prosciutto or other thin ham
1 cup pomegranate seeds

Culinary Spice Kit

Khmeli-Suneli (coriander, fenugreek, marigold, hyssop, paprika, mint, black pepper, turmeric, savory, methi, basil, cinnamon, and cloves)

Instructions

Prepare

In a BOWL, add eggplant slices sprinkled with 1 tsp salt.
Let sit for 30 minutes.
Rinse, press water out, and pat dry.

Walnut Paste

In a FOOD PROCESSOR, grind walnuts, garlic, cilantro (optional), and vinegar.
Gradually add water (up to 1/2 cup) to create a thick spread.
Season with about half of the Badrijani spices and salt to taste.

Optional

Add raw or fried onions. Mix well.

Cook

In a PAN, heat oil over medium heat.
Fry eggplants on both sides until they are cooked and turn slightly brown.

Finish & Serve

Spread walnut paste on each eggplant slice.
Serve badrijani with fresh bread.
Optionally, top badrijani with ham and/ or garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Enjoy!

Notes

Substitute walnuts with pecan or other nuts.
Substitute eggplants with four zucchini.
Without a food processor:
Use a store-bought nut butter.
For badrijani rolls:
Slice eggplants lengthwise. After the walnut paste is spread on top, roll them up.

Marceline Reid-Jaques

2022-12-14

Karen Jones

2022-12-05

Wonderful, flavorful meals using readily available ingredients!

ann davis

2022-11-29

My daughter gave me a subscription as a Christmas present while our families were quarantining together. It was so much fun! It introduced us to several cuisines that were totally new to us. The recipes were easy to follow and the spices were transformative - fresh and pungent and delicious.

Jessica Brown

2022-05-22

The best way to try new dishes!

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

4

Mar, 2020

Gboma Dessi

Togolese Gboma Dessi

Gboma Dessi

Togolese Gboma Dessi

SpiceBreeze

Gboma Dessi from the small African country Togo contains big loads of green spinach in a tomato stew with a distinct flavor profile. Fried chicken or beef is mixed in as well. That's the kind of comfort food that you can't stop eating. We just love it! Originally, the meat for Gboma Dessi is cooked before it's seasoned and fried. If you can take the time for this version (see instructions for the long version below), it adds another level of deliciousness to the dish.

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Cuisine Togolese

Servings

Ingredients

Protein

2 lbs chicken* thighs or breast cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz smoked protein (optional) fish. meat, or shellfish

Fresh Produce

2 medium onions chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
1 inch fresh ginger grated
1-3 whole fresh Habanero pepper (optional) hot
1 lb baby spinach** washed

Packaged Goods/Staples

3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup ground pumpkin seeds** with shell if possible
oil
salt

Culinary Spice Kit

Ajowan, anise, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg

Suggested Side

Polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice.

For Optional Long Version

1 carrot cut into 2 inch pieces
1 stalk celery cut into 2 inch pieces
1 medium onion quartered
2 bunch bunch spinach (about 1.5 lbs), roughly chopped, washed (instead of the baby spinach)

Instructions

Fry Chicken*

Season the chicken on all sides with salt to taste and Gboma Dessi spices.
In a PAN, fry the chicken in oil over medium-high heat until all sides turn brown and the meat is cooked through.
Set aside and keep warm.

Cook Sauce

In a large POT, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
Add onions and garlic.
Fry over medium-low heat until soft.
Stir in tomato paste, and optionally ginger.
Add broth and ground pumpkin seeds***.
And salt and whole peppers (optional) to taste. Mix well.
Cook for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

Finish

Fill POT with the spinach**.
Mix gently and cook over low heat until the volume of the spinach is reduced.
Stir occasionally.
Stir in chicken and optional smoked protein.

Serve

Serve with your preferred side.
Enjoy!

Cook Chicken (for Optional Long Version)

In a POT, bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil.
Add onion quarters, carrots, celery, and chicken.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Take the chicken out and strain the broth. Keep it for later.
Continue with the steps in 'Fry Chicken' above.

Cook Spinach** (for Optional Long Version)

In a POT, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil.
Add spinach, return to a boil, and let cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Drain.
Place the spinach in a BOWL with cold water. Drain.
With your hands, squeeze as much water out as possible. Set aside.

Finish (for Optional Long Version)

Follow the steps in 'Cook Sauce' above.
Add chicken and optional protein. Mix well.
Add spinach and mix gently.
Cook for about 5 minutes to reheat the spinach.

Notes

* Substitute chicken with sirloin beef, cut in thin strips.

** Substitute spinach with kale and cook until soft.

*** Substitute pumpkin seeds with your preferred nuts.

Marceline Reid-Jaques

2022-12-14

Karen Jones

2022-12-05

Wonderful, flavorful meals using readily available ingredients!

ann davis

2022-11-29

My daughter gave me a subscription as a Christmas present while our families were quarantining together. It was so much fun! It introduced us to several cuisines that were totally new to us. The recipes were easy to follow and the spices were transformative - fresh and pungent and delicious.

Jessica Brown

2022-05-22

The best way to try new dishes!

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

Togolese Gboma Dessi

Togolese Gboma Dessi

Gboma Dessi from the small African country Togo contains big loads of green spinach in a tomato stew with a distinct flavor profile. Fried chicken or beef is mixed in as well. That’s the kind of comfort food that you can’t stop eating. We just love it! Originally, the meat for Gboma Dessi is cooked before it’s seasoned and fried. If you can take the time for this version (see instructions for the long version below), it adds another level of deliciousness to the dish.

Protein

2 lbs chicken* thighs or breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)
8 oz smoked protein (optional) (fish. meat, or shellfish)

Fresh Produce

2 medium onions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped or grated)
1 inch fresh ginger (grated)
1-3 whole fresh Habanero pepper (optional) (hot)
1 lb baby spinach** (washed)

Packaged Goods/Staples

3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup ground pumpkin seeds** (with shell if possible)
oil
salt

Culinary Spice Kit

Ajowan, anise, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg

Suggested Side

Polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice.

For Optional Long Version

1 carrot (cut into 2 inch pieces )
1 stalk celery (cut into 2 inch pieces )
1 medium onion (quartered)
2 bunch bunch spinach (about 1.5 lbs), (roughly chopped, washed (instead of the baby spinach))

Fry Chicken*

Season the chicken on all sides with salt to taste and Gboma Dessi spices.
In a PAN, fry the chicken in oil over medium-high heat until all sides turn brown and the meat is cooked through.
Set aside and keep warm.

Cook Sauce

In a large POT, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
Add onions and garlic.
Fry over medium-low heat until soft.
Stir in tomato paste, and optionally ginger.
Add broth and ground pumpkin seeds***.
And salt and whole peppers (optional) to taste. Mix well.
Cook for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

Finish

Fill POT with the spinach**.
Mix gently and cook over low heat until the volume of the spinach is reduced.
Stir occasionally.
Stir in chicken and optional smoked protein.

Serve

Serve with your preferred side.
Enjoy!

Cook Chicken (for Optional Long Version)

In a POT, bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil.
Add onion quarters, carrots, celery, and chicken.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Take the chicken out and strain the broth. Keep it for later.
Continue with the steps in ‘Fry Chicken’ above.

Cook Spinach** (for Optional Long Version)

In a POT, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil.
Add spinach, return to a boil, and let cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Drain.
Place the spinach in a BOWL with cold water. Drain.
With your hands, squeeze as much water out as possible. Set aside.

Finish (for Optional Long Version)

Follow the steps in ‘Cook Sauce’ above.
Add chicken and optional protein. Mix well.
Add spinach and mix gently.
Cook for about 5 minutes to reheat the spinach.

* Substitute chicken with sirloin beef, cut in thin strips.

** Substitute spinach with kale and cook until soft.

*** Substitute pumpkin seeds with your preferred nuts.

Togolese

ajwan, anise, cardamom, nutmeg

7

Feb, 2020

Encebollado

Ecuadorian Encebollado

Encebollado

Ecuadorian Encebollado

SpiceBreeze

Encebollado is a soup topped with thin onion slices pickled in lemon juice. It's claimed that the soup cures a hangover. The fish version is very popular in the coastal region of Ecuador. Don't worry about the little heat in the soup. It finds a perfect balance with the other ingredients once you stuck up your plate. If you are lucky to find cassava aka yuca roots in your grocery store, we recommend to give it a try. Cut off the firm skin. Then cook it the same way as potatoes.

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Cuisine Ecuadorian

Servings

Ingredients

Shopping List

1 lb tuna steak or fillet or chicken breast or thighs
1 lb potatoes quartered
2 medium tomato/es quartered
2 medium tomato/es thinly sliced
2 medium onions quartered
2 medium red onions thinly sliced
3-6 cloves garlic
3-6 limes or lemons for juice
1 bunch cilantro chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper

Optional Sides

plantain chips, tortilla chips, bread, and/or rice
avocado slices as a topping

Culinary Spice Kit

Aji panca, cumin, cilantro

Instructions

Salad

In a BOWL, mix red onions, sliced tomatoes, half of the cilantro, and 1 tbsp oil.
Season to taste with lemon juice and salt & pepper.
Let it marinate for 1 hour.

Soup

In POT #1, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
Add quartered tomatoes and onions, half of the cilantro, garlic, the fish, Encebollado spices, and salt & pepper to taste.
Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Scoop vegetables out and blend them in a FOOD PROCESSOR with 1 cup of the soup.
Strain the liquid and add it to the POT.

Fish

Transfer the fish to a PLATE.
When cooled, break it into small pieces. Set aside.

Potatoes

In POT #2, cook potatoes in water with salt to taste until tender.
Drain.
In a FOOD PROCESSOR, blend 1 cup of potatoes with 1 cup of the soup.
Pour this liquid into POT #1. Mix well.

Serve

Serve separately and assemble your plate in piling up the following layers: potatoes, fish, soup, salad.
Enjoy!

Notes

▪ Substitute tuna with another fish and adjust the cooking time if needed.

▪ Substitute potatoes with cassava (aka yuca root).

▪ Substitute cilantro with parsley.

▪ Substitute quartered tomatoes with 1 cup puree.

Marceline Reid-Jaques

2022-12-14

Karen Jones

2022-12-05

Wonderful, flavorful meals using readily available ingredients!

ann davis

2022-11-29

My daughter gave me a subscription as a Christmas present while our families were quarantining together. It was so much fun! It introduced us to several cuisines that were totally new to us. The recipes were easy to follow and the spices were transformative - fresh and pungent and delicious.

Jessica Brown

2022-05-22

The best way to try new dishes!

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

7

Feb, 2020

French Filet Mignon Au Poivre

French Valentine’s Dinner

French Filet Mignon au Poivre

French Valentine's Dinner For Two

SpiceBreeze

Enjoy a French Valentine's dinner for two with classic Filet Mignon au Poivre (pepper steak) and discover the extravagance of a rose-flavored dessert. Filet mignon is the most original choice. Chicken and pork work just as well. Precious green peppercorns give the creamy sauce a less pungent, woody-fruity note.

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hands-on time 30

Course Dessert, Main Course

Cuisine French

Servings

Ingredients

Shopping List

2 inch filet mignon* 1 inch thick
2 tbsp cognac** or brandy or similar
0.5 cup beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb potatoes cooked and peeled
8 oz snow peas or thin carrot slices
3 cups yogurt plain, creamy
butter & oil
honey***
milk
salt & pepper

Culinary Spice Kit

[1] Green peppercorns
[2] Rosebud powder

Instructions

Prepare 30 minutes before cooking

Soak Valentine [1] spices in 3 tbsp water.
Rub dry filets with salt and pepper to taste. Let them rest at room temperature.

Dessert

Mix yogurt with Valentine [2] spices.
Add honey*** to taste.

Fry

In a PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil to smoking hot.
Fry filets 2 minutes on each side over high heat without moving them in between.
Add 1 tbsp butter. Fry filets over high heat until the desired doneness.
Transfer filet to a plate and cover with foil.
Carefully, add cognac**.
Cook 1 minute. Add the soaked Valentine [1] spices with the water.
Cook 2 minutes over high heat.
Add broth, cream, and salt & pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickened.

Potatoes

Mash potatoes and reheat with some milk. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Peas

In a separate PAN, heat some butter and fry snow peas for about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Enjoy!

Notes

* Substitute filet with chicken breast, pork tenderloin or chops, or eggplant slices. Adjust cooking time.

** On a gas stove, make sure to have a lid at hand in case of catching fire.

*** Substitute honey with (maple) syrup. Optionally, add fresh raspberries.

7

Feb, 2020

Brazilian Vatapá

Brazilian Vatapá

Brazilian Vatapá

Brazilian Vatapá

SpiceBreeze

Get right into the center of the Brazilian carnival with this popular street food, Vatapá. Original from Africa, it is known as a specialty from the region of Bahia and spread throughout Brazil. This recipe with a modern twist comes directly from Brazil. Ground annatto seeds add a warm, earthy flavor and natural red color. Though shrimp is a typical ingredient, Vatapá is just as popular without it.

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Hands-on Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Brazilian

Servings

Ingredients

1 lb raw shrimp cleaned
1 cup coconut milk shake can well
2 tomatoes diced
4 cups cooked rice
up to 1 cup broth fish recommended
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic grated
2 slices sandwich bread crust removed
salt
oil

Vatapá Culinary Spice Kit

Annatto, turmeric, ginger, cumin, white pepper, bay leaves

Optional

1-2 tbsp peanuts ground
1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
1 lime for juice
8 oz watercress

Instructions

Prepare

Cut the bread into small pieces.
In a BOWL, add the bread and the coconut milk.
Let it soak for 15 minutes.
Mash it with a fork.

Cook

In a PAN, heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat.
Fry the shrimp until brown on all sides.
Take them out and set them aside.
Fry the onions over medium heat until translucent.
Add garlic, tomatoes, and Vatapá spices.
Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
Add the coconut milk with the bread, salt to taste, and optionally peanuts.
Cook about 15 minutes over medium-low heat to get a thick creamy sauce. Add some broth if necessary.
Return the shrimp to reheat.
Optionally, add cilantro and lime juice to taste.

Serve

Serve with rice and optionally watercress or a fresh salad of your choice.
Enjoy!

Notes

Substitute the shrimp with fish filet (e.g. cod or snapper), cut into 1-inch pieces, or chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch strips. Return them with the coconut milk.
Omit or substitute the shrimp with garbanzo beans.
Add 1-2 jalapeno pepper and/or 4 small sweet peppers to the onions, cut into thin slices.

Marceline Reid-Jaques

2022-12-14

Karen Jones

2022-12-05

Wonderful, flavorful meals using readily available ingredients!

ann davis

2022-11-29

My daughter gave me a subscription as a Christmas present while our families were quarantining together. It was so much fun! It introduced us to several cuisines that were totally new to us. The recipes were easy to follow and the spices were transformative - fresh and pungent and delicious.

Jessica Brown

2022-05-22

The best way to try new dishes!

Enter the Culinary World

Be Inspired | Explore your boundaries and creativity

5

Feb, 2020

Falafel with cabbage

Egyptian Falafel

Egyptian Falafel

Falafel can make a great substitute for a burger, once in a while or weekly. Consider our variations as a start for your creativity. You can change the type of beans and herbs, add vegetables to the beans, serve them with any type of bread, sauce, and salad.

Frying Or Baking

Though baking the Falafel is easier, we recommend frying them to get a crunchy outside.

Variations

The Falafel Culinary Spice Kit includes the following spices:

Coriander, cumin, paprika

Egyptian Falafel

Egyptian Falafel

SpiceBreeze

Falafel can make a great substitute for a burger, once in a while or weekly. Consider our variations as a start for your creativity. You can change the type of beans and herbs, add vegetables to the beans, serve them with any type of bread, sauce, and salad. Although baking the Falafel is easier, we recommend frying them to get a crunchy outside.

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Cuisine Egyptian

Servings

Ingredients

Shopping list

2 cup garbanzo beans dry
1/4 cup cilantro or mint, or parsley, finely chopped
6 oz red cabbage finely sliced
1 cup yogurt
6-8 pita bread or any other flatbread, baguette, or rolls

You might have

2-3 tbsp flour
4 cloves garlic grated
1-2 lime or lemon for juice
olive oil
salt

Culinary Spice Kit

Cumin, coriander, paprika

Instructions

Prepare beans

In a BOWL, cover dry garbanzo beans with water. Let soak beans for 24 hours. Rinse. Drain.

Prepare paste

In a FOOD PROCESSOR, add beans, herbs, garlic, 2 tbsp flour, salt to taste, and half of the Falafel Spices.
Mix all into a paste. Cover the bowl and let rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

Form Falafel

Form small patties. Add lime juice or more flour if necessary.

Option 1: Bake Falafel

Preheat OVEN to 350°F.
Place patties on a non-sticking BAKING PAN and brush or spray them with a bit of oil.
Bake the patties for 20-30 minutes until they become crisp and light brown.

Option 2: Fry Falafel

In a PAN, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil (other than olive oil) over high heat.
Add patties. Do not crowd the pan.
Fry patties for about 5 minutes until they become crisp on both sides.
Flip the patties halfway.

Yogurt Sauce

Mix yogurt with lime juice and salt to taste.
Add grated garlic (optional).

Serve

Serve Falafel in bread with cabbage and sauce. For more options see the links in the notes.
Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe for Falafel with cooked garbanzo beans from a can.

Recipe for Falafel with Beetroots or Spinach.

Recipe for Tahini.