Recipes

Southern-Style Pork Vindaloo and Green Bean Verakka with Cardamom Cornbread

If you've never had vindaloo, you don't know what you're missing. From My Two Souths and Chef Asha Gomez, we get this recipe for a Southern-Style Pork Vindaloo and Green Bean Verakka with Cardamom Cornbread. Tangy, spicy, garlicky pork goes perfectly with the Cardamom Cornbread. The Green Bean Verakka is the perfect flavorful complement to both dishes. If you're not one to eat pork, lamb will also work perfectly as a substitute. Here's one dish that you'll make over and over again. From the author: "Vindaloo is a recipe that best represents Kerala's diverse culinary influences, and it also reflects many of my own. My first encounter with tongue-searing pork vindaloo served in many Indian restaurants in the US was a bit jarring. I remember thinking how vastly different it was from the pork vindaloo I grew up eating in Kerala. Like many dishes traveling across the seas amid many interpretations, I feel vindaloo got lost in translation. Vindaloo was originally inspired by a Portuguese dish, carne de vinha d'alhos (meat with wine and garlic), with the wine substituted with palm wine vinegar. This dish was introduced to Kerala and Goa by Portuguese who stored chunks of meat in wine barrels on the ship; the wine would turn to vinegar and thus preserve the meat for long journeys. When they got to shore, the sailors would add local spices to the meat and cook a stew. This dish has many nuances: your palate experiences the tang from the vinegar, sweetness from the sugar, heat generated more from garlic than chiles, and a touch of bitterness from ground mustard seeds. Here, sugar, hot paprika, and a generous amount of garlic transport the pork roast to a faraway land. Choose a nice fatty pork shoulder, or Boston butt, to ensure lusciousness. I particularly enjoy the flavor of the rich sauce once it seeps down into the Cardamom Cornbread. Serving it this way brings to the plate a little something extra; my Louisiana friends refer to this as lagniappe."

Shawarma Spice Marinade

2 hrs, 5 min

Our Shawarma Spice is the not-so-secret ingredient in this simple marinade for chicken shawarma. Use it on on chicken, lamb, beef or even cauliflower to infuse the meat (or veggie) with incredible flavors. Serve for an easy weeknight supper with a simple salad or as the star of a Middle Eastern feast with all the trimmings from hummus to saffron rice.

Georgian Spiced Lamb Chops with Molasses Mustard Glaze

If you're tired of the same old meat & potatoes, then whip up this delightful dinner seasoned with spice blends from Georgia. We've grilled up some spiced lamb chops with Khmeli Suneli, an exotic blend of herbs and spices, and then finished them with a bold molasses-mustard glaze. Want more? We did! Add a side of mashed potatoes with Svaneti Salt. All these bold and distinctive flavors combine wonderfully, taking comfort food to a whole new level.

Za'atar Lamb Chops

This simple recipe is quick and flavorful. The classic combination of Green Za'atar and lamb is always a winner, and we've also paired both fresh and dried herbs in the marinade for maximum flavor. Oregano was the fresh herb of choice for this version, but rosemary, marjoram or a mixture would also be wonderful. Pick your favorite!

Advieh-Spiced Persian Meatballs

Lamb is the perfect pairing for our version of the signature Persian spice blend, Advieh, and this easy meatball recipe will have a flavor feast on your table in no time. You can serve them on a bed of greens, over grains, as a sandwich or a wrap. Garnish with feta, mint, parsley, and pomegranate seeds and complement with a tangy sumac salad dressing or a mellow creamy tzatziki. Fabulous! Our version uses Panko bread crumbs as the binder, but for a gluten-free option you could use lentils, quinoa, or gluten-free bread crumbs.

Dolmades (Stuffed Grape Leaves) for Greek Easter

If you thought that the Easter fun was over far too soon, not to fear! Greek Easter is this coming Sunday, awash with delicious traditions all its own. Not to be missed are these tasty little pockets of meat, rice, and nuts, expertly seasoned with our savory and tangy El Greco blend. They're called "dolmas" in the singular, and "dolmades" when referring to the scores of them you'll eat once you've had a taste of their perfect balance of Mediterranean flavors, all wrapped in a convenient little two-bite nosh.All of the ingredients ought to be readily available in most markets, including grape leaves, which often come in cans or jars. If you've got a grape vine over an arbor, fresh work wonderfully, too; just poach them a bit of salted water with a half a lemon thrown in. Admittedly a little time-consuming, the dolmades can be prepared 2 to 3 days before serving, and refrigerated or frozen until you're ready to use them. If you do freeze them, they can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator, and gently heated with a little broth or water before serving. You'll find them more than worth the effort! Kalo Pascha!

Tikka Masala Lamb Skewers

We've all had Chicken Tikka Masala but why not do grilled lamb skewers instead? We used our Tikka Masala blend in the marinade and in making the sauce. This dish is easy, and full of flavor...it will also disappear quickly.