Spices, Condiments, + Seasonings

Aleppo Pepper Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:
4 cloves minced garlic
3 sprigs fresh Parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 TBSP Lemon Juice
2 cups Greek Yogurt
1 TBSP Vegeta all purpose seasoning
2 TBSP Dried Aleppo Pepper

Directions:
In a food processor, blend garlic, parsley, salt & olive oil together until they form a paste. In a food processor, blend garlic, parsley, salt & olive oil together until they form a paste. Add Lemon Juice & Greek Yogurt. Blend to combine. Lastly, add Vegeta all purpose seasoning and Dried Aleppo Pepper. Blend until pink. Chill until serving. Enjoy with roasted chicken and your favorite bread!

Ian's All-Summer Seasoning Blend

Submitted by Ian

Ingredients:
1 TBSP Ground Coriander
1 TBSP Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp Dried Basil
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tsp Orange Peel
1 TBSP Ground Coffee
1 TBSP Garlic Granules
1 Tsp Paprika
2 TBSP Kosher Salt

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Store in a sealable glass jar to maintain freshness.

About the Recipe: 
Use this on grilled meats, potatoes, grilled veggies... on everything all summer long. 

Sarah's Hot Honey Pickled Onions

Submitted by Sarah Murell of Metal Honey

Ingredients:
1 Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
1 Jalapeño, w/ seeds, Thinly Sliced
1 can Chipotles & adobo, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves
1 cup pickling brine
1/2 - 3/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 C Brown Sugar

Directions:
Combine Apple Cider Vinegar, Brine, and Sugar. Heat to a Boil.  Pour over vegetables and let sit overnight.  

About the Recipe: 
Please, please, make these pickles. You deserve them. 

Dan & Camille's Wassail

Submitted by Dan Foley

Active time: 10 minutes

Inactive time: 20 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients:
1 gallon Apple cider
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 6 oz. can of frozen lemonade
1 6 oz can frozen orange juice
1 Tbsp whole cloves
1 Tbsp whole allspice
1 to 2 tsp nutmeg
3 or 4 cinnamon sticks
A fifth or handle of white rum (optional)

Directions:
In large kettle mix cider, sugar, lemonade and orange juice. Frozen juices should not be diluted. Tie cloves, allspice, and cinnamon in cheesecloth and add to mixture along with nutmeg. Cover and bring to boil, then simmer about 20 minutes. Discard spice bag. Add rum to your taste. 

Serve hot in mugs with cinnamon stick in each mug or float orange slices studded with cloves in a punch bowl.

About the Recipe: 
This recipe originally appeared in "Heavenly Delights: A Collection of Recipes by Paris Presbyterian Church". Dan's sister Camille used to make this for church gatherings, but omit the Rum.   

When Dan makes this at home, Dan omits every ingredient except for the rum.

Hummus with Za'atar

Submitted by C.S. Carrier

Active time: 15-20 minutes

Inactive time: 0 minutes

Servings: 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
For Hummus:
1 15 oz can Chickpeas
⅓ cup Tahini
1 large clove Garlic
Zest and Juice of 1 large Lemon
1 Tbsp Water
1 tbsp. + 1 tbsp. drizzled in during processing Olive oil
2 tsp Za’atar
1/2 tsp Cumin 
1/4 tsp Salt 
1/8 tsp Pepper 
Dash of Red pepper flakes

For Garnish:
Olive oil
Za’atar
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
(all to taste)

Directions:
Add the hummus ingredients to a food processor. There are numerous ways to improvise at this stage. Adding more garlic or substituting raw garlic for roasted. Omitting the lemon zest or substituting more lemon juice for the water. You might increase the tahini, but that does often require the addition of more liquid to maintain smoothness; although, you might prefer thicker hummus. As for the spices, you can alter them to taste. Perhaps omit the za’atar or replace it with a ras el hanout mixture. Perhaps use oregano or thyme instead of za’atar? Perhaps harissa for a spicy hummus? Perhaps you might experiment with adding roasted red pepper or pine nuts? Or using white beans instead of chickpeas?

Process the ingredients. While the ingredients are processing, drizzle in the second tablespoon of olive oil. Check for the desired consistency and flavor and adjust liquid and spices accordingly. After processing, transfer the hummus to a container. Using your palm or the counter, gently tap the container to create a flat surface and remove some air, which will help with garnishing.

Sprinkle the garnish spices on top of the hummus, and then drizzle the top with olive oil. The hummus can be eaten immediately, but its flavor will deepen if it can rest for at least 2-3 hours. Also, hummus is to be eaten warm or at room temperature. However, it tastes great even if at a cooler temperature.

About the Recipe: 
I cannot remember when I first ate hummus. Most likely, it was while I was in graduate school. When I was having other first experiences. I cannot remember when I first made hummus. It is among my favorite foods. I love its creamy texture and roasted flavor. I love its variability, its ability to be as unique as the person that makes it. I love that it can be eaten with vegetables and pita, with falafel and bagels. That it stays edible for a long time. I often try to have it on hand. Often, I will make this it when I have to contribute a dish to a gathering.

I cannot remember when I first made this particular hummus. Most likely, it was within the last few years. I have tried numerous recipes, but this one is my go-to. It is basically a variation of Mark Bittman’s recipe in “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian”. The most notable differences are with the amount of tahini (mine has less) and the inclusion of spices (mine uses za’atar). 

Generally, traditional hummus contains four ingredients: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. And it is often garnished with chickpeas, olive oil, parsley, and paprika. This hummus uses a modest amount of tahini to create a subtle but sturdy background rhythm. This background allows the lemon juice to occupy the foreground. The lemon flavor is enhanced by the tangy music of the za’atar.

Za’atar, a spice blend common in the Mediterranean region, from northern Africa to the Arabian peninsula to the Levant, is often comprised of mixed herbs (e.g. oregano, thyme, marjoram, savory), toasted sesame seeds, and salt. The za’atar in this recipe is a store-bought blend, a Lebanese variation, that includes both hyssop and dried sumac. It is the addition of these latter two ingredients that gives the za’atar, and ultimately the hummus itself, its distinctive flavor.

Mushroom Breakfast Gravy 

Submitted by Clockwork Janz

Active time: 10 minutes

Inactive time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
14 oz of your favorite mushrooms (I like Shitake for this recipe) cut into bite sized pieces
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 small onions, small diced
1 large green pepper, small diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp paprika 
1 Tbsp “:Better than Bouillon” Veggie Bouillon 
2 Tbsp Margarine 
4 Tbsp flour
2-3 cups oat milk
4 oz Sun-Dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp Fresh Oregano, minced 

Directions:
In a large saucepan, lightly brown mushrooms in olive oil over a medium high flame.  Do not add salt this time, the mushrooms need to brown to lock in their liquid. Add in the onion and green pepper.   Sauté until onions are translucent and peppers are fragrant.  Salt lightly, and add in the garlic, cardamom, paprika, and “Better than Bouillon”. Stir for a minute, then reduce heat to medium low.   

Melt margarine into mushroom miniature.   Stir in flour until it has incorporated thoroughly.   Drizzle in about ½ cup oat milk. Whisk until the flour have mixed together with as few lumps as possible. Bring the mixture up to a low boil.   ½ cup at a time, pour in oatmilk to your desired thickness, making sure to whisk and bring up to a boil every time.  

When your gravy is the right texture for you, add in sun-dried tomatoes and fresh oregano. Continue to let simmer until serving, gravy will get thicker and tastier as it simmers. 

About the Recipe: 
I first made this for a Biscuits & Gravy Pop-up at the Garfield Brewery in June 2022. Its Mushrooms are a wonderful option for making vegan gravy, their hardiness plays well the Oat Milk to give a mildly earthy tone to this dish. The sun-dried tomatoes counter that brightness to balance this dish out. 

Growing up, my mom would make biscuits and gravy on Saturday mornings when her then boyfriend (now my step dad) had stayed over the night before. It meant we were going to have a good relaxed Saturday, a meal signifying that we were not trying to do a lot of work that day.  Because it made us want to lounge, to toil less. When my mom made biscuits and gravy, it helped me to believe that she was happy.

This recipe is less heavy than my mom’s sausage gravy. Still not an active meal, but will not put you in a food coma. A compromise. Try it on toast as well for an elevated vegan S.O.S., or on fried eggplant cutlets for dinner.