Moroccan Tagine
It wouldn’t be October if I wasn’t blogging about pumpkin. Well, not pumpkin per se but rather pumpkin spice AKA pumpkin pie spice. You know, that little jar of stuff that sits in the back of your pantry until you pull it out to bake during the holidays. But guess what? There are a lot of ways to use pumpkin spice way beyond baking.
First, what exactly is pumpkin pie spice? It’s a blend of 3 parts cinnamon : 2 parts ginger and nutmeg : 1 part allspice and cloves (Note: Does not contain pumpkin!). Pumpkin spice is largely an American invention that came about in the 50’s when spice companies started bundling common spices used together as, for example, those typically used in baking pumpkin pie. In America, the blend is primarily used in sweet applications. But the fact is that these spices have been around for thousands of years and used in a variety of savory applications all over the world for centuries.
The ingredients in pumpkin spice are among the Top 5 Spices Used in Caribbean Cuisine . Cinnamon, cloves and ginger are found in some Chinese dishes. Indian Garam Masala, used in some curries, also contains these ingredients along with cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper and saffron. Baharat, a Middle Eastern spice blend, has a preponderance of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon among other things and is used to add intense flavor to ground meats, rice, couscous, fish and poultry. Some elements of pumpkin spice are also found in the North African exotic spice blend, Ras El Hanout used to add spice to some Moroccan specialty dishes and tagine (pictured).
So don’t let your pumpkin spice waste away in your pantry until next year. Substitute it for the cinnamon and nutmeg in this Tunisian Pumpkin Soup. Toss some with sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and a dash of cayenne before roasting. Or try this ‘Zest’-y recipe:
African Chicken and Peanut Stew
I stumbled upon this gem about 8 years ago when I was delving into African cuisine. The flavor is unforgettable! This recipe is best made with bone-in chicken. But if you must use boneless then be sure to reduce cooking time. The goal is to have chicken tender enough to shred. Traditionally served over rice, we enjoy this dish over couscous with a side of Naan to scoop up the wonderful peanutty sauce. How’s that for fusion cuisine?
3 lb roasting chicken cut into pieces (or a 3 lb fryer pack
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large yellow or white onion, sliced
3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
6-8 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
2-3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and halved crosswise (quartered if large)
15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
Generously season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot. Brown chicken evenly over medium-high heat, working in batches. Do not crowd the pan! Remove chicken. Add onions to the pan and saute for a few minutes to begin to soften, stirring often to scrape up the brown bits. Add ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients through cayenne then add chicken on top. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, 60-90 minutes (less for breast) or until chicken is falling off the bone and sweet potatoes are tender.
Remove chicken and skin. Shred the meat off of the bones using two forks. Add chicken back to the pot and add additional seasoning to taste. (This stew is meant to be spicy!) Stir in cilantro. Serve over rice or couscous.
Recipe is a modification of African Chicken Peanut Stew recipe by Hank Shaw at Simply Recipes