Navajo Spices
I received my Raw Spice Bar Kit for the month of January during the last week of the month, so I hadn’t gotten a chance to use the spices before January was over, and now it’s February. So technically this post is a month behind, but I’m sure no one is losing sleep over it.
January’s theme was Navajo spice blends, or rather New Mexican-inspired spices and recipes:
- Ground Red Chilies – a medley of dried New Mexican, guajillo, arbol, and ancho chili peppers
- Cumin and Oregano Rub – a mix of ground cumin, oregano, coriander, and black peppercorns
- Sumac Za’atar – a classic Middle Eastern blend of toasted white sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, and black peppercorns
The Ground Red Chilies and Cumin and Oregano Rub are both indeed very southwestern/New Mexican/Native American-like, but the Sumac Za’atar is not quite like the others. This blend of spices is iconic of Middle Eastern cooking, and not really indicative to anything “Navajo,” so why it is included in this month’s “Navajo” theme, I haven’t a clue. So, while it’s not in keeping with the southwestern theme, the Sumac Za’atar is nevertheless a very flavorful spice combination. And don’t let the sumac in the mix fool you; no, this is not the same poison sumac your parents warned you about when you built tree houses in the back yard when you were a child. Poison sumac is exactly as its name alludes – a poisonous green leaf that inflicts anything that brushes against it with a vicious, itchy rash; sumac the spice is actually the small red fruits of a flowering shrub indigenous to the Middle East. The fruit is dried and ground into a crimson powder and used in dishes for its tangy, acidic flavor profile.
Za’atar is commonly used as a pungent spice on flatbread, whether it is baked on top of flat bread, or slurried with freshly pressed olive oil as a dip for the bread. I opted for something different and roasted an entire cauliflower head, smothered with the Sumac Za’atar, olive oil, and salt. I roasted the head whole at 375 F for about 1 hour. The recipe card that came with the package suggested to roast the vegetable for only 30 minutes, but this was not enough time to caramelize the cauliflower. Once it was done, hubby and I went at it with a knife and carved it like a roast turkey. Vegan thanksgiving anyone?? It was so simple, yet so delicious!
For my adaptation of the other two spice blends, I made Raw Spice Bar’s suggested pozole, using both the Ground Red Chilies and Cumin and Oregano Rub spice blends, with my own touch, of course! Pozole (pronounced poh-sole-ay) is a traditional Mexican soup with hominy, spices, and usually a meat, such as pork. What is hominy? Glad you asked! Hominy is dried maize that has been soaked and cooked in a lye and lime solution. This alkali treatment tenderizes the hard kernels and they puff into little cheese-ball-looking bites, suitable for human digestion. While undeniably bland on its own, thankfully hominy sponges up the flavor of any dish it is cooked in, so it’s ideal for soups and stews. I was going to make the pozole vegan, but poor hubby had been eating lentils for a week straight and I didn’t want to deprive him of his instinctive carnivorous side, so I took some organic chicken out of the freezer and made chicken pozole……with lots of veggies and beans to appease the veg-head in me. And it was spectacular! The spices from the Navajo kit were robust, spicy, and warm, a perfect compliment to the hearty meat and sweet vegetables. Served over brown rice and topped with diced avocado, this soup couldn’t have been better! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Know I know after reading all this, your mouth is watering and you just want to make these dishes for yourself, so here’s the recipes!
Sumac-Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower
1 large head of cauliflower, rinsed and dried
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 packet of Raw Spice Bar Sumac Za’atar
Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 375. Place the cauliflower head, kept whole, on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with olive oil, salt, and the Raw Spice Bar Sumac Za’atar. Roast for about 1 hour, or until the cauliflower is caramelized and tender.
Chicken Pozole
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
½ large Spanish onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt to taste
1 packet of Raw Spice Bar Ground Red Chilies spice blend
1 packet of Raw Spice Bar Cumin and Oregano Rub
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 can black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 lime, zested and juiced
Bunch of cilantro for garnish
Brown rice and diced avocado for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven, heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium heat. In a separate bowl, toss the chicken breasts in both spice blends, making sure to thoroughly coat the chicken. Once the pot is hot, place the chicken breasts in the pot and sear on both sides, about 1-2 minutes each side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add in the bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Stir and season with salt to taste. Allow the veggies to cook down for about 10 minutes, then add the chicken breasts, kept whole, back into the pot, and nestle them into the veggies. Add in the stock and cover with a lid. Place the pot into the oven, and allow the chicken to slowly braise for about 1 hour. Remove the pot from the oven, and carefully remove the chicken breasts from the soup and set aside in a bowl to shred. With two forks, shred the meat and add it back to the soup. Add in the can of beans and hominy. Place the soup back on the stove on very low heat until ready to serve. Add in the lime zest and juice right before serving, and garnish with fresh cilantro and diced avocado.