Excite Your Palate: Cardamom, Za鈥檃tar and Berbere Spice
If you haven鈥檛 added cardamom, za鈥檃tar and berbere spice to your pantry, you鈥檙e doing it wrong. These unique, flavor-packed spices can turn an ordinary dish into something extraordinary (and delicious). In a new video from ICE and Direct Eats, Chef James Briscione shares a few recipe ideas that will be sure to excite your palate and inspire your own spice exploration: Berbere Roasted Chicken Pizza with Berbere BBQ Sauce; Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Za鈥檃tar and Sumac-Yogurt Dressing; and Cardamom Roasted Pork Tenderloin. Watch the video to learn how you can prepare these dishes at home.
Berbere Roasted Chicken Pizza and Berbere BBQ Sauce
Makes two (8"-10") round pizzas
For the pizza dough
Yield: makes two (8"-10") round pizzas or one (18x13) pan pizza (full-size baking sheet)
Ingredients:
- 1录 cups lukewarm water (100掳 F)
- 1 packet (2陆 teaspoons) dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 录 cup whole-wheat flour
- 3 cups high-gluten flour (bread flour)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation:
- Combine water and yeast in a small bowl and whisk to dissolve.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the salt, flours and olive oil, and mix well. With the mixer running, add the water and yeast to the bowl. Mix on low for two minutes, then turn to medium and mix three to four minutes more, or until the mixture forms a smooth ball.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly greased with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set aside on the countertop for 45 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl to a floured work surface. Punch the dough down by flouring your hands, making a fist and pressing the air out of the dough. Divide dough into two pieces. Roll the two pieces into balls under the palm of your hand. Then roll each ball into a flat disc with a rolling pin. Gently stretch the dough by hand until it鈥檚 between 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick.
- Dough can be reserved in tightly wrapped plastic and refrigerated for up to three days.
For the berbere BBQ sauce
Ingredients:
- 录 cup brown sugar
- 录 cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon berbere spice
Preparation:
- In a medium bowl, combine ingredients and whisk until evenly mixed. Reserve for preparing the pizza.
For the berbere roasted chicken
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon berbere spice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 陆 teaspoon sugar
- 2 3陆- to 5-pound whole chickens ("roaster" size)
- Olive or vegetable oil, as needed
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 cups minced yellow onions
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 375掳 F.
- To make the seasoning mixture, combine the berbere spice, salt and sugar in a small bowl and mix well.
- Lightly coat the chickens with oil, then sprinkle generously with the seasoning mixture.
- Combine the tomatoes, garlic and onions in a large roasting pan and place the two chickens on top, breast-side up. Roast for about 45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 160掳 F (as the chicken rests, the temperature will rise to 165掳 F). Transfer the chicken to a large carving board to rest. When chicken cools slightly, use your hands and a fork to shred chicken.
- In a medium pot, combine the brown sugar and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, simmer five minutes to reduce the liquid by approximately half. Add the tomato mixture from the roasting pan to pot and simmer 10 minutes more. Add the berbere spice and pur茅e with a hand blender or transfer to a blender to process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To prepare the pizza
- Preheat oven to 500 掳F (or as high as your oven temperature goes).
- Spread a base of berbere BBQ sauce over stretched pizza dough.
- Top with shredded chicken, mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
- Bake for six to eight minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Remove pizza from oven and let it cool for two to three minutes. Top pizza with dressed arugula and serve.
- Repeat with remaining dough.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Za'atar and Sumac-Yogurt Dressing
Makes four to six servings
Ingredients:
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
- 2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons za鈥檃tar
- toasted walnuts for garnish
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 450掳 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes, and cut lengthwise into wedges. Peel and cut red onions into wedges. Transfer ingredients into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt, crushed black pepper, za'atar and gently toss to evenly distribute. Transfer onto your prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until browned on the edges and tender inside (pierce one piece with a fork to test).
For the sumac dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
- 1 cup full-fat greek yogurt
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cardamom Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Makes four servings
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
- 4 garlic cloves, skin on
- 6 branches fresh thyme
- 3-4 whole cardamom pods
- 2 tablespoons butter
- kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, canola oil, as needed
Preparation:
- Season the pork with salt and pepper. Place a large saut茅 pan over medium heat and add a thin film of canola oil. Allow the oil to heat for three minutes before adding the meat.
- Pat the pork dry and place in the pan skin-side down. Without moving or flipping the pork, let cook until the first side is well browned. Turn and cook until browned on each side. Maintain the heat carefully: If the edges of the pan begin to smoke, reduce heat.
- Add the garlic cloves, thyme and cardamom. Roll the meat around to expose all sides to the aromatics. Turn the heat to low and add the butter. Using a spoon, swirl the butter around the pan and baste the pork with butter as the aromatics infuse in the mixture. Continue basting and turning the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 150藲F.
- Remove the meat to rack to rest. The temperature should rise to 155藲F before serving. Slice and serve.
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