CHARMOULA creates a symphony of flavours!

Charmoula

Want an easy way to punch up flavour to your meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and even pasta? Make up some Charmoula. This simple blend of spices creates a symphony of flavours for anyone who loves great flavour in their food!
Charmoula’s origin is from North Africa and is an aromatic blend of spices that can transform chicken, meat or fish into a memorable dish your friends and family will adore.

All the spices in Charmoula are readily available at the local grocery. The blend varies from cook to cook but most blends include garlic, lemon juice, parsley, cumin, cilantro, sweet paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil with a pinch of cayenne. I like using a mortar and pestle but there is no panic if you do not have one; simply use a food processor.

Charmoula can be made on a weekend and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or pop in ice cube trays, freeze then put the ‘Charmoula cubes’ in a freezer bag which provides instant flavour for many dishes!

This versatile seasoning can be used as a quick marinade for fish or a rub for chicken, as a finishing sauce for any meat and vegetables, or as a dip with crusty bread. Add a tablespoon of Charmoula to mayonnaise or yogurt and serve with your favourite grilled fish…this is so simple and tasty! Drop a tablespoon of Charmoula into a vegetable or chicken soup or a pasta dish. It doesn’t matter is the pasta or soup is cream or broth based you have boasted lovely flavour into your meal.

Charmoula is easy to make, simple to use and livens up simple foods you are used to preparing with a fresh pungent flavour.

Charmoula ingredients
6 Tbsp garlic, mashed
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp Sea salt
Pinch of cayenne (or to taste)
1/2 tsp cracked fresh pepper
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/ 2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon (zest the lemon first)
4 tbsp olive oil

Using a mortar and pestle, (or food processor), grind mashed garlic, chopped parsley, cilantro and lemon zest to a coarse mixture. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, paprika, cayenne, cumin, and mash enough to mix together.
Slowly pour in the olive oil while blending to emulsify; add salt and pepper.

Yields: approximately 2/3 cup or 6 oz. Unless a recipe calls for a specific amount, use 1 tbsp. per portion serving in each recipe.

Optional ingredients to add are: turmeric, couple of teaspoons of honey, 1 dried bay leaf, crumbled and a pinch of saffron.

Zest up Your Life with an Orange

ZEST up your life! Save the zest from your next Orange and pack in colour, nutrition, and flavour simply be adding a little orange zest.

You’ve heard of simple ideas like freezing some zest and water in ice cube trays and throwing some zest into your tea cup for added flavour. But really orange zest can be added to many foods. Consider saving orange zest and tossing it into muffin batter or your next bowl of breakfast cereal, add zest to cake and cookie recipes or simply into rice as it cooks. For dessert, sprinkle some orange zest over frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Orange Vinaigrette is easy to make. In a screw-top jar combine 3/4 cup orange juice, zest of the orange, 1/4 cup of white wine or champagne vinegar, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup water. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Shake to mix up the flavours and pour over your salad.
If you want to punch up the flavour add one or more of the following ingredients:
A minced clove of garlic, finely chopped fresh or dried basil and a tiny pinch of cayenne
Makes approximately 1 & 1/2 cups or tasty dressing.

Orange zest in mashed sweet potatoes will make you ask for more…Add 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 teaspoons grated orange rind to 5 to 6 medium-sized sweet potatoes. Sea salt and black pepper to taste. Delizioso!

Thoroughly wash oranges before using and buy organic if possible.

Last but certainly not least…add some dried orange peel to your next bath for an aromatic and rejuvenating soak. ‘Orang’ you happy to learn what to do with those peels!

Tidbits on Tomatoes

There are several simple ways to increase flavour to tomatoes; add a pinch of sugar or a grated carrot when cooking tomatoes. Keep the seeds in the dish! Those little tomato seeds and ‘jelly’ trigger a lot of extra flavour, so cook a bit more rustic and keep the tomato seeds in the dish.
Less juice is lost in the tomato when they are sliced the ‘French’ way which is from stem to blossom (vertically)
Store tomatoes at room temperature. Tomatoes will not ripen any further in the refrigerator and actually, refrigeration can make them tasteless and turn the flesh to a mealy mush.
Want to extend the life of the tomatoes sitting on your kitchen counter? Place the stem-end down. This minimizes the air entering and moisture exiting making the life of the tomato longer.