I picked up this alluring spice bottle yesterday. I'm trying it today with diced tomato, chicken and chickpeas in a slow cooker. If anyone else has used it, I'd love some other ideas. I do want to try it with lamb, too.

Ingredients are: coriander, white pepper, black pepper, tumeric, Ginger, cinnamon, anise, saffron, piment fort, long pepper, cardamom, rose petals, nutmeg, mace, fennel, grains of paradise.

Have no clue but it sounds like the Middle Eastern equivalent of garam masala.

Wikipedia entry on has el hanout

Deweyed, it sounds like you picked up the same brand I use, which includes saffron and the rare grains of paradise. I forget the brand. It's delightful and can be used instead of separate spices in nearly every tagine recipe. The key is that a little goes a long way. You can make tagine recipes in any good lidded dutch oven, if you don't own a tagine.

Here are some sound recipes:

http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresu...tagine%2Ctagine

Over on my home board, both Dubya and Vince like to cook tagines. The latter posted a couple of his original recipes quite a while back. I'll lift one for you. ~LOL~

The latter posted a couple of his original recipes quite a while back. I'll lift one for you. ~LOL~
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And while you're at it, boost one as well ;-)

I haven't tried it but I'd love to! It sounds heavenly.

I keep thinking this would make a great perfume...

Dewey eyed, the perfume which smells most like this type of spice blend is Serge Lutens' Arabie, maybe even Chergui has the same 'feel.

I checked my cupboard and found the Ras el Hanout I have is from Zamouri Spices. I also have the seasoning for chicken tagine, seven spices blend ( a good basic for all middle eastern dishes) and a couple of others. I was introduced to it by a friend who cooks Morroccan and Tunisian dishes frequently. He and another doctor friend also used to occasionally kill lambs, halal style, butcher them and share the meat with their friends. I miss their Merguez sausages.

Anyway, here is the Zamouri Spices website which contains authentic Arabic world recipes, which are simpler and better than those to be found on the Food network, or someplace like that.

http://www.zamourispices.com/

Thanks, MA! The bottle I have is from Mustapha's, and they don't have recipes on their website yet. My family was, um, underwhelmed with the chicken dish I made, but I'm hoping a more authentic dish would be more appealing.

Dewey Eyed, when my friend Vince first moved to New orleans he lived with us for about 5 months before he found and bought his own home. being Italian/Morroccan in a town where men cook and living with a broad who loved to cook in French and italian styles we had a ball. One thing we agreed upon is that aside from the simplest type of gyros, kebabas, hummus, pita sandwiches and such, Americans have a hard time acquiring a taste for Middle eastern and especially the Northern African cuisines. Americans love the cheesy Southwest Mexican style foods which are far more fattening! (In fact, I lost 20 pounds during those 5 months and was eating quite a lot!)

Yet these can be the most delicious, easy to prepare and nutritious of foods. Of course the instant Near East brand cous cous is a great grain base. I'd suggest marinating beef sirloin cubes in lemon and spices, including a bit of Ras el Hanout, pepper and cumin. Grill kebabs and serve with pita and a Tzaziki yogurt sauce for starters. Marinate boneless cubed chicken thighs with salt, ras el hanout, cumin, lemon and olive oil. With both beef and chicken use sliced onions and bell peppers of all colours. Skewer or grill on a perfed grill plate(One thing I learned is that beef sirloin can always be substituted for lamb and that boneless chicken thighs are always more flavourful and give better results than boneless chicken breast, when boneless poultry is called for.) I think the trick is to ease your family into liking these simple but spicey dishes before going completely authentic.

Harissa is the basic indispensible condiment which accompanies the near east dishes from kebabs to tagines. My hub even perks up his tuna salad and omelets with it. Vince's recipe is really easier to make than it looks. I lifted it from V&M's Speakeasy. here goes:

Here's the best, simplest recipe for harissa. Harissa is wonderful with kefta, kebabs, etc. Instead of dried red pepper I use fresh ones when I find them at the market.

Moroccan Harissa Sauce

Time: 5 minutes, plus 30 minutes' soaking

1 ounce whole dried cayenne chili peppers or crushed red pepper flakes (about 3 tablespoons) or 2 or 3 small fresh hot red peppers. In the latter case, no need to soak

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 small garlic clove, peeled

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika (not hot)

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil.

1. In a small bowl or pot, cover chili peppers or flakes with boiling water and let soak 30 minutes. Drain. If using whole chilies, remove stems and seeds.

2. Transfer to blender or small food processor. Add vinegar, garlic, salt, paprika, sugar and pepper, and blend well to finely chop chilies. Add oil, and blend to emulsify.

3. Taste and adjust seasoning with vinegar, salt and pepper; harissa should be quite spicy and thin enough to pour. Serve immediately or refrigerate, tightly covered, up to 1 week.

Yield: About 1/2 cup.