Moroccan, More Rollin'
Savor the Flavors of Morocco
New Harissa & Ras el Hanout from Villa Jerada
This past January we met Mehdi Boujrada, owner of Seattle-based Villa Jerada, and instantly fell in love with his products, which are inspired by his home country of Morocco. His passion for creating well-balanced, fresh tasting products shines through in both his Moroccan Harissa and his Ras el Hanout spice blend.
According to Mehdi, harissa should have three overarching flavors: acidity, heat and fruitiness. Based on his mother's recipe, his Moroccan Harissa gets a bright punch from preserved lemons, heat from chile de arbol peppers and both fruitiness and a hint of sweetness from ripe tomatoes.
Use harissa in classic Moroccan dishes like Chicken Tagine with Olives & Apricots or as a condiment for Couscous Royale. Create a Moroccan-inspired pizza by mixing a spoonful into pizza sauce and top with merguez sausage, toasted pine nuts and fresh mint.
Mehdi's take on Ras el Hanout, a traditional North African spice blend, is made with 16 different spices, ground roots and dried flowers including saffron, fennel seeds, white peppercorns, galangal, star anise, cardamom, rose petals and lavender.
This aromatic blend pairs well with both meats and vegetables. Use to flavor lamb chops and chicken, or sprinkle over vegetables before roasting. For a healthy snack, toss cooked chickpeas with extra virgin olive oil and season with ras el hanout and salt. Spread seasoned chickpeas on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 30-40 minutes until crisp.