Meatballs with Pumpkin & Spice Butter

With its location between the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Asia, Turkey has an amazingly rich and varied cuisine. For most of the past twenty years, Journalist Robyn Eckhardt and her photographer husband, David Hagerman, have traveled around Turkey tasting all of the country's most delicious dishes. Now they're sharing them with us in their wonderful cookbook,  Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey. They first start in Istanbul, which is home to one of the world's great fusion cuisines. Then they travel to some of the lesser-known provinces, which feature cuisines influenced by neighboring Georgia, Syria, Armenia and Iran. These authentic and easy to follow recipes all come from local bakers, village home cooks, farmers, fishermen and café chefs. This Meatballs with Pumpkin & Spice Butter is an example of one of the many colorful and flavorful dishes found in this cookbook. We're sure that you'll fall in love with this cookbook just as much as we have.From the author: "For this warming dish from Hakkâri, delicate lamb of beef meatballs studded with ground rice are laid atop a bed of pumpkin chunks and then steam-simmered in a light tomato sauce. Before serving, the dish is drizzled with sizzling tomato butter seasoned with purple basil and red pepper flakes, which play off the richness of the meat and the sweetness of the pumpkin. I ate this dish at the home of Sehmur and Baran Kurt, in Hakkâri.A good meatball is light and tender, attributes achieved in Turkey by hand-chopping the meat, something even I am unwilling to undertake on a regular basis. But you can achieve a similar texture by spreading ground meat on a cutting board, sprinkling the seasonings over it, and cutting everything together with a knife. (This keeps the meat from turning into a paste, as it would if you mixed the ingredients in a food processor or by squeezing and kneading with your hands.) The process takes only about 5 minutes. Combine this technique with very light handling when you form the meatballs, and they'll end up tender.You must soak the rice for 1-1/2 hours before proceeding with the rest of the recipe, during which time you can peel, see, and slice the pumpkin and complete other prep work. The meatball mixture can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Serve the dish with a simple cooked vegetable like spinach and plain Strained Yogurt. For a dinner party, give your guests an appetite-rousing preview by placing the pot in the middle of the table before pouring over the sizzling spice butter."

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Kofte Meatballs with Marash Yogurt Sauce

These lamb meatballs made with our Kofte Spice are a crowd pleaser, and are even more marvelous with Marash Chile Flakes and warm yogurt sauce. Sound exotic? It is! But they are easy to make and the seasonings have wide appeal. Serve them over your favorite grain pilaf or roll them out at your next cocktail party for a new take on everyones favorite hors d'oeurve.

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Pakhlava

Did you know that we are one of the few spice shops in the U.S. that carry Georgian spice blends? We love our Georgian blends, and Georgian food is so delicious! We are thrilled to feature a recipe from Olia Hercules' cookbook Kaukasis: A Culinary Journey through Georgia, and continue to revisit these amazing recipes. Full of stunning photographs evocative of the region, this book is a celebration, weaving personal narratives and recipes for a little known cuisine that combines European and Middle Eastern ingredients in ways that are fresh, new, and totally unexpected. Olia Hercules will take you on a culinary journey unlike any other. If you liked Mamushka, her Ukranian cookbook, you will love this book.From the author: "Pakhlava is a festive dish made for Novruz, the traditional celebration of the coming of spring in Azerbaijan, but it’s rarely prepared at home, since nuts are expensive and making thin pastry is rather laborious. However, it is a gorgeous thing, and if you like baking and making something new, this is a great way to spend an afternoon, especially if you are cooking with your loved ones. The recipe makes enough to last you a couple of weeks and to package up into gift boxes for friends and family."

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Khingal

We are so excited to feature another recipe from Olia Hercules' wonderful Georgian cookbook, Kaukasis: A Culinary Journey through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Beyond! Full of stunning photographs evocative of the region, this book is a celebration, weaving personal narratives and recipes for a little known cuisine that combines European and Middle Eastern ingredients in ways that are fresh, new, and totally unexpected. Olia Hercules will take you on a culinary journey unlike any other. If you liked her Ukranian cookbook Mamushka, you will love this book.From the author: "We often perceive comfort food as something lovely yet also a little bland, unassuming. It may not blow our minds with flavour, but it gives us that feeling of safe satiety. When I tried khingal in the Azerbaijan capital Baku, it was a complete revelation to me. It did all those things that comfort food does, except it also made my eyes widen as my mouth was filled with firm pasta, crispy aromatic lamb and milky, but also oh so fresh, sauce. And then there is the butter. Pasta, spice, butter, crispy meat bits, yogurt, herbs – this dish has every single component that makes me feel safe and yet also titillates my senses, what I imagine a perfect marriage may be like."

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Cheddar Cheese Coins

Appetizers aren't just for parties and gatherings. Whether you just want some snacks for watching tv or something to nibble on while catching up on that novel, this is the cookbook for you. The experts at Cook's Illustrated have put together 75 "only the best" appetizer recipes to help you find something for any time of the year. All-Time Best Appetizers Cookbook makes it easy to create a spread with everything from things that can be dipped, spread, eaten by the handful or two-bite treats. These Cheddar Cheese Coins, as well as their different variations, would be perfect for a wine and cheese plate or...just to snack on. From the authors: "Why this recipe works - When it comes to homemade crackers, you need a recipe that's easy, versatile, and packs a huge flavor punch. We wanted to come up with a simple, foolproof version that would be cheesy, buttery, and just a little spicy. We started with a full 8 ounces of cheese and a touch of salt, cayenne, and paprika. We used the food processor to combine the dry ingredients and the shredded cheese, which helped to keep the coins tender by limiting the handling of the dough. Adding a little cornstarch with the flour further ensured that the coins baked up flaky and buttery. We processed the dry ingredients with chilled butter until the mixture resembled wet sand, added water, and processed until the dough came together. Next, we rolled the dough into logs, refrigerated them until firm, and then sliced them into thin coins before baking until lightly golden and perfectly crisp. With this simple technique, it's easy to vary the cheese and flavorings used to suit any taste."

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African Peanut Soup with Grains of Paradise

This West African soup recipe combines sweet potatoes and peanut butter with Grains of Paradise. The flavors balance beautifully and are a wonderful showcase for this exotic spice. This mythical African spice has a mild peppery taste with floral top notes that hint at ginger and cardamom. The soup is creamy, mild and not at all heavy, making it a wonderful starter or side. Looking to make a meal? Check out our other African recipes for something to pair it with!

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Bulgogi Beef Stir Fry

This Bulgogi Beef Stir Fry draws inspiration from the classic Korean dish. Bulgogi, meaning "fire meat," is a grilled dish that mellows heat with sweet to please just about any palate. Traditionally served alongside a range of pickled condiments for Korean BBQ, it translates well to the wok and is delicious on a bed of rice and stir fried vegetables.

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Cascade Mushroom Mash

These amazing mushroom mashed potatoes are our latest secret ingredient revelation! Infused with Cascade Mushroom Mix, the addition of just one seasoning takes these mashed potatoes from super to spectacular. It's easy, too! Just sprinkle the Cascade Mushroom Mix into the butter as it is melting, and the flavor distributes into every bite. Use the mix in your favorite recipe or try ours. Whether you like your potatoes chunky or whipped, russett or Yukon Gold, this seasoning twist will leave everyone wondering what made these mashed potatoes so special. They are a perfect side dish for the holiday table.

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Warm Winter Sangria

Spiced wine? Mulled cider? We say "choose both" with this Warm Winter Sangria. Mulled wine alone can be too harsh, and mulled cider too sweet. Put them together with a touch of honey and orange, and the drink comes out just right.Choose a full bodied wine whose shelf-talker boasts of black or red cherry flavors that will complement the mulling spice, but with a price that won't break the bank. Mid-shelf Pinot Noir or Cabernet are good choices, and an unfiltered and unsweetened cider is the perfect complement. We were lucky enough to have one straight out of the press and it made this Warm Winter Sangria all the more flavorful. Don't forget the Mulling Spice!

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