Ingredients:
1/2 pound Walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 pound Pitted Dates, coarsely chopped
2 cups Flour
1 cup Unsalted Butter
1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar
1 cup Pistachio Nuts finely chopped
2 teaspoons, Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom

Cooking Instructions:
In a skillet, grill the walnuts over a low heat tor 5 minutes. Add the dates to the walnuts and mix well.

Combine ground cinnamon and cardamom. Set aside.

In a large deep skillet, melt butter and sauté flour over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is caramel color. Add confectioners sugar and half the spices. Mix thoroughly over medium heat for 3 minutes, and then remove from heat.

Arrange the walnuts and dates in a cookie tray; sprinkle the rest of the spices evenly over the top. Spread dough evenly all over. Pack and smooth well with a spatula. Decorate with the crushed pistachio nuts.

After Ranginak is fully chilled, cut into small pieces and enjoy them with aromatic Persian tea.

Ingredients:
1 medium Red Onion, peel and finely diced
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
3 large Cucumber, peel and finely chop
3 large Tomatoes, finely diced
1 large Lemon, remove juice
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 teaspoons Dried Mint
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. Serve as side dish with rice and meat dishes.

Ingredients:
1 pound Ground Turkey
1 pound Ground Chicken
1/2 cup dried Onion
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Persian Spices Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter, melt in pan
2 teaspoons Powdered Sumac (or juice of 1 Lime)

Cooking Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine meat, onion, egg, spices, salt and pepper. Knead thoroughly and form into 2 inch meatballs.

Place olive oil in a skillet. When the olive oil is hot add the meatballs, sauté over a medium heat until meatballs are browned but still tender. For oven baking, preheat oven to 425F. Place meatballs and olive oil in an oven-proof dish in the center of the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until meatballs are browned but still tender. Dissolve saffron in hot water and add to the melted butter. Once arranged on a platter, cover the meatballs with saffron butter and a sprinkle of sumac or lime juice.

Serve with rice dishes and/or wrap bread, fresh herbs (basil. mint, tarragon), scallions, and yogurt dishes.

Ingredients:
1 pound Ground Beef
1 pound Ground Lamb
1 medium Onion, peel and grated
1 Egg
1 tablespoon, Yogurt
1 teaspoon Persian Spices Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter, melt in pan
2 teaspoons Powdered Sumac (or juice of 1 Lime)

Cooking Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine meat, onion, egg, yogurt, spices, salt and pepper. Knead thoroughly and form into 2 inch meatballs.

Place olive oil in a skillet. When the olive oil is hot add the meatballs sauté over a medium heat until meatballs are browned but still tender. For oven baking, preheat oven to 425F. Place meatballs and olive oil in an oven-proof dish in the center of the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until meatballs are browned but still tender. Dissolve saffron in hot water and add to the melted butter. Once arranged on a platter, cover the meatballs with saffron butter and a sprinkle of sumac or lime juice.

Serve with rice dishes and/or wrap bread, fresh herbs (basil, mint, tarragon), scallions, and yogurt dishes.

Ingredients:
4 cups Yogurt
1 large Onion, peel and finely chop
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 medium Eggplant
1 teaspoon Persian Spices Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
1/2 large Lemon
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 teaspoons Dried Mint

Cooking Instructions:
Bake whole Eggplants on a cookie tray in a preheated oven at 400F for 30 minutes, or when eggplant collapses and the centers are tender. Carefully remove skin (you can use rubber gloves to prevent burning your hands when you are peeling the eggplant). Chop finely, set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet, and sauté onions until golden brown. Add spices, salt and pepper, and dissolved saffron. Combine with the eggplant and cook tor 5 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and mint.

Chill before adding to yogurt. Decorate with a sprinkle of mint.

Serve as side dish with rice and meet dishes.

Ingredients:
4 cups Yogurt
1 large Onion, peel and finely chop
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
3 cups Spinach, frozen, coarsely chop
1 teaspoon Persian Spices Blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
1/2 large Lemon
4 tablespoons Olive Oil

Cooking Instructions:
Defrost spinach.

Heat olive oil in a skillet, and sauté onions until golden brown. Add spices, salt and pepper and dissolved saffron. Combine with the spinach and cook for 5 – 10 minutes, until spinach is tender. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Chill before adding to yogurt.

Serve as side dish with rice and meet dishes.

Preparation
In a large pot bring to a boil 3 quarts of water with 3 tablespoons of salt. Cook the pasta until “al dente”.

Cut the green part of the ramps to a chiffonade and thinly slice the bulbs. In a pan heat the olive oil and add the sliced ramps bulbs. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes until tender. Add the Pierre Poivre spice and continue cooking for another minute on low heat. Add the cooked pasta and ricotta cheese and stir using a wooden spoon. Add a little of the pasta cooking water to obtain a smooth creamy sauce.

Place the pasta in a serving dish and sprinkle the chiffonade of green ramps on top with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Additional ideas:
For a great entrée dish add a few fresh shrimp to the pan before adding the pasta and cook for about 3 minutes before continuing the rest of the recipe.

Serves 4

Preparation
In a bowl whisk together the yogurt and Mismish blend and refrigerate.

In a pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cherries and sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the Port and orange zest and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.

Place the cherries in four serving bows and drizzle with the cooking syrup. Place a spoon of Mishmish yogurt cream on top and serve.

Additional ideas:
Add toasted chopped pistachios or crushed meringues pieces to the yogurt Mishmish blend to obtain a great crunchy texture.

Serves 4

In a bowl whisk together the Marrakesh spices, Izak blend, ½ cup of olive oil, cilantro, garlic and turmeric. Place the lamb tenderloin in a baking tray and cover with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Preheat a grill/griddle on the stove top. Remove the lamb tenderloin from the baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Grill the lamb on the griddle for about 1 minute on each side. Place the cooked lamb on a wire rack on top of a baking tray and let rest for about 3 minutes.

Spread each baguette slice with the tomato chutney. Cut the lamb tenderloin into ¼ inch slices and place each slice on the baguettes.
Drizzle the lamb with a little lemon juice, the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the chopped mint and serve.

Additional ideas:
Use the same marinade for a rack of lamb or chicken for an entrée.

Serves 4

We are excited to present these wonderful recipes created by Lior with Chef David Malbequi of Prima, formerly of La Silhouette, who has also cooked in New York’s Restaurant Daniel, BLT and the Standard Hotel. Read More »

Recipes From Chef Lior Lev Sercarz

Marrakesh Marinated Lamb Tenderloin Crostini

Use the same marinade for a rack of lamb or chicken for an entrée.

Turkey, Mousa Style

Thanksgiving is a special time of year, and the pressure is on the cook to make a memorable feast for family and friends.

Marrakesh Marinated Lamb Tenderloin Crostini

Ingredients
4 tbs Marrakesh N.6 spice blend
1 tbs Izak N.37 Spice blend or Harissa
¾ cup Extra virgin olive oil
4 tbs Cilantro leaves – washed and chopped
2 cloves Garlic – peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp Turmeric powder
4 Lamb Tenderloin (boneless)
2 Meyer or regular lemon – juice only
1 tbs Mint- chopped
8 slices Toasted baguette
¼ cup Tomato chutney
Salt & Pepper

In a bowl whisk together the Marrakesh spices, Izak blend, ½ cup of olive oil, cilantro, garlic and turmeric. Place the lamb tenderloin in a baking tray and cover with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Preheat a grill/griddle on the stove top. Remove the lamb tenderloin from the baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Grill the lamb on the griddle for about 1 minute on each side. Place the cooked lamb on a wire rack on top of a baking tray and let rest for about 3 minutes.

Spread each baguette slice with the tomato chutney. Cut the lamb tenderloin into ¼ inch slices and place each slice on the baguettes.
Drizzle the lamb with a little lemon juice, the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the chopped mint and serve.

Additional ideas:
Use the same marinade for a rack of lamb or chicken for an entrée.

Serves 4

More Recipes From Lior

Cherry Jubilee, Mishmish A La Mode

Add toasted chopped pistachios or crushed meringues pieces to the yogurt Mishmish blend to obtain a great crunchy texture.

Marrakesh Marinated Lamb Tenderloin Crostini

Use the same marinade for a rack of lamb or chicken for an entrée.

“Ayala” Thanksgiving Stuffing

Try this simple and winning recipe featuring expertly crafted Spice and Herb Blends by La Boite a Epices.

Orecchiette Pasta, Pierre Poivre, Fresh Ricotta & Ramps

For a great entrée dish add a few fresh shrimp to the pan before adding the pasta and cook for about 3 minutes before continuing the rest of the recipe.

Saveur Magazine chose our Spice Master for the recent Saveur 100. Florence Fabricant of THE NEW YORK TIMES discovered his wonderful spice blends. Traveling and cooking around the world, chef Lior Lev Sercarz is inspired by his passion for spices and the stories they tell. Now you can travel the globe without leaving your kitchen with these magnificent spice blends.

Each perfectly balanced blend is a reflection of a place and a moment in time, using only the best spices, to obtain a fresh, aromatic and powerful palette of flavors. Use these unique flavor stories to transport you to exotic locales. Liven up a simple dish, from grilled meats to scrambled eggs or add complexity to your best soups and sauces. Like globe-trotting, the possibilities are endless.