Each month, as part of the Agora Wine Club and Mediterranean Pantry Collection we work to put together complementary foods and wines so you can taste the flavors of somewhere new.

 

Our Mediterranean Pantry Collection series features a new set of products to help you supply and build a complete and delicious Mediterranean-style pantry. Each item is carefully selected to reflect the finest traditional as well as new and innovative products from all parts of this culturally rich and verdant region of the world.

Your Perfect Pairings

This month we’re featuring an exotic set of products from North African and Levantine traditions! Our Ya Salam! set is carefully selected to showcase the diverse foods and unique flavors of these regions.

The Ya Salam! Pantry Collection Set

• Les Terroirs de Marrakech, Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 500 ml
• The Shop Agora, Sumac
• Villa Jerada, Harissa
• Villa Jerada, Chermoula Spread
• Villa Jerada, Moruno Rub
• Villa Jerada, Kefta Rub
• Villa Jerada, Nigella
• Les Moulins Mahjoub, Natural Preserved Lemons
• Radici of Tuscany, Stuffato all Sangiovannese
• Canaan, Organic Freekah
• Canaan, Organic Maftoul

Products included are from the USA, and imported from Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Italy and Palestine.

Suggested Wines for Pairing

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Recipes for Ya Salam!

Buying new ingredients is always exciting, but knowing how to best use them can feel a little daunting. To help you make the most of the Ya Salam! Pantry Collection, we’ve put together a list with a few of our favorite recipes.

Vegetarian

Chermoula Asparagus with Caramelized Onions
Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1lb asparagus
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbs Villa Jerada Chermoula
• 3 Tbs extra Virgin olive Oil
• Half of a lemon
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook on medium heat until they sweat and caramelize, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, trim your asparagus and boil it for 3-4 minutes. Drain and cut in halves.
3. Once the onions are cooked, add the asparagus, the Chermoula and stir until the Chermoula blends in to make a nice thick sauce.
4. Add olive oil and drizzle with lemon to taste.

Moruno Grilled Mushrooms
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 20-30 Shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tsp Moruno Rub
• 1 tsp Salt or to your taste
• 1tbsp Olive oil
• Lemon (to taste)

Method:

1. Using wooden or metal skewers, mix olive oil, Moruno Rub and salt.
2. Whisk lightly to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Put the mushrooms into the mixture and let marinade for 10-15 min.
4. Place on skewers tightly and put on the grill at a medium heat.
5. Turn frequently so they don’t dry out or burn.
6. Serve with lemon wedges – squeeze to taste.

Fish

Roasted Fish with Chermoula
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1-4 pieces of black cod (or any type of meaty, flaky white fish)
• 1 cup parsley
• 2 cup cilantro
• 1 TBs paprika
• 1 TBs Villa Jerada Chermoula
• 1 TBs Villa Jerada Harissa
• 1 TBs cumin
• 2 threads of saffron
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 TBs olive oil
• 1/2 preserved lemons skin and flesh
• 1/2 cup of olives

Method:

1. Make a marinade by pounding all the ingredients (except the olives) in a mortar into a paste.
2. Rub the fish with the marinade and let sit for an hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 400.
4. Place the fish in the oven and bake for 12 to 17 min depending on the thickness of your fillets.
5. Garnish fish with preserved lemon slices, olives, cilantro and parsley.

Poultry

Moroccan Harissa Grilled Chicken
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3lbs Chicken Legs
• 3 Tbs Harissa
• 1 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 Tbs Honey
• 2 Garlic Cloves – grated
• 1 Lemon – squeezed
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Create marinade by whisking Harissa, Olive Oil, Honey, Lemon, Garlic and Salt until well blended.
2. Add Chicken to the marinade to soak up all the flavors. Ideally it should marinate overnight, but doing so for at least an hour will also add some nice flavor when you’re in a pinch for time.
3. Heat up your grill.
4. Create a small slit into each chicken leg to allow the heat to enter and cook the meat evenly so the skin doesn’t become too crisp.
5. Cook roughly 6 min each side or until meat is cooked and tender and skin is slightly crispy.

Grilled Quail with Harissa and Sumac
Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs Villa Jerada Harissa
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp crushed thyme
• 2 quail
• Sumac Quail:
• 3 Tbs Sumac
• Half a lemon juiced
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbs olive Oil
• 2 quail

Method:

1. In a bowl mix all ingredients to obtain a marinade.
2. Soak the chicken into the marinade for at least 45 min.
3. Grill (we did a bbq for ours) gently turning often enough to ensure nothing burns or overcooks (depending on the bird) about 7 min on each side or until cooked to your preference.
4. Once cooked, serve on a dish with some lemon wedges.

Red Meat

Kefta Shakshuka
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef chuck
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 4 ½ tsp Villa Jerada Kefta Rub, divided
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt, plus additional to taste
• 1 small onion, grated on the large holes of box grater or finely minced
• 3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 tsp Villa Jerada Harissa
• Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs
• Whole cilantro leaves, to serve
• Crusty bread or pita, to serve (optional)

Method:

1. First, make the kefta (meatballs): combine the beef, ¼ cup of the chopped cilantro, 2 ½ tsp of the Kefta Rub, 1 tsp salt and the onion in a medium bowl.
2. Mix well to combine. (We think it’s easiest to mix with your hands.)
3. Using your hands or a small scoop, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls.
4. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill for at least 20 minutes.
5. While the kefta are chilling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
6. Add the tomato, tomato paste, remaining ¼ cup chopped cilantro, harissa, the remaining 2 tsp Kefta Rub, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the water.
7. Cook until the tomato has broken down and the mixture has thickened to a sauce-like consistency. Add the kefta.
8. Cover and cook until the meatballs are almost cooked through, about 10 minutes.
9. Use a spoon to make an egg-sized hole in the shakshuka. Crack one of the eggs into the hole. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.
10. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the eggs reach desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-soft.
11. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt. Scatter the whole cilantro leaves over the shakshuka and serve hot.

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