Spiced Chicken (Baharat)

[ecowper]

I posted about this in SUYWC, but didn't post the recipe. It's very easy and it uses Baharat, one of my favorite spice mixes .... Biobus just for you!

Chicken Spiced with Baharat

Chicken, Levant
Prep Time: 15 Cook Time: 50 Source: Feastingathome.com

INGREDIENTS
Whole chicken, skin on, broken into parts
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons salt (use 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken)
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
2 tablespoons Baharat
1 large onion, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges (red or yellow)
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1 lemon, sliced thinly plus zest
1/4 cup Marcona almonds, or slivered almonds or pinenuts
parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 F (see notes for grilling)
Place the chicken in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and 7-spice mix. Add onion, garlic, preserved lemon and sliced lemon and toss again well. Spread out on a parchment-lined sheet-pan.
Bake for 35-45 minutes- or until cooked through. Broil for a few minutes to get the skin crispy and nicely golden, turning if necessary (especially if using skin-on chicken)
While the chicken is baking, warm and toast the almonds/pinenuts in a little butter or olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place the fragrant chicken on a platter, scattering with the onions and lemon slices (which are edible.) Pour any juices from the pan, over top. Garnish with the toasted nuts and sprinkle with a few parsley leaves.

NOTES
Set up grill as you normally would, but place the chicken, onion, garlic, lemon on a parchment lined baking sheeting. Cook indirect hot until done, then over direct heat if skin needs more crisp. Platter like above.

For a little heat, sprinkle with Aleppo chili flakes if you like.

[Starsky]

I've recently discovered Baharat. It's quite versatile in it's uses

[ecowper]

I first bought a premade baharat. Loved it and so I figured out my own recipe. Super easy and much better than the stuff in the store.

[yakima]

ecowper, not familiar with Baharat. My newest, put on everything seasoning, is Ras El Hanout. North African, Morocco. A blend of 20 to 40 ingredients.

[JCBBQ]

I’m a BIG fan. Baharat is my ez go to chicken. Spatchcock, salt & baharat. Done. Really delicious.

[Troutman]

Love grinding spices in a molcajete 👍

[JCBBQ]

Troutman yeah that thing is a beast. Done in no time. Plus, there’s no comparison w store bought.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Ok, ecowper, now you gotta share the recipe for your Baharat spice.

Same for you, JCBBQ.

And yakima, you making your own Ras el hanout? Gonna need that recipe, too...


I dunno if I'll actually go about MAKING my own... gotta invest in a quantity of some spices most of us don't keep around because they don't get used often enough. <sigh>

Say... any of you guys willing to ship out a little ziploc of your concoction for some of us to try out? As pointed out, spices from the store are NOT usually much good, but investing in 10 or 20 ingredients to make a batch I'm gonna use sporadically (and they get old in the meantime) is not just cost prohibitive, but actually a PITA, too. I've still got a buncha juniper berries, star anise pods and some other stuff in the cabinet that are YEARS old from my last pickling attempt. <sigh> I'm sure they're not BAD, but certainly not gonna impart much of anything in the way of flavor. I really need to toss those so I can get a new batch to sit in the cupboard to get old. lol

But I'd be more than happy to pay $10-20 or something for a nice 'baggie' of something I can try out a couple-three times to see if my family thinks it's a worthwhile investment. I'm thinking, enough to do 4-6 chikkins, for myself and my buddy and his family.

Any takers??

[ecowper]

Send me your address, I’ll send some Ras el Hanout and some Baharat

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Ooooohhhh man, I'm gonna be in BUSINESS! W00T! Thanks guys! PMs incoming!

[StokerK]

I found some here https://www.myspicesage.com/. Sorry I don't know how to link address.
Well I guess I do.

[ecowper]

Speaking of buying too much of something that is now sitting around …. A couple years ago I decided to buy bay leaves from Spice Jungle instead of the grocery store. Thinking that 1 oz of bay leaves would be the amount you get in that jar at the store, I bought 4 oz. I’m 1/3 of the way through it 2 1/2 years later!

This is what it looks like yakima

[ecowper]

Jerod Broussard the running joke is “do we have enough bay leaves?”

[Jerod Broussard]

Ok, have that said using the voice of comedian Erica Rhodes

[gcdmd]

My solution to the bay leaf (and rosemary) problem was to plant a bush near the house - low maintenance and plenty of leaves.

[gcdmd]

https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-baharat-spice-2355809

4 parts black pepper
4 parts cumin seeds
3 parts cloves
3 parts cinnamon
3 parts coriander seed
1 part cardamom pods
3 parts nutmeg
6 parts paprika

If desired, toast the spices in a dry skillet before grinding.

Process the first 6 ingredients until fine; add the nutmeg and paprika and mix until combined.

[gcdmd]

https://www.food.com/recipe/baharat-aka-middle-east-mixed-spices-the-real-mix-79179

1/2 cup whole black peppercorn
1/4 cup whole coriander seed
1/4 cup cassia or 1/4 cup cinnamon bark
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/3 cup cumin seed
2 teaspoons whole cardamom seeds
4 whole nutmegs
1/2 cup ground paprika

Basically, just place all the spices except the paprika and nutmeg in a blender or adequate grinder and process until it becomes a powder.

If necessary, you can grind 1/2 cup at a time.

Grate the nutmeg and blend this with the paprika into the spices.

Store in an airtight jar.

Generally, in some areas, they lightly toast the spices in an oven to bring out more flavor.

You can gain this also by putting the amount you're going to use, on a hot dry frypan and toast it for a few seconds before using.

This not only makes the kitchen smell good but brings out a richer flavor of any spice.

*Note* You can also use ground spices but using them whole is the authentic way.

Four nutmegs come to about 1/4 cup ground.

Be careful how much nutmeg you use; it's toxic in large doses.

[gcdmd]

If you're in a hurry and don't need a large amount:

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

[IBMERCY]

Hmmmm... while I can understand (and do) having a Rosemary bush in my yard... Bay leaves come from a Bay (or often called Pepperwood) Tree.... not something we'd normally plant in our yards, back or front.... but... Rosemary...Yes!