Za'atar Eggs

This is so simple, but so good. Fried eggs, basted in butter, za'atar and sumac, with some cilantro. I've been eating them as is, or with potatoes, or slices of olive bread to sop up the extra spiced butter. And sometimes yogurt too if I have it, which is especially good with the potato iteration. Yum. 

This recipe comes courtesy of Kahlil Omar, who I came across...somehow? and watched his middle eastern style za'atar egg youtube video. I make my own za'atar, but you can also purchase it. The za'atar recipe I make follows, which is by Sylvia of Feasting At Home. The roasted spices smell so good, and it is delicious on just about anything. Sylvia says: "There are many variations of Zaatar. This was my dad’s recipe- he was Egyptian. Other regions have different versions. There is not one “right” way. It varies from area to area, and even household to household." It is delicious on these eggs, but also on labneh, hummus, or as a rub on meat or fish. 

*If you would rather purchase yours, Sylvia recommends this one: Villa Jerada Zaatar Spice Blend from Seattle.

Za'atar Spice Mix

• 1 tablespoon dried thyme- crushed (or sub oregano)
• 1 tablespoon  cumin (see instructions about whole or ground)
• 1 tablespoon  coriander
• 1 tablespoon toasted  sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sumac
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon or more aleppo chili flakes- optional

1. For the most flavor, toast whole seeds (cumin seeds and coriander seeds) until fragrant, then grind. This will make the most flavorful zaatar. If you don’t have whole seeds, feel free to use ground spices.
2. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

I toasted the cumin/coriander together, then the sesame seeds.

Za'atar Eggs! 

There is no set amount - season heavily. Sumac is a tart, tangy spice available in middle eastern grocery stores. I have tried to harvest it myself, with minimal success on the spice front, but good success on the sumac lemonade/tea front. It is from the sumac berry clusters that you see in the late summer that are so brilliant and red!

• 1-2 T Butter
  
• Eggs
• Za'ater spice mix
• sumac 
• salt
  
• Fresh cilantro
  

1. Melt a pat of butter in your skillet/cast iron pan. 
2. When it is hot, crack two eggs. As they begin to set, sprinkle with a good amount of za'atar, salt and sumac. 
3. Add 1 T butter to the side of the skillet. Tilt the pan slightly as it melts, and spoon it over the egg yolks to baste them. Cook/baste them to your liking. 
4. Sprinkle cilantro over the top, and eat as is, or with some bread-like substance, sopping up the spiced butter. (Kahlil actually ate his eggs just out of the pan with pita bread, which looked delectable!)
   

*I ate these eggs with sliced fried potatoes and yogurt and it was really good. I have also eaten them with my Caraway Olive Bread, which is decidedly a weird combo. But I really love that bread! Making it with sundried tomatoes, sans caraway, might better match these eggs. Injera or some other flat bread would also be delicious.

Basturma (Armenian Charcuterie)

I've cured salmon for gravlax before, but so far had not tried any other meat curing endeavors. Til this basturma! It turned out great - especially when I am able to slice the meat super thinly (think proscuitto). When I don't, it is a little chewy, but still really lovely in flavor and texture. I like the spice mix decently, and I feel curious to play around a little. My research shows that basturma is popular in the middle east and the mediterranean, as well as Armenia/Turkey/Russia. And that it is good on its own, or to fry a few slices with eggs for breakfast (really good). Yum.

I have had my eye on this Armenian cured meat recipe all winter, and so finally on my recent quarterly farm delivery I ordered a 4 pound eye of round roast. The Saveur recipe and step by step instructions were very useful, to which I add just one main modification: to not take the meat down from its hanging place to slather on the seasoning mix, and instead apply it while hanging - WAY easier! The Saveur link goes into detail about spices and meat cuts (best to get fresh spices if you can, use a lean cut). *I did order fancy blue fenugreek from Georgia, which was not cheap, at about $10 for just under 2 oz, which was right about half a cup.

This was really fun to make - fairly easy, but I had to put reminders on my calendar. And it was an interesting experience to determine when I thought the meat was "ripe-avocado-feeling." There is a bit of range for that particular texture, even though I find it a pretty good descriptor. I called that stage done at 12 days, and my basement probably ranged from 45-60 degree (that is my guess anyway, I don't have a thermometer down there).

My favorite part was the spreading of the spice mixture, again, way better to do while hanging. I did not do that initially, and then you have to stand the meat on end, and lay it down, and each time you do, it gets marred and some spice mix clumps off. Whereas when it is hanging you can smooth it out with no interference. The spice consistency (Benjamin Kemper of Saveur called it "thick pancake batter") holds its shape pretty well and is really satisfying - kind of like thick buttercream that you spread with your fingers. It will make your basement smell like fenugreek and paprika. 

Basturma Recipe

Yield: makes 3 lbs 8 oz

Time: 11-18 days, depending on the temperature

For the meat:

• 4 lb. eye of round beef roast
• 1 lb. kosher salt

For the seasoning:

• ¹⁄₂ cup ground fenugreek (preferably blue fenugreek)
• ¹⁄₂ cup sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp. ground allspice
• 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 8 large garlic cloves

Instructions

Part 1: Cure the Meat (3 Days)

1. Cut the eye of round roast in half crosswise (against the grain) so that it is easier to handle. Each piece should be about 2 inches thick. Using a skewer, poke the pieces all over so that the salt can penetrate the meat. Spread a thick layer of salt in a 9- by 13-inch roasting pan and place the meat on top. Coat all sides of both pieces with more salt so that the meat is barely visible. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days. (After 2 days, the salt will have drawn out a lot of liquid from the meat.) 
2. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Drain the meat and rinse off the salt. Submerge the meat in the cold water for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. (This will draw out any excess salt.)
3. Remove the meat from the water and thoroughly dry each piece with paper towels, pressing down to remove as much moisture as possible. Wrap the meat completely in dry paper towels and place on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Place a second large baking sheet on top of the meat, then weigh down the top pan with a few 28-oz. cans of tomatoes or something similar in weight. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight

Part 2: Hang the Meat (5-10 Days)

1. Find a place to hang the meat as it cures, preferably in a clean room that never exceeds 70°F, with some airflow. Next, uncover the meat and remove and discard the paper towels. The beef should be flat and slightly firm to the touch. With a skewer, pierce each piece about 1 inch from one end. Tie a piece of butcher’s twine in a knot on one end of the skewer and, leaving the other end of the twine long enough to hang the meat from the desired spot, thread it through the hole in the first piece of beef. Repeat with a second length of twine and the other piece of beef. Hang the meat up by the string and allow it to air-dry for 5–10 days, or until the pieces of beef feel as firm as a nearly-ripe avocado. (Alternatively, hang the meat in the refrigerator for 8 to 14 days. You may place a rimmed baking sheet underneath, though the meat should be dry from the cure and no longer dripping.)

Part 3: Add the Chemen Seasoning Mix (3-5 Days)

1. 
   Take the meat down, leaving the string in place, and transfer it to a large, clean baking sheet. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the fenugreek, paprika, allspice, black pepper, cayenne, cumin, and salt. In a small food processor, puree the garlic with ½ cup cold water. Add the garlic puree to the bowl of spices and mix thoroughly. Pour in an additional ½ cup cold water, or more as needed, until the mixture resembles thick pancake batter. Smear the spice mixture all over the meat in a thin (about ⅛ of an inch), even layer. Rehang the meat for 2–3 more days (3–5 days in the fridge), or until the spice mixture is firm and dry to the touch. At this point, the basturma is ready to eat. To serve, slice as thinly as possible against the grain with a sharp knife. Store the basturma wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.