Middle Eastern food has become very popular in the past couple of years, and that can largely be attributed to the success of restaurants and cookbooks featuring this vibrant cuisine. From colorful salads to creamy spreads to rosewater-accented sweets, it's no wonder that this delicious cuisine is getting the spotlight.
An intriguing spice blend, za'atar (pronounced ZAH-tahr), can be used in many Middle Eastern recipes in unusual and tasty ways _ sprinkled on flatbreads, eggs and cheese; in vinaigrettes; rubbed on chicken, lamb, and seafood before roasting or grilling; added to dips and hearty soups. There are very few savory dishes that could not be improved with a dash of this useful mixture.
This centuries-old spice blend is a mixture of dried herbs, sesame seeds, sumac (a reddish sour seasoning made from ground dried sumac berries) and often salt. Sumac can be found at Whole Foods, Middle Eastern markets and online.
The combination and proportion of those herbs can vary from nation to nation and family to family. In Jordan, the za'atar is made with a lot of sumac, so it looks red. Lebanese za'atar often has dried orange zest added; Israeli za'atar frequently includes dried dill.
There is always some confusion surrounding za'atar because it is the name of the spice blend and also the name of a class of herbs found in Morocco. Pre-made za'atar is easy to purchase online or in Middle Eastern markets. But, I've found it's worth making yourself because it will have more flavor, especially if your ingredients are fresh.
The base recipe for the blend I make is: 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, 1 { teaspoons dried thyme or oregano, \ teaspoon coarse salt and 2 tablespoons sumac mixed in a bowl. Then you can tweak it to your liking. Za'atar keeps, stored in a cool, dark place in a plastic zip bag or in an airtight container, for one month. This recipe makes \ cup, but I double it to have some on hand for snacks. Just dunk some bread (such as pita) in extra-virgin olive oil and then in the za'atar, or sprinkle za'atar over Greek yogurt and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and you've got a terrific dip.
