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Sumac Roasted Carrots and Zucchini

Friday, January 22, 2016 4:52

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(Before It's News)

Roasting vegetables is my absolute favorite way to bring out unexpected and satisfying flavors in a seemingly ordinary food. Usually, I just toss my vegetables in a bit of good quality olive oil and add a pinch of sea salt, toss, roast and serve. However, when my taste buds are feeling a little supercilious I often reach into my spice cabinet for something to kick them up a notch.

This month at Recipe Redux we are talking about cooking with new ingredients. Something that maybe you’ve tried before at a restaurant and loved or heard about on Internet gossip and found intriguing. A strange fruit, chickpea flour, or even something such as Swiss chard or eggplant that hasn’t made it into your kitchen for lack of how to prepare it.

I knew exactly what ingredient I was going to tackle, the spice sumac.

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My favorite salad at my favorite lunch destination, Pita Jungle is a Chicken Curry Salad with caramelized onion, grapes, roasted walnuts and topped off with a shaking of sumac around the edges.

I love it. A lot. Maybe a little too much.

But it’s soooooo goooood!!! I remember when I first tasted sumac, on that salad my little eyebrows rose in curiosity and my mouth froze mid chew. What was this tangy, delicious spice that I couldn’t quite place?

The sumac bush, native to the Middle East, produces deep red berries, which are dried and ground into coarse powder. While it’s less common, the berries may also be sold whole. Ground sumac is a versatile spice with a tangy lemony flavor, although more balanced and less tart than lemon juice. A small sprinkle also adds a beautiful pop of color to any dish.

Sumac is one of the main components in the spice mix za’atar, and is used as a topping on Fattoush Salad like this one from Girl on the Range.

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photo from Girl on the Range

Sumac is a widely used, essential spice in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It’s used in everything from dry rubs, marinades, and dressing. But its best use is sprinkled over food before serving. It’s great over vegetables, grilled lamb, chicken and fish. Ground sumac also makes a nice, flavorful topping on dips like hummus, Yum!

Have you ever tried sumac? What’s your favorite way to use it?

Sold in Mediterranean and specialty stores but you can get it here at Simply Healthy Family’s store!

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Sumac Roasted Carrots and Zucchini

You Will Need

1 pound whole, Organic carrots, tops trimmed and saved for pesto etc
3-4 zucchini, tops trimmed and added to your freezer stock bag
1/2 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon good quality extra virgin olive oil like Pompeian

A stone baking pan

Trim and cut vegetables. In a large bowl toss with olive oil to coat. Spread on baking dish and sprinkle with sumac. Roast in a preheated oven at 400-425F for 15 minutes.

That’s it!! Enjoy with baked fish or chicken or on a salad.

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