Marrakesh Market Blend

No need to overthink a quick meal - I just butterflied a chicken breast, put it on a large piece of waxed paper, sprinkled it with this amazing spice blend, folded the paper over and gently pounded it to an even thickness, then sprinkled the spice on the other side before sautéing in avocado oil Served with a green salad and brown rice, this was quick, ridiculously easy and delicious. Not to mention the fabulous aroma in my kitchen. I will try this to make a pilaf another time. This would also be good with a cream sauce. The spices are inspiring lots of ideas.

I love North African spices, but it can be tedious and prohibitive to have to measure out the typical variety of spices individually if you’re in a hurry. Enter this blend. It is remarkably well balanced with a nice bit of mild spice. It also seems very forgiving about how much you use—it’s hard to overdo it. A little gives a nice touch of flavor, a ton gives a huge kick of Morocco without getting too spicy or too salty.

I whipped up a batch of Melissa Clark’s shakshuka from the New York Times this evening, substituting this blend instead of her recommended spices. I added 2 TB to the tomato mix, and it was SO good and so fast. Not only is it a shortcut, the blend of spices is perfect and includes spices often left out of simplified recipes (like cardamom), which improves the flavor profile. In short: This stuff gives you better results for far less effort.

I dust this blend on roasted sweet potatoes or sweet potato "tots" for a quick and delicious appetizer. There are never leftovers and everyone wants to know how I make them. It also makes a fabulous stew pot flavor base.

I use this blend quite often in the winter as the combination of spices takes me away to someplace where the sun is shining! I'm a personal chef and cook for other people and often have people who avoid spicy foods, but Marrakesh Market Blend is a perfect solution to bump up flavors. I've used it on everything from plant based bean stews, to chicken, fish and even hearty things like lamb and beef. Love it!

I love this blend. It reminds me of walking through an Indian market, its warm and inviting. I have used this blend on chicken, shrimp and veggies as well as in a dip with plain yogurt. All delish!