Ras el hanout - A Moroccan spice rub

Didn't see that coming, did you?

Going from Country pork chops, Argentinian steaks and Mexican salsa to Northern Africa for more inspiration.

Morocco. The next stop on our culinary journey of international cuisine.

The land of couscous, spices, exotic herbs and mythical stories of flying carpets. The land of Rick Blaine of Rick's Café Américain, Lawrence of Arabia and the historical cities of Marrakesh and Casablanca.

Fact is that Morocco has a fantastic cuisine and some amazing recipes that can be adapted for every day use, BBQs and dinners all year 'round. Not to mention that they are chock-full of nutrients and very good for your health.

Morocco's cuisine is as diverse as in about any other country. Its spices are legendary and very well known, as a matter of fact, and used in almost every dish in some form or another. Cinnamon, Cumin, Ginger, Paprika and Coriander are only a few. From the Berbers to the Romans to the Turks, everything's present in the Moroccan cuisine and culture. Not to mention the French and British influence.

But today, I would like to introduce you to a simple spice rub, Ras el hanout, that will blow your mind. It's great for all things meat, especially lamb, beef, and even camel. Yes, camel...not the smokes, the meat.

Anyway, chicken, pork and fish can also be used with this combination of spices. It's quick, not much work and you might have already most spices in your well-stocked pantry. In other words, you could assemble that rub in a New York minute. In case you're wondering,...a New York minute is the interval between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn, according to Johnny Carson.

But back to the task at hand. What spices are needed for this rub? Quite a few and I'm sure if you look in the vast, deep spaces of your pantry, most likely you'll already have them on hand. Here they are:

2 Tbsp of ground cumin
2 tsp of garlic powder
3 tsp of paprika powder
2 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of ground nutmeg
1 tsp of hot curry powder
1/2 tsp of ground cloves
1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp of freshly ground pepper

We'll also need...

1 Tbsp of ground cinnamon (not in pic above)
1 tsp of turmeric (not in pic above)
1 tsp of brown sugar (not in pic above)

Mix all of the spices together in a bowl and use on your favorite meat, fish or poultry. You could, technically, even add some if this to ground lamb, ground beef or ground turkey for burgers, shish kebabs made from ground meat, add small amounts to sauces and even to soups to give all of those a flair of the Orient.

For more ideas on using Ras el hanout, check here.

Bil-hana wa ash-shifa!

"May you have your meal with gladness and health!"