Red Sheep Seasoning for…lamb. (And other things!)
There are so many options for Middle Eastern Spices.
We might be introducing you to new ingredients, so here’s a brief introduction of three Middle Eastern spices. Sumac is a tangy, citrusy seasoning from the dark red berries of a tree. The berries are dried and powdered and have many uses in Middle Eastern cooking. (Just never eat white sumac, it’s poisonous.) Aleppo peppers, named after the city in northern Syria, are only slightly hot and have a sweet, earthy undertone. Finally, safflower is a bright red flower that gives a mild, sweet flowery note. It is very similar to saffron so it is also called ‘false saffron’.
(If you click on the names, it will take you to either Amazon or Penzeys where you can order these spices. However, if you are local to Minneapolis. you can find them at Holy Land Deli/Grocery and if you have a Middle Eastern grocery in your area, go support them instead of ordering. Thanks!)
Red Sheep Seasoning?
Red Sheep Seasoning is a pretty red color and it was designed to flavor lamb or mutton, so we couldn’t resist giving it a weird name. One of our Easter guests this year has to avoid citrus, but my favorite lamb marinade has lemon. I needed a solution.
Fortunately, I’m familiar with tangy flavors and so I grabbed the sumac off the spice shelf. There was still had a lot of mint from last year’s harvest and it seemed like the right choice. I grabbed a few more things off the spice rack and decided how much of each to use, and it smelled glorious. I knew it would be a winner so I quick wrote it all down. Now you know how a seasoning blend is born.
Adding seasoning to a marinade.
To use this as a marinade, simply add an oil, an acid, and some more liquid to cover. Check out our Tangy Red Lamb Kebabs for a delicious way to start using this blend. Of course, you shouldn’t limit it to lamb or even just marinades. Make sure to follow us as we bring you new ways to use this and other blends we design.
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Red Sheep Seasoning
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: seasoning
- Method: cold prep
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Description
This is a tangy, full flavor seasoning without being too hot – a delightful addition to your Middle Eastern spice cabinet.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons dried mint flakes
2 tablespoons ground sumac
2 tablespoons ground Aleppo peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons safflower petals
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
In a mortar and pestle, crush the safflower petals with the mint until both are a coarse powder. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, a small food processor should do it. Just pulse it; don’t over-do it.
Combine the safflower and mint with the remaining ingredients, stir well, and store in an airtight container.
Keywords: seasoning, spice, herbs, lamb, marinade, kebab,
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