RUB IT IN: MAKE THE MOST OF SUMMER FLAVORS WITH MEAT RUBS

BBQ Season is upon us!  We're really looking forward to breaking out these meat rubs this weekend.

We LOVE Pereg products!

Exotic Spice Blends Give An Irresistible Middle Eastern Accent To Chops, Ribs, Chicken, Fish, Even Veggies

Koobah
Shawarma
Kabab
Ras el Hanout

Clifton, NJ, MAY 21,  2019 – What is it about Middle Eastern cuisine that’s so flavorfully satisfying? From Turkish kabobs and Iraqui kibbeh to Israeli shawarma and Moroccan tagines, something magical happens when fresh ingredients and hearty seasonings meet over an open flame.

Enter the meat rub, the essential secret of every Middle Eastern pantry.

Closer to home, it’s well-known that a good rub is a grill chef’s best friend. Rubs seal in flavor, form a tasty crust, add color, and have a long shelf life. They’re also easy to use. No need for marinades because rubs do all the work. Best of all, they impart an addictive flavor to everything they touch.

But the term “meat rub” is a bit of a misnomer, say the spice experts at Pereg Natural Foods. Classic blends like ras el hanout and koobah partner as beautifully with fish and vegetables as they do with steaks and briskets.

In the Middle East, families hand down their secret spice blends from generation to generation. That’s why there are as many variations of rubs as there are households!

But you don’t have to be an heir to access the traditional ingredients and proportions behind these exotic mixtures. Pereg scours the world for fresh, natural, 100% pure spices, bringing more than 100 years of expertise and quality to the table.

Get to know some of these Middle Eastern-style secrets when the grill heats up.

 Koobah

Pereg’s Koobah starts with baharat, a ubiquitous Israeli and Mediterranean staple, and then adds warm layers of cinnamon, allspice, rose, nutmeg, and cardamom for a complex finish. It makes an excellent dry rub for grilled or roast lamb, salmon, and chicken. It’s also delicious when sprinkled into burgers, mixed with hummus, or tossed onto vegetables (particularly corn on the cob and eggplant) before roasting.

Kabab

It wouldn’t be shish kabab without kabab seasoning. Douse cubes of chicken, beef, or lamb liberally with Pereg’s hearty mash-up (paprika, black pepper, coriander, garlic, and cumin) and thread on skewers with vegetables of your choice. Grill over medium heat until fully cooked. Serve on warm pita bread – also prepared on the grill – with tahini and a side of cucumber salad for an authentic version of Israeli street food.

Shawarma

Another food truck favorite, shawarma is easy to make with Pereg’s perfect mixture of cumin, coriander, allspice, garlic, paprika, turmeric, and salt. Simply rub Shawarma spice blend onto thin slices of chicken, beef, lamb, or turkey. Toss meat into a zipper top bag with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and red onion. Marinate overnight and grill. Serve on warm pita and plenty of garnishes: tahini, pickles, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cilantro...

Ras el Hanout

Traditional recipes for this Moroccan seasoning call for up to100 ingredients!  You could make your own, or turn to Pereg’s intriguing blend of cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and more. Ras el hanout brings aromatic warmth, a hint of sweetness, and complexity to anything from burgers to brisket. A key component of soups, stews, and tagines, it can also be used a table-top condiment. Sprinkle it on vegetable dishes or even over popcorn for a punch of flavor.

ABOUT PEREG - Pereg was established in 1906, and is based in Clifton, NJ. They first became known for their vast variety of pure and natural spices and spice blends, more than 60 in all, from traditional favorites to exotics from around the culinary world.

Today Pereg produces an array of all-natural products that includes ancient grains and ancient grain blends, gluten free pasta, couscous, rice, gluten-free cereal and much more. Pereg Natural Foods products are available at select retailers throughout the US and Canada, and on their website, www.pereg-gourmet.com.

Pereg manufactures all its products from start to finish, controlling the quality from the sourcing until the product is packed and ready for the consumer. All Pereg products are kosher certified by both the Orthodox Union (OU) and CRC, are dairy and lactose-free as well as all natural, with no additives or preservatives. Many products are also certified gluten-free and non-GMO. Follow Pereg Natural Foods on Facebook.com/pereggourmet, Twitter @pereggourmet and Instagram @peregnatural.

THE NEXT CULINARY BUZZWORD: HAWAIJ

HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TWO-FACED YEMENI KITCHEN STAPLE

Clifton, NJ, JAN 30, 2019 – Foodie pop quiz: What spice has one unusual name, is spelled at least five different ways, can be either savory or sweet but never both, and could hold healthful powers? The answer is HAWAIJ.

Hawaij – pronounced ha-WHY-idge – is an ancient spice mixture found in every Yemenite’s household, and you’ll probably be hearing more about it before too long. That’s because people are discovering delicious ways to incorporate this exotic blend into everything from coffee and desserts to stews and condiments.

There are actually two distinct varieties of hawaij, each with its own flavor profile. One is traditionally used in coffees and the other is usually used to season soups. Yemeni immigrants brought these blends to Israel, and today hawaij (alternately spelled hawaj, hawaij, hawayji, or hawayej) is a staple of Israeli cuisine.

 Pereg Natural Foods (pereg-gourmet.com), a leading producer of premium, all-natural spices and spice blends, invites home cooks to explore hawaij and imagine how it can transform everyday menu items into something new and extraordinary.

Pereg Hawaij Blend for Soup is an aromatic mixture of cumin, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, and cloves.

*Use it instead of bouillon cubes or consommé powder to season meat-based or vegetable soups.
*Try it as a rub for lamb, grilled chicken or fish.
*Add a healthy pinch to slow-cooker stews.
*Toss it with some olive oil on vegetables to roast – it’s great with potatoes, broccoli, kale, carrots, or beets.
*Mix it with a fruity olive oil for a quick salad dressing or as a delicate dipping sauce for crusty bread.
*Spice up chicken with a coat of Hawaij and Pereg Fine Panko Japanese-style bread.

Pereg Hawaij Blend for Coffee is a homey mixture of ginger, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.

*Add a warm and earthy layer of depth to any coffee, tea, or even hot cocoa.
*Boost up your batter – replace traditional spices with hawaij in your favorite pancakes, waffles, muffins, breads, cakes, and other baked desserts.
*Turn an ordinary smoothie into an intriguing treat.
*Sprinkle on baked apples or poached pears.
*Infuse into rice pudding.

Healthy Hawaij – Hawaij’s components pack a powerhouse of healthful properties. WebMD and a multitude of other experts cite cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, and turmeric as outstanding sources of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial nutrients. 

So when you boost the flavor of your favorite dish with hawaij, you might also be fighting inflammation, aiding digestion, lowering blood sugar, fending off free radicals, and perhaps even preventing cancer and Alzheimer’s!

YUMMY STUFF!

A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING (BUT THE BAGEL) SPICE MIX WILL BRING BIG FLAVOR TO EVERYTHING!

The folks at PEREG were nice enough to send me a jar of this. Dom and I are HOOKED.  We tried this on our scrambled eggs this morning.

This is going to be our new "Go-To" spice!

It's been rather chilly this week, so I made a big pot of homemade chicken noodle soup...  guess what's going to zip it up?  YEP! 

Introducing Everything But The Bagel Spice Mix from Pereg Natural Foods

Clifton, NJ, DEC 6, 2018 – Pereg, the leading purveyor of all-natural exotic spices, wants to shake up the salt and pepper standard. In fact, they think their newest spice mix may forever change the American table — and palate.



“Think about what’s on every kitchen table. Salt? Check. Pepper? Check. But that’s getting boring — and that’s not everything,” says Pereg CEO Gil Schneider.

Coming to the rescue is Pereg’s new Everything But The Bagel Spice Mix. Put it next to the salt and pepper and you’ve got, well, everything you need to add big, delicious flavor to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Everything But The Bagel Spice Mix gives you that irresistible everything bagel taste, without all the carbs. A special mix of natural flavors including onion, garlic, poppy, salt, and three kinds of sesame seeds, you can jazz up practically everything with it. Stir it into plain cream cheese for a flavor burst. Sprinkle it on grilled meats, avocado toast, rice, scrambled eggs, salads, chicken, pancakes, and more.

Like most great recipes, the Everything Bagel was invented from using leftovers. As legend has it, back around 1980, a teenager working at a bagel place in New York had the end-of-shift task of sweeping out the oven of all the toppings that fell off the different bagels. One day, after tasting the collection of leftover spices, he suggested to his boss that they not throw out the mixture as they usually did, but instead use it to create a new bagel flavor. Bagel history was made when the newfangled “everything” bagel sold out the next day.

“I really can’t think of anything that Pereg’s Everything But The Bagel Spice Mix doesn’t go with,” says Joy, Pereg’s spice guru. “It can add a zesty punch of flavor to anything at any time.”

“Here at the Pereg headquarters, we’ve been getting quite a taste kick out of sprinkling on everything -- turkey sandwiches, ramen noodles, soups, you name it,” adds Joy.

Look for Pereg Everything But The Bagel Spice Mix in the supermarket spice aisle September, 2018. It’s fresh, 100% natural, gluten-free, vegan, and OU and CRC kosher-certified, with no MSG, additives or preservatives. A 5.3 oz jar will retail for $5.50.

ABOUT PEREG NATURAL FOODS

Pereg was established in 1906 and is based in Clifton, NJ. They first became known for their vast variety of pure and natural spices and spice blends, more than 60 in all, from traditional favorites to exotics from around the culinary world.

Today Pereg produces an array of all-natural products that includes ancient grains and ancient grain blends, gluten free pasta, couscous, rice, gluten-free cereal and much more. Pereg Natural Foods products are available at select retailers throughout the US and Canada, and on their website, www.pereg-gourmet.com.

Pereg manufactures all its products from start to finish, controlling the quality from the sourcing until the product is packed and ready for the consumer. All Pereg products are kosher certified by both the Orthodox Union (OU) and CRC, are dairy and lactose-free as well as all natural, with no additives or preservatives. Many products are also certified gluten-free and non-GMO. Follow Pereg Natural Foods on Facebook.com/peregnatural, Twitter @pereggourmet and Instagram @peregnatural.