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Staghorn Sumac Za'atar
Staghorn Sumac Za'atar is a traditional American recipe for a classic method of extracting seeds from staghorn sumac inflorescences and using these to produce the Za'atar spice blend in standard and wild food forms. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic American version of: Staghorn Sumac Za'atar.
prep time
40 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
60 minutes
Additional Time:
(+1 week drtying)
Makes:
1 small jar
Rating: 
Tags : Wild FoodSpice RecipesHerb RecipesUSA Recipes
Though originating from the Americas, Staghorn sumac (
Rhus typhina) makes an easy urban-foraged substitute for the Middle Eastern spice, sumac, as demonstrated in this version of Za'ater spice.
For this recipe you need seeds extracted from the flower heads that are then dried. To extract and dry the seeds follow the method below:
Gather your staghorn sumac flower heads between August and September when the seeds become ripe. When you get home, you need to break up the seed heads. Start by carefully pulling back the individual bundles or ‘branches’ of seeds from the outside of the clusters. Note that it's the red fluff you are after! Pop these tiny branches off, removing them from the thick canter core, discarding any debris. You can then work to break up the small clusters into individual seeds, removing as much stem as possible.
Once you've isolated the seeds spread them out to dry on screens. Many people use dehydrators on ‘fan’ setting with no heat or even heat lamps to dry their sumac. Any area with good circulation will do. After about a week, the seeds are usually dry enough to grind. The red fibres are what you want. Just grind them in a blender or spice mill, then sift them through a fine-meshed sieve to to separate the red fruit fibres from the seeds and any small bits of stem that may be left.
Dried and ground, the sumac will keep for up to a year. You can combine with other spices to use on pork or chicken (or in any dish where a tart note is good). Or use to make the following za'atar blend:
Ingredients:
2 tbsp dried ground
Staghorn Sumac
2 tbsp Dried Thyme
1 tbsp Ground Sesame Seeds
1 tbsp Whole Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Sea Salt
If you're more adventurous and looking for a wholly wild foraged version of Za'atar then why not give this recipe a try:
Method:
Simply mix the ingredients together and store in an air-tight jar. It will keep well for up to a month.
