Za'atar Seasoning

5 tablespoons olive oil
7 tablespoons za'atar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Mix all the ingredients together and store.

Lebanese 7 Spices

5 tablespoons ground allspice
3 1/2 tablespoons pepper
3 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons ground cloves
4 tablespoons ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons ground fenugreek
4 tablespoons ground ginger

Spaghetti and meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

• Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.
• Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.
• For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

Popcorn Grits

Created by Daniel Patterson from Coi

Ingredients

Popcorn Kernels
Butter
Water
Salt

Directions

• In a large pot, heat a generous amount of vegetable oil to smoking. Add a thin but complete layer of kernels, cover, and shake the pot a few times until you hear the corn starting to pop. Lower the heat to medium-high, shaking often so there are no hotspots. When the popping slows to a trickle, remove the pot from the heat and let it stand one minute. Uncover and pour the popcorn into a bowl, watching for any burnt pieces on the bottom, which should be discarded.
• Bring a few cups of water, a few spoonfuls of butter and some salt to a simmer. Throw in a big handful of popcorn, simmer 30 seconds to a minute, until the corn is softened, and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer the liquid back to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Add more popcorn. Repeat until all the corn is gone. Add water as necessary, although there shouldn’t be too much extra.
• Press the cooked corn through a medium strainer basket, discarding the hulls and seeds that cannot be pushed through. Transfer the passed corn, which will look like stiff grits, into a pot. Add the reserved cooking liquid, which should be slightly thickened from the corn starch, and taste like popcorn. Add butter and more water as necessary to make a grits-like texture – we find that slightly on the thicker side is better. Serve with a bowl of buttered popcorn on the side.