Compliments Naturally Simple Cooked Pacific White Shrimps with Cocktail Sauce 312 g + bunch flat-leaf parsley + bunch cilantro + jalapeño or serrano peppers + garlic + ground cardamom + ground cumin + crushed red pepper flakes + sea salt + Panache Extra Virgin Olive Oil + lemon juice

In Yemen and other Arabian Peninsula countries, zhug is a condiment used for spicing up seafood and other dishes. This holiday, blend up a batch; it will give your shrimp ring a burst of spicy freshness.

To make: Thaw shrimp ring according to package directions; refrigerate until ready to dress and serve. Remove thick stems from parsley and cilantro; roughly chop and set aside. Coarsely chop 2 to 4 jalapeño (milder) or serrano (hotter) peppers to taste.

In food processor, process parsley, cilantro, hot peppers and 3 peeled garlic cloves until finely chopped. Add ¼ tsp (1 mL) cardamom, ¼ tsp (1 mL) cumin, ¼ tsp (1 mL) red pepper flakes and ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) sea salt; process until well blended. With motor running, slowly add ⅓ cup (75 mL) Panache Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice. Scrape down sides with spatula; process until mostly smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. (Makes ¾ cup / 185 mL).

Tips that make a difference:

Zhug's flavour transforms with time. Make the sauce the day before serving to allow the flavours to mingle.
Remove the seeds from hot peppers to tone down the heat level.
Olive oil sometimes solidifies when chilled. If this happens, bring the sauce to room temperature, then stir until well combined before serving.
Use leftover zhug with beans, chickpeas, eggs, falafel, flatbread, hummus, roasted vegetables, or grilled proteins or mix into tangy yogurt for a dip.