To prepare the baharat spice mix, in a small bowl, stir together the paprika, salt, allspice, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and nutmeg.

To prepare the brisket, rub the brisket with the baharat spice mix (recipe above), coating all sides. Let the meat stand at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Place the brisket in a Dutch oven or other ovenproof baking dish. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaf, then pour the stock around the brisket. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours. Turn the meat over and cook for 3 hours more. 

Remove the lid and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Continue cooking the brisket for 30 minutes more. The meat will caramelize and the sauce will thicken. Transfer the brisket to a carving board, let rest for 15 to 20 minutes and thinly slice across the grain.

To serve, transfer the rice pilaf (recipe below) to individual plates and top with the brisket. Drizzle with the tahini sauce (recipe below).

About 30 minutes before the brisket is done, prepare the rice pilaf.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and warm the olive oil. Add the vermicelli and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.

Immediately add the boiling water, rice and salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the water is absorbed and the rice and pasta are tender, about 12 minutes.

To prepare the tahini sauce, in a bowl, stir together the garlic and lemon juice. Let stand for 10 minutes to give the garlic time to infuse the lemon juice with flavor.

Pour the garlic mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another bowl, pressing on the garlic with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the garlic.

Add the tahini, salt and cumin to the bowl with the lemon juice. Add the ice water 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking after each addition, until the tahini sauce is smooth and light in color.