Roasted peppers are one of the most versatile ingredients to have on hand and also one of the easiest to make yourself. (You can buy jarred roasted peppers, but it’s much more cost- effective to pop some raw peppers into the oven.) And since most bell peppers are pretty big, one roasted pepper can go [...]
It’s nearly New Year’s Eve, and chances are you’re looking for a tasty and quick appetizer to serve your guests. One of my recent favorites involves just three ingredients: chickpeas, berbere or chili powder, and extra-virgin olive oil. That plus 15 minutes of occasionally shaking a pan will get you deliciously unique bite-sized appetizers to [...]
Roasted garlic is the perfect example of how one inexpensive ingredient can become an unbelievably flavorful gourmet-level ingredient. All you need is 45 minutes of hands-off time and a little bit of knowledge. And a sheet of aluminum foil. After you’ve roasted your garlic, you can use it immediately or keep it in the refrigerator [...]
Continue reading about Roasted Garlic: A Gift from the Culinary Gods
I used to think the term “curry” meant a specific blend of spices used in a particular way. That turned out to be semi-true. “Curry,” an Indian chef told me a few years back, “simply means ‘sauce.’ A curry can be what you make it.” The way we think of “curry,” then, is kind of [...]
One thing I always have in my pantry: chickpeas. One thing I always have in my refrigerator: tahini. Why? Because hummus is my go-to staple, no matter if I need a last-minute appetizer, a dish to take to a party, or a quick dinner. You just can’t go wrong with hummus. (I omitted garlic and [...]
Before King Corn and Queen Wheat took over the American agricultural throne, sorghum used to be a pretty big deal: we used to enjoy sorghum flour, whole sorghum grains, liquor distilled from sorghum, even sorghum syrup. Sorghum is still a big deal in African countries, where it’s a valuable food crop as well as the [...]
Continue reading about A Tried-and-True Grain Makes a Comeback
Lately, paneer has started popping up in mainstream markets. This is fantastic news for anyone who likes Indian food, cheeses of all kinds, or likes to try out new ingredients. You can substitute a firm fresh cheese like queso fresco for paneer — or even tofu, if you’re so inclined — but paneer is tops [...]
What to do with all those perfectly ripe and sweet summer tomatoes? Not to mention peppers and onions and beets … as Shakespeare might say, ’tis a delightful dilemma. Last week, I chose to resolve that dilemma — my garden is kicking into High Tomato Season — by putting all of my random leftovers together [...]
