Finally! Spring is here! Once more, ’tis the season of colorful veggies. And fresh-cooked whole grains to complement those lovely vegetables. Millet, amaranth, quinoa, even steel-cut oats are great candidates for savory suppers. Or how about a member of the rice family? Brown, black, red, and purple are all as delicious as they are visually [...]
Call it a snack or a condiment; enjoy it by the spoonful or use it as a topping on everything from chicken to soup. This herb-spiced, lemony olive-and-walnut sauté is simple to make, yet is remarkably savory. I like to use Aleppo pepper when I make this, but you can swap out Aleppo for cayenne [...]
I just love northern African cuisine — it’s fragrant and nuanced, yet easy to prepare and dependent on inexpensive staples like rice, lentils, and legumes. You may need to purchase a few spices to make your dishes more authentic, but spices last for six months to a year if you store them in a cool [...]
Bulgur–or cracked wheat–is commonly used in Mediterranean salads and side dishes. It’s also a great addition to soups and stews (use it as you would barley) and as a cold cereal (much like oats). This versatile, nutty grain needs to be soaked for about an hour before using; although the package directions say 30 minutes, [...]
Middle Eastern cuisine is famous for its rich flavors and liberal use of garlic, lemon and spices…cumin and coriander, anyone? The fact that almost every town boasts a Middle Eastern restaurant also testifies to the cuisine’s universal appeal. (When I was living in Germany, my favorite dish was the Turkish Döner Kebap. My second-favorite was [...]
Technically, pine “nuts” aren’t nuts at all–they’re seeds from pine trees. You might also see them called piñones (in Latin markets) or pignolis (in grocery stores specializing in Italian cuisine). Pinenuts are an essential ingredient in an Italian dish that Americans know and love: pesto. Whether it’s tossed with pasta or rubbed into chicken, the [...]
Greek yogurt–thick and rich and consisting simply of milk, cream and cultures–is a staple in my refrigerator. Not only is it a fantastic stand-in for sour cream, if you want fruity yogurt, you’re far better off blending your own by adding fresh fruit to Greek yogurt than buying any of the commercially-prepared fruity yogurts. The [...]
Continue reading about Greek Yogurt: Light, Luscious & Indispensable
Call it the next incarnation, call it fusion cuisine, or call it for what it is–a vague version of falafel that became glorified hummus. Being a big chickpea fan, I was pleasantly surprised by the result. This would be a great high-flavor, low-fat dip to bring to a party! 1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, drained [...]
Once you have tahini (sesame paste) this Middle-Eastern classic is easy to make. (Tahini can be found in a Middle-Eastern specialty market or the Middle-Eastern section of a well-stocked grocery store.) I’ve found that sautéing the garlic gives the dip a slightly nutty, not-so-overpowering flavor. 1 can (2 cups) chickpeas, drained 1/2 cup sesame or [...]
Garlic may well be the most potent herb on the planet. Egyptian medical writings dating back to 1550 B.C.E. speak of its curative powers, Pliny listed it as being a remedy for over 60 ailments, and Romans ate it before going into battle to give them strength. Garlic, it was believed, was the chosen herb [...]
