You hear a lot about umami these days. “Umami” is the Japanese word for that elusive fifth flavor, the one that’s a combination of the basic four — sweet, bitter, salty, and sour — plus something else, something inherently savory that’s hard to define. Technically speaking, though, it’s easy to define: umami is a naturally [...]
Who says a salad can’t be manly? The term “salad” derives from sal, the Latin word for salt. A dish that’s salata or salada is simply one that’s been seasoned with salt — the original word has nothing to do with lettuce. And while some of the best classic salads are lettuce-based (Caesar Salad, Salade [...]
When it comes to vegetables, you can’t beat the roasted ones. The slow-cooking process (as opposed to a quick pan fry) both accentuates and moderates the flavor of everything from beets to zucchini. The prize for Most Amazing Transformation probably goes to garlic, which turns into a creamy, smooth paste that’s almost sweet. It occurred [...]
It just doesn’t get any easier and more savory than this, folks: leftover cooked lentils (even if they’re not leftover, they cook in 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of lentil), roasted pistachio meats (didn’t even have to crack ‘em), and sautéed scapes (or garlic or onion or whatever aromatic you’d like). This [...]
It’s true when it comes to food and people — opposites attract. Just the thought of some dishes makes our mouths water: sweet and sour Asian marinades, creamy and spicy curries, smooth and crunchy Mexican fried ice cream. There’s something irresistible about having yin and yang all on one plate. To get that polar effect [...]
…Sssshh!… I have a secret ingredient in my cupboards that I’ve started to use in unexpected places. It’s something I stumbled upon when reading a Mediterranean cookbook and then again in one featuring Middle Eastern cuisine. Seeing the ingredient twice in a row made me curious, and finding it at a local market the [...]
