Hot weather and cold food is a winning combination. A cooling and zesty Aquachile Verde (literally “green chile water”) with shrimp or scallops or both is a perfect antidote and a stimulating starter to make when seafood is plentiful and fresh; an excellent opening to a grilled dinner. Aquachile is a spicy, tart Mexican cousin …
Labneh (also known as labne, labni, lebni), a strained yogurt, has a softly tart taste like Greek yogurt, but a cream-cheesy mouth feel. It can be soft and spreadable, firm and moldable, or hard and salted for longer storage. I savored labneh throughout the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean at various times of day without …
This Silk Road Lamb and Dried Fruit Plov is my rendition of a ubiquitous dish I encountered in various forms from the Orient to Europe. Similar rice preparations appear in countries along the Silk Road, that ancient route that brought together civilizations of the East and West for centuries, facilitating the migration of culinary traditions. …
Country Captain, a chicken classic of southern cookbooks, became a staple in my childhood home after Mama read that it was a favorite of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As the story goes, whenever President Roosevelt traveled by train to his Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia, his assistant would warn Mrs. W.L. Bullard, a …
I first tasted reindeer stew at a Bavarian dinner in the lovely chalet home of Hermann Pfieffer, a German steel cable manufacturer. Hermann’s wife Sieglinde, an accomplished cook, served hirschgulasch (reindeer stew in German) and I was a little anxious about eating reindeer. I was torn between being a gracious guest and my affection for the Rudolf …
This Spiral Stromboli with Three Fillings (of Italian sausage and spinach, mushrooms and onions and sundried tomato and cheeses) is a product of insomnia. I am a chronic insomniac and when I can’t sleep through the night, rather than frustratingly toss and turn in bed, I go to a comfortable armchair in the another room …
I was thinking recently about making crèpes when I stumbled on this Spinach Nalysnyky (Crêpes) recipe from a Ukrainian food blogger at panistefa.com. The Ukrainian language recipe, written with a chatty narrative, and its accompanying photos inspired me to try it. So I translated the text and made a batch. The nalysnyky turned out great …
Spinach Nalysnyky (Crêpes)* with Veal Stroganoff Read More »
This buckwheat vegetable salad was an accidental creation, as are many of my culinary efforts. I recently decided to reduce our intake of meats and dairy, incorporating additional vegetables into our meals, even planning some meatless dinners. So I bought an assortment of fresh vegetables at a farmer’s market, intending to use these ingredients in …
It’s asparagus season. The appearance of bunches of vividly green or ghostly white asparagus at the local market is a harbinger of spring, calling for a seasonal celebration of this often unappreciated vegetable with special recipes for soups, omelets, soufflées, tarts and even asparagus desserts. And now is the time to savor the difference in …
The crust is the flavorful base for this assembled Grilled Vegetable and Hummus Black Pepper Olive Oil Tart and is star of this post. Using olive oil in baking was new to me until I started traveling to countries along the Mediterranean littoral where I encountered breads, pizzas, cookies, pastries, tarts and cakes made with …
Grilled vegetable and hummus black pepper olive oil tart Read More »