Susan made butternut squash and apples in filo dough and it was superb. Although I am a fan of eating filo, I’m not a fan of cooking with it. The recipe has been simplified but the flavors remain the same.
Continue readingPosts Tagged → Make-Ahead
Roasted Chicken Breasts with Dried Figs, Apricots, and Prunes
Bone-in, skin-on, chicken breasts work best for this recipe.
Continue readingRoast Potatoes with Feta Cheese
Todd English, with whom I wrote The Olives Table, is without question the most talented chef I know. I have never had better food than that cooked by him and, thankfully, after a year of testing his recipes, I have been hugely influenced. His recipe for roast carrots with feta cheese inspired this recipe.
Continue readingChocolate Date Nut Bars
When I owned the Night Kitchen, one of my employees suggested making these. They were not only absolutely delicious, but were one of our best sellers and something that couldn’t be found anywhere else.
Continue readingRed Onion and Blood Orange Salad
Sweet, tart, salty, crunchy, and soft, this salad combines many flavors and textures. It can be served as a starter or after the meal.
Continue readingFresh Herb Couscous
Like pasta in Italy and rice in Asia, couscous is a staple in Morocco.
Serves 6.
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2½ cups boiling water
2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature (optional)
1. Place the salt, cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the basil, and sesame seeds in a small mixing bowl, toss to combine and set aside.
2. Place the water and the couscous in a large mixing bowl and, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the herb mixture and, if desired, the butter, and gently mix.
3. Transfer to a heated serving bowl and serve immediately. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon basil.
From The $50 Dinner Party: 26 Dinner Parties That Won’t Break Your Bank, Your Back, or Your Schedule (Simon & Schuster, 1998)
Basic Salsa
Serve with chips or on burgers and omelettes.
Continue readingChickpea Spread
You can vary this spread by adding chopped or pureed cilantro, basil, roasted bell peppers, or chili peppers, olives (any kind will do), scallions, chives, or lemon, lime, or orange zest.
Continue readingSpicy Sesame Dip
At first, the combination of Asian ingredients and mayonnaise struck me as very bizarre, but I tried it anyway and discovered a great treat. It’s especially good with pea pods, asparagus, and bell peppers, or mixed into cooked and cooled spaghetti.
Continue readingBruschetta
I’m not going to give complete recipes here, but rather ideas for what to put on toasted or grilled bread. Traditionally, bruschetta is bread that has been grilled over a fire, rubbed with garlic cloves, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with kosher salt. If you don’t have a fire, feel free to do the same in the toaster or oven or grill. When laziness overcomes me, I omit the garlic or use garlic oil instead of olive. It is great served alone or with any of the following toppings.
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