Yesterday my wife mentioned having a Nicoise salad for dinner tonight. This salad originates from Nice, France. It is traditionally made with hard boiled eggs, Nicoise black olives, tomatoes, and anchovies. There are multiple other additions to the salad by different chefs over the 20th century. It is a beautiful salad for a party. Enjoy!…
Olive Oil Cake
I really enjoy a crusty, moist cake for dessert with my tea. However, most cakes are made with butter for moisture. This olive oil cake allows a rich and decadent treat with a hint of citrus and almond. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar…
Eggplant and Tomato Curry
I love eggplant in any form but especially with tomatoes with spices. This is a simple recipe for a weeknight vegetarian dish. Enjoy! Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 onion, diced thin 1 eggplant, diced 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon coriander 14 ounces canned peeled tomatoes, with juice 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon salt…
Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Cardamon Rice
Another amazing recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of black currant preserves 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, finely sliced 2-3 skinless/boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom pods 1/3 teaspoon freshly ground whole cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder 1 1/4 cup basmati rice 550ml boiling water 1…
Roasted Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce
Our dear friend Nicky gave me a copy of Yoram Ottolenghi’s Plenty, a cookbook of exquisite vegetarian recipes. We were also fortunate to have a meal at his restaurant Nopi in London (thanks to Preeti) and enjoyed this flavorful roasted eggplant dish. Enjoy! Ingredients: 2 large and long eggplants 1/4-cup olive oil Fresh rosemary Fresh ground…
Almond Crust Pizza with Eggplant and Caramelized Onions
The earliest versions of pizza were actually from ancient Greece, where flat bread was topped with vegetables, potatoes, spices and olive oil. Later in the 18th century Italy, flat bread was sold to the poor in Naples and called pizza. The chef of Queen Margherita took this peasant bread, which she enjoyed, and added fresh…
Cauliflower Risotto
The Arabic people in the Middle Ages introduced rice to Italy and Spain. It reached culinary maturity in Milan, which was under Spanish rule for almost two centuries. These factors led to Risotto alla Milanese, slow-cooked short rice with spices especially saffron. Traditionally the dish is built on rice and a creamy sauce (made up…
Zucchini Noodles with Chorizo Ragu
We have been trying to cut down our carbohydrate intake this past month. So here is a simple but flavorful replacement for pasta. Zucchini noodles can either be purchased from a grocery store or you can make them yourself with a simple spiralizer tool. We got one for $10 from the grocery store, below is…
Turkey Chili
Michaela and I were watching Beat Bobby Flay last week on Food Network. They were having a chili contest, interestingly both used lamb for their main ingredient. So I figured we would try to make a healthier version with ground turkey. This ended up being a delicious recipe with layers of flavor. Enjoy! Ingredients: 5…
Chana Aloo (chickpeas with potato)
We have been eating vegetarian this week and one of our favorite dishes is chickpeas with potato in a tomato and onion curry. Chickpeas are in the legume family and high in protein. They has been eaten for over 7,500 years. They were introduced to India via Kabul, Afghanistan in the 18th century. This vegetarian…
Japanese Salmon
In an attempt to try a different asian marinade for salmon, I went back to the basics. The following recipe is simple but flavorful. Enjoy! Ingredients 2 salmon fillet 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil 1/2 teaspoons chili paste 1/2 cup…
Coq au vin
I was reading a article on river blindness and its relation to Nodding Syndrome in Africa on the New York Times website when I saw a sidebar article on classic french recipes. I obviously clicked on the link and came upon coq au vin. It seemed to be a perfect recipe for winter time in…
