Blog - Part 14

Ropa Vieja with Fried Plantains

March 12, 2012February 12, 201758 Comments

Spotting plantains with Liz and Beth in Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market was one of our most exciting, unexpected finds of the year. Plantains, which are indigenous to South Asia but popular throughout Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America, don’t come up much in Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine. And, while you can find Libyan, Yemeni, and Iraqi food galore throughout the country, Cuban restaurants aren’t exactly commonplace. Excited to purchase the plantains I bought two (yes, only two – what was I thinking?!) with no distinct plan but thoughts of frying them. Beth made some super awesome plantain chips with hers. Continue reading “Ropa Vieja with Fried Plantains” →

Eggplant with Tahina and an Eggplant Blog Hop

March 10, 2012February 12, 201775 Comments

In the Middle East there’s a saying that a woman is not ready to wed until she can cook an eggplant (i.e. aubergine) 1,000 ways. Before you start huffing and puffing about the gendered implications of this adage, I think the New York Times explained it well: “The saying is less about preparing women for marriage, though, than it is about the amazing versatility of the eggplant.” Indeed, living in Israel my appreciation for these humble, purple-skinned vegetables has skyrocketed. On a single dinner table they can appear in countless forms. Usually it begins with flame roasted eggplants, but after that they can be pureed with tahina for baba ghanouj, mayo for an entirely different dip, or lemon juice and olive oil for eggplant “caviar.” Israelis make a convincing vegetarian chopped liver (devised in the 1940s when times were tough and meat was rare) using fried eggplant and hard boiled eggs. Continue reading “Eggplant with Tahina and an Eggplant Blog Hop” →

Parmesan-Stuffed Dates and Whisky Pairing

March 7, 2012February 12, 201739 Comments

A few weeks ago one of my best friends sent me an email with the subject “Fun question for you” and I knew I would be in for a treat. From thousands of miles away Julia told me about a whisky tasting club that she and her boyfriend have been participating in. This month they have the honor of hosting, and Julia asked for some appetizer suggestions to go with the Finger Lakes whisk(e)y they would be sampling. Julia knows me well, and rightly predicted that this would indeed excite me. Continue reading “Parmesan-Stuffed Dates and Whisky Pairing” →

Pistachio, Cherry, and Dark Chocolate Bark

March 5, 2012February 12, 201798 Comments

I love Secret Recipe Club time! Each month I am assigned a blog and I get to pick any recipe I like and post about it on the 5th of the month. It’s been a wonderful way to meet other bloggers and to discover inspiring recipes. This month I was lucky enough to have Sustainable Cooking for One. Stephanie, the author of the blog, works in nutritional research and is passionate about food and sustainability. Besides wonderful recipes, Stephanie also writes thought-provoking posts like Ethical Eating: Raw Milk and Goats, Urban Ag, and Evidence-Based Supplements. And she should know – she has adorable goats! As the title of her blog suggests she focuses on cooking for one and even has a cookbook called One Bowl with even more recipes plus nutritional information and more. Continue reading “Pistachio, Cherry, and Dark Chocolate Bark” →

Spaghetti with Mushroom Cream Sauce and a Pasta Blog Hop

March 2, 2012February 12, 201754 Comments

I don’t think that it’s an exaggeration to say that growing up we ate pasta every single night with dinner. In today’s carb conscious, diet crazy world that may elicit gasps, but in my Italian-American family it was just the norm. And while I was a picky eater, I never got sick of pasta. My dad – the cook in our family – mixed up the shapes and sauces, served it with chicken parmesan or steak pizzaiola (ok, we also ate a lot of meat and cheese…) and well into my 20s I could not understand how or why anyone would want to cut pasta from their diet. Today my dinners are a bit more diversified, but pasta remains one of my favorite foods. Continue reading “Spaghetti with Mushroom Cream Sauce and a Pasta Blog Hop” →

On My Shelf: A Homemade Life, Plus Banana Bread

February 29, 2012February 12, 201766 Comments

A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg Happy leap year everyone! How are you enjoying this extra day? I’m sure you are familiar with Orangette, the wildly popular food blog written by the immensely talented Molly Wizenberg. If not, well, you should be. And you should also probably read her book, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table (Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009). It was the selection for this month’s Kitchen Reader Book Club (you should join!), chosen by Jules of Stone Soup and I am so glad I finally got around to reading it. Continue reading “On My Shelf: A Homemade Life, Plus Banana Bread” →

Moroccan Mustard Chicken

February 27, 2012February 12, 201769 Comments

In Friday’s harissa recipe I promised that I would follow up with some ideas on how to put that pepper paste to good use. Well, allow me to introduce you to the recipe that inspired me to finally make my own harissa. A recipe so good that I made it twice in two weeks and my husband keeps asking for more. This Moroccan Mustard Chicken is from Nisrine over at the gorgeous blog Dinners and Dreams (if you haven’t discovered this blog then go check it out. I’ll be here when you get back!). She wrote it for the Boston Globe, and as soon as I saw it I bookmarked it. And couldn’t stop thinking about it. I decided that it was special enough that store-bought harissa just wouldn’t do. Which is why I made it from scratch. (See? Full circle.) Continue reading “Moroccan Mustard Chicken” →

Homemade Harissa and a Pepper Blog Hop

February 24, 2012February 12, 201799 Comments

This is one of those things that’s been on my list to make for a long time: homemade harissa. The fiery, vibrant red, North African pepper hot sauce is completely addictive and revs up anything you add it to. Stews take on new depth, dips get kick, and tagines will never be the same. Popular in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, harissa has also become a hip flavor in the States where you will find harissa aioli, harissa-marinated steak, harissa grilled shrimp, and harissa oil. Continue reading “Homemade Harissa and a Pepper Blog Hop” →

A Food Tour of Ramle

February 22, 2012February 12, 201726 Comments

A few weeks ago I went on a fun foodie outing to a city in Israel called Ramle. Beth (of fabulous food blog Beth Michelle) and I drove up from Be’er Sheva to meet with Liz of Cafe Liz and Sarah of Food Bridge. It’s a fascinating place with a wonderful shuk (market) and a vibrant Indian-Jewish community. I came back with wonderful goodies like curry leaves and tamarind paste! We were in amazing hands with Liz and Sarah, who also happen to lead food tours through Ramle with Israel Food Tours. I have to admit that I’m a little worn out (but happy!) from a week of the in-laws visiting, so I’ll let Sarah and Liz’s blogs and my photos do most of the talking! Continue reading “A Food Tour of Ramle” →

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

February 20, 2012February 12, 201774 Comments

Even if you think you don’t like broccoli, bear with me. Roasting this cruciferous vegetable completely transforms it. Although I like broccoli in all forms – raw, steamed, stir fried, you name it – there’s nothing like roasted broccoli. As it crisps and lightly browns it takes on an incredibly satisfying texture and nutty flavor that even broccoli haters have loved. I swear. This is barely a recipe, but it’s so good and I make it so often I finally had to share. It’s an incredibly versatile side that compliments just about every meal from roast chicken to steak, and from black bean burgers to pasta. Plus, it’s gluten free, kosher dairy, and vegetarian. Leave off the parmesan to make it vegan and parve! Trust me, it’s still delicious. What’s your favorite way to enjoy broccoli? Continue reading “Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan” →