Where do bananas go when they become overly ripe? To over-ripe banana heaven, aka banana bread. Everyone needs a good banana bread recipe. Inevitably, a few bananas in that bunch you just bought are going to turn brown. No matter how much you love bananas, it seems to be a fact of life. I actually bought two more specifically for making banana bread. Lucky for me my local grocery store specializes in over-ripe bananas. Continue reading “Over-Ripe Banana Heaven”
This recipe began because it was brought to my attention that I have no lentil recipes on the blog. It’s true. It’s something I’ve noticed before, and was looking to mend the situation. I love lentils in everything from Indian daal to lentil soup, but all I could think of were the richest, most decadent lentils I’ve had. At Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills Chef Rory Herrmann braises du Puy lentils with sausage and a rich Bordelaise sauce and tops it with a decadent dollop of foie gras mousse and a soft-boiled egg. I can recall other times when lentils were slowly simmered with pancetta until flavorful and robust. Continue reading “Kitchen Sink Lentil Soup”
Next to the massive, leisurely breakfasts so famous in Israel, mezze is the next best part of any meal. This array of little dips and spreads often clutter the table at restaurants that specialize in meat skewers, but they also show up in any number of places and are favorites to make at home. The dishes are an illustration of the diversity of Israeli cuisine, with roots in Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and even Europe. Everyone has their own variations and ratio of spices. To read more about mezze check out my recent article on the subject for the Jewish Daily Forward’s food blog, The Jew and the Carrot. Continue reading “A Middle Eastern Spread”
Depending on where you are in the world, it may be late winter, early spring, I suppose even fall if you’re in the other hemisphere. In Israel spring started in February and the weather has been glorious. During the day it hints at how hot it will become, but in the morning and evening it’s cool and slightly crisp. The orange and lemon trees are in full bloom around the neighborhood, and sometimes I’m lucky enough to collect one that has fallen onto the sidewalk. For me citrus is the perfect way to wish a farewell to winter and greet the warmer weather with open arms. Continue reading “A Bit of Lemony Sunshine for Spring”
I have always loved carrots. As a baby I turned orange from eating too much carrot baby food. As I grew older my love of carrots only grew. I always liked them best raw, and if they still had the green tops on all the better. That way I could do an impression of my favorite cartoon character, Bugs Bunny. Continue reading “Risotto with Carrots Four Ways”
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for some time now. It was part of Mark Bittman’s Minimalist series in the New York Times, so I knew it would be reliable. It makes logical sense – why wouldn’t you be able to cook pasta in something other than water? And yet, pasta cooked like risotto just didn’t sound right. Finally, though, this week was the week. There were gorgeous mushrooms as the shuk and this was as good a use as any. Continue reading “Pasta Meets Risotto”
I’ve already talked about Tikka Masala, but Butter Masala is an entirely different beast. Yes, they may look alike, and even taste similar, but somehow they each have their own completely separate character. Also known as Murgh Makhani, Butter Masala – which is most often made with chicken – was actually an accidental invention of leftovers and thrifty cooks. According to Cilantro Online, the dish came about at a restaurant famous for its chicken tikka. The cooks, not wanting to waste anything, would make a sauce from the juices released from the cooked chicken and the marinade, which they mixed with tomatoes and butter. Continue reading “Nehru’s Masala and the Resourcefulness of Cooks”
The inspiration for this pots de créme actually came from the fondue challenge on Food52. I submitted a savory fondue, but couldn’t stop thinking about what I would make for a sweet one. As someone who typically prefers potato chips over chocolate, I knew it would need a salty element to satisfy my salty-sweet tooth. The following week’s challenge was a pudding recipe and, with the encouragement of a fellow Food52 member, I decided on the combo of chocolate, chile and bacon. Continue reading “Spiced Pots de Créme with Candied Bacon and Maple Cream”
I don’t mean to be cocky, but the chili I made the other night really was the best ever. While beef is usually my protein of choice for this purpose, here in Israel it’s expensive. So I decided to give leaner, cheaper turkey chili a whirl and watched as they freshly ground the turkey breast for me at the shuk. It turned out well. Continue reading “Best Ever Turkey Chili”
My kumquat supply was dwindling, but I still had more than I could eat. Some, I’m sad to say, even began to go bad. I knew I had to take drastic action to preserve the kumquats so I could continue to enjoy them at my lazy place. That’s where candying comes in. Once you’ve come up with all the possible ways to enjoy your kumquats fresh, its time to candy. Continue reading “Candied Kumquats, Two Ways”
