Tag: Recipe

Butternut Squash and Sage Cannelloni

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Butternut squash and sage are about as classic a fall combination as you can get. And ever since I got a wonderful little sage plant I’ve been itching to put the leaves to good culinary use. I knew what I wanted to make but after consulting the magical world wide web couldn’t find a recipe that was just right. So I made one up. The result was a filling vegetarian main fit for company. I served it with an arugula salad and grilled eggplant medallions, but anything goes. Continue reading “Butternut Squash and Sage Cannelloni” →

Baingan Bharta: A Tale of Pantry Desperation and Innovation

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It did begin with me alone in the kitchen with an eggplant, but this wasn’t some lame attempt to recreate a Laurie Colwin essay. I was trying to come up with a quick meal using only the ingredients I had on hand that could be easily reheated. And considering I hadn’t been shopping all week, this was a particular challenge. That’s when I remembered the eggplant. Two of them. Trapped in my crisper for a week, or was it two? They couldn’t still be good. But against all odds they looked fine. They smelled innocuous. I cut into them, surprised to find completely typical, fresh eggplants. Now I just needed a plan. Continue reading “Baingan Bharta: A Tale of Pantry Desperation and Innovation” →

Fennel Baked in Stock

Fennel is clearly in season in Be’er Sheva; it’s in abundance at the supermarkets and the shuq. High in vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and calcium, this anise-flavored vegetable is incredibly versatile. A member of the parsley family the whole fennel can be eaten, from the bulb to the feathery fronds (which are great to season soups and stocks). Thinly sliced fennel adds a crisp component to any salad and goes particularly well with oranges. When cooked, fennel softens and the flavor mellows and sweetens. Continue reading “Fennel Baked in Stock” →

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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When I used to work near Union Square I would occasionally treat myself to the tortilla soup at City Bakery when it was available in the colder months. It was something I enjoyed immensely but never considered making. Although I am in the desert, I’m also on the tail end of a cold and I was craving a hot bowl of soup. And I appear to be on some kind of Mexican kick. Of course Tortilla Soup is an invention of the American Southwest, but it does incorporate Mexican ingredients that are fortunately also abundant in Israel: tomatoes, chiles, onions, and chicken.

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Meditation on Pomegranates

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My favorite thing about pomegranates – a seductive fruit if ever there was one – is that eating them is an activity in and of itself. It’s meditative. Pomegranates force you to take a moment and be mindful; it’s hard to multitask while eating one. You may get impatient and try to rush through, but the pomegranate, messy and playful, will just spit its juice at you. Continue reading “Meditation on Pomegranates” →