Lamb Meatballs in Beet and Pomegranate Sauce

There are Meatballs, and Then There are These Meatballs. I mentioned in my tahdig recipe post, that when I make tahdig I like to give it my full attention and have whatever else I’m serving either warming up in the oven or being grilled by someone else. In this case, I made this lamb meatball […]
Orange and Olive Salad with Black Cumin

A Few Ingredients and You’ve Got Simplicity at Its Best. Anyone who’s been here for awhile is aware of my fondness for fresh orange salads. When they’re in peak season I eat them regularly. Besides being delicious, they serve a specific purpose. I don’t enjoy eating multiple rich dishes at the same time. My palate […]
Tahdig with Barberries, Peas, and Mint

Nothing Beats That Crispy Layer of Rice. Whenever I make a tahdig, dinner becomes a special event. This spectacular dish always feels like a celebration. Indeed, I’m sure it will be making an appearance on the tables of many people who will be enjoying the Persian New Year today. I make sure that whatever else […]
Salad of Black Rice, Beets, Apples, and Aged Cheddar

There’s Some Really Good Stuff Going on Here. Here I am with another rice salad. And what a beauty it is. Black rice lends itself so well to salads that I’ve kind of been hooked on it for awhile. It has the perfect texture for a salad because it doesn’t ever get mushy when I […]
Roast Chicken with Lemon-Basil Butter Sauce

An Easy, but Elegant Pan Sauce Gilds the Lily in This Recipe. I’ve mentioned on numerous occasions how much I love roasting a chicken. It’s a constant in my kitchen. It’s comforting and deeply satisfying. There are so many ways to go about it as far as techniques and seasonings. This time around I left […]
Green Tomato and Almond Tart

A Nutty and Buttery Crust is Filled with Green Tomato Jam for a Show Stopping Dessert. I’ve long wanted to make a green tomato jam tart ever since I first read about it in Rosetta Costantino’s wonderful cookbook, My Calabria. When I ran into a load of green tomatoes last week, I decided now was […]
Crème Fraîche, Orange, and Chocolate Ice Cream

Who Doesn’t Love Great Ice Cream? We eat ice cream throughout the entire year. It doesn’t matter what the outside temperature happens to be, ice cream is a constant. And while I have my favorite brands and flavors, I also love to make my own. My son, Devin, started tinkering with homemade ice cream several […]
Gratin of Red Cabbage and Black Garlic

Rich and Creamy Goodness is Sometimes Needed. I wanted some shredded red cabbage for a recipe. All good. But after using what I needed, I still had about two thirds of a head of red cabbage on my hands. It was nearing the end of my grocery week and the cupboard was getting a little […]
Blood Orange Salad with Soy and Sesame Dressing

A Salad This Gorgeous Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult. Before I talk about this recipe, I want to let you all know that as of today, I will be including a video of my preparing each recipe in my posts. I’ve been encouraged by the responses to my videos that I’ve been posting independently and […]
Rigatoni with Lamb, Harissa, and Halloumi

Come on. Doesn’t This Sound Good? When I set out to make this, here’s what I had in mind. Pasta in which the pasta is front and center. Rigatoni is kind of in your face as far as pasta shapes go and I don’t think it makes sense to use it unless you’re going to […]