Category Archives: Recipes (Savory)

Adana Burgers with Pomegranate Molasses Barbecue Sauce

Posted on by 6 comments
A tangy-fruity pomegranate molasses barbecue sauce finishes these juicy lamb-beef burgers.
A tangy-fruity pomegranate molasses barbecue sauce finishes these juicy lamb-beef burgers.

Each Friday night, those of Jewish faith around the world come together with family and friends to revel in time together around the table.

It is the purest TGIF, a pause to acknowledge and appreciate life and relationships.

And of course, an occasion to share scrumptious eats with gusto.

“52 Shabbats” (The Collective Book Studio) makes that a breeze, too. The new cookbook is by Faith Kramer, a Bay Area food writer who writes extensively on Jewish customs and cooking.

You needn’t be Jewish, either, to appreciate the more than 50 recipes, arranged by the seasons, that showcase global flavors and contemporary flair. Make “Pomegranate Molasses Brisket,” then turn leftovers into “Brisket Fried Rice.” Braise a batch of “Spicy Beef Tzimmes,” and turn some into “Friday Night Tamales.” Take a loaf of challah and transform into “Challah Fritters with Sweet Tahini Sauce.”

I took advantage of last week’s mini heatwave to dive into the “Summer” section of the book early by trying my hand at “Adana Burgers with Pomegranate Molasses Barbecue Sauce.”

Read more

Apple-Chickpea Kale Salad with Orange-Mustard-Dill Dressing

Posted on by 2 comments
A kale salad with a range of tastes, textures, and temperatures.
A kale salad with a range of tastes, textures, and temperatures.

This salad is sure to bowl you over.

Not only does it give you another way to enjoy kale, but it’s loaded with varied textures and even temperatures. And, yes, it’s served in a bowl.

This versatile recipe comes from the clever cookbook, “Smorgasbowl” (Radicle Publishing), of which I received a review copy, that celebrates healthful recipes that can be served in bowls.

It’s by Austin-based Caryn Carruthers, the founder of the blog, Tastynfree.com, who not only created all the recipes in this book, but also the photos and design.

A few years ago, she went grain-free. As such, the recipes in this book contain little grain, dairy or sugar. But as she notes, those who don’t have to adhere to such restrictions, can easily add some yogurt, rice, pita or other bread to round out the dishes. Moreover, because these are bowl meals, they can easily be individualized to suit every person at the table.

Read more

Asparagus Fry — With Mustard Seeds and Coconut

Posted on by Leave a comment
A simple saute of asparagus that gets dressed up with Indian flavors.
A simple saute of asparagus that gets dressed up with Indian flavors.

Spring may signal bountiful flowers. But for me, first and foremost, it brings asparagus.

I can barely contain myself when the first spears start showing up at the farmers markets. Because from then on out, I eat my fill of those sweet, thick spears every week until they disappear all too rapidly at the end of their short season.

Asparagus aren’t often highlighted in Indian cooking. So, when I spied a recipe for “Asparagus Fry” flavored with chilies, mustard seeds, and shredded coconut, I was all in.

This quick and easy recipe is from the new “Mindful Indian Meals,” of which I received a review copy.

It’s by San Franciscan Shivangi Rao, a designer and product manager in the healthcare industry, who founded the blog, Raody Recipes.

Growing up, Rao was plagued by digestive and cognitive autoimmune illnesses, which even impacted her ability to walk at one point. She eventually learned that certain foods triggered her symptoms, which led her to eliminate them. The only problem was many of them were the beloved foods she had grown up with: Indian sweets made with refined sugar; lentils high in starch; and rice and roti, both high in simple carbohydrates.

So, she set out on a path to reclaim those flavors that are so integral to her family and culture.

Read more

Baked Eggs in Butternut Squash Rings

Posted on by 6 comments
Sweet, roasted rings of butternut squash make the perfect vehicle to spotlight eggs.
Sweet, roasted rings of butternut squash make the perfect vehicle to spotlight eggs.

Spring may have sprung, but winter squash hasn’t fallen out of favor yet. At least not in my kitchen.

So, how could I resist these darling “Baked Eggs in Butternut Squash Rings”?

The recipe is from the new “The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook” (Harper Horizon), of which I received a review copy. It’s by Lisa Steele, who has raised chickens for more than a dozen years on her farm in Maine, and is the founder of the blog, Fresh Eggs Daily.

It includes more than 100 recipes highlighting eggs in every which way. Now, you’re probably asking yourself, “Isn’t it bad to eat eggs every single day? Won’t my cholesterol go through the roof?” The answer is: No. Not if you’re a relatively healthy person. That’s according to the Mayo Clinic, which stated in an article last year, “Research shows that the cholesterol in eggs doesn’t seem to negatively affect the human body compared to other sources of cholesterol. For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase the risk of heart disease, and they should be eaten sparingly.”

Read more

When Life Gives You Leftover French Fries…

Posted on by 10 comments
When life gives you extra French fries, make this awesome Spanish tortilla with them.
When life gives you extra French fries, make this awesome Spanish tortilla with them.

I know, I know, French fries are so addictive, that’s it’s rare to have any leftover.

But on the one-in-a-million occasion that occurs, do yourself a favor and repurpose them in “Tortilla Esapanola on Vacation.”

It is an upcycled and comforting version of the Spanish tapas classic, the eggy tortilla.

This wonderful recipe is from “Burnt Toast and Other Disasters” (William Morrow, 2021), of which I received a review copy. It’s by Cal Peternell, New York Times best-selling cookbook author and former head chef at Chez Panisse for nearly 22 years.

This clever, witty, and useful book is all about transforming leftovers, failures, scraps and the like into delectable dishes.

As Peternell writes, “If…you are the kind of cook who never makes mistakes, in or out of the kitchen, then pass this copy along to someone else who does. However, if things sometimes go sideways, like they do in our kitchen, then I hope you’ll use this collection of family fixes, hacks, and more than forty sauces to not only save dinner, but make it redemptively delicious.”

Yes, it’s basically a book we could all use on our shelf.

Read more
« Older Entries Recent Entries »