Ingredients

• 1 pint shucked oysters with their liquor
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Hot sauce
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ounces finely chopped tasso (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, grated (1⁄4 cup)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Pour the oysters into a bowl and check for bits of shell. Strain the oyster liquor through a fine sieve into a small bowl and set aside. Set drained oysters aside in a small bowl.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and whisk in the flour. Whisk in the reserved oyster liquor and stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Whisk in the cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring from time to time, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, hot sauce, and nutmeg. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep the sauce warm.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, tasso, garlic, sage, and rosemary. Cook until the eggplant is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the eggplant mixture into a colander to drain for 5 minutes. Stir together the crumbs, parsley, melted butter, oil, and cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

To assemble the gratin, spread about one-third of the oyster liquor sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon the eggplant mixture into the dish. Arrange the oysters in a single layer over the eggplant mixture and drizzle with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the entire dish. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Epicurious

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seed
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 pound green beans, snapped in to 2-3 inch piece and remove any tough string
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Preparation

In a large skillet or Dutch Oven, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, and fry until they pop. Add the potatoes, salt, and turmeric, and stir to combine. Toss in the beans, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Cover and allow to cok until potatoes are tender and beans still partially firm. Check often to make sure dish is not sticking. Serves 6.

Edible Nashville

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• Garnish: crème fraiche and sweet chili sauce

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss squash, onion and garlic with olive oil and spread in a roasting pan or baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, add diced apple, and continue roasting another 10-20 minutes.

Place squash mixture into blender with about half the chicken stock; puree. Add remaining chicken stock, cream, coconut milk and herbs; pulse until smooth. Alternatively use an immersion blender.

Return to saucepan and reheat. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and garnish with sweet chili.

Edible Nashville

Ingredients

Croquettes

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoon oil, plus extra for panfrying
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup grated raw cauliflower
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder)
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup semolina flour or breadcrumbs
• salt to taste

Black-Eyed Pea Curry

• 1/2 cup black-eye peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoons fresh ginger garlic paste
• 2 tablespoons grated coconut
• 1 cup chopped collard greens
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon kastoori methi
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Preparation

_Curry: _Puree tomato, onion, garlic, ginger and coconut to a smooth paste and keep it ready. Heat oil, add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add the ground paste, all the spice powder, salt needed and cook until oil separates. Stir frequently in between. Add the cooked black eyed beans, 1 cup of water and collard greens and cook on low heat for about an hour.

_Croquettes: _Mash sweet potato and set aside to cool. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it. When cumin seeds start to sizzles and color deepens, add finely chopped onions and sauté 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and sauté 3 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute 1½ mins. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin, and chili powder and sauté them for 30 seconds. Add garam masala and dry mango powder and set aside to cool.

Combine onion mixture with the mashed sweet potatoes. To this add the bread crumbs, chopped cilantro and salt to taste and mix them well.

Form flattened croquettes. Dust each patty generously in semolina.Place 2-3 patties on a hot griddle or skillet with extra oil. Let them cook until the side turns golden brown and crisp. Gently flip and add more oil and cook until crisp and browned, 4-5 more minutes.

Maneet Chauhan, Edible Nashville

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 tablespoon each black pepper and Himalayan pink sea salt
• 32 ounces vegetable broth
• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 kale or turnip green leaves, ribs removed and chopped

Preparation

In a dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil on medium/ high. Add onions and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until transparent. Add garlic and cubed sweet potatoes. Stir until ingredients are incorporated and cook for 5 minutes. Add seasonings and stir well. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir and reduce to simmer. Add lentils. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and add in kale. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until kale has wilted a bit but not lost its vibrant color. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Edible Nashville

Ingredients

• 1 small (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound dry black beans (do not soak)
• 2 quarts mild vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Red wine vinegar, to taste
• Pickled onions, cilantro, sour cream, avocados (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

Empty the can of chiles into a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth, scrape into a container, and set aside. Put on a teakettle of water to boil, and keep hot.

In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

Pour in wine and let simmer until pan is almost dry and vegetables are coated. Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, just until softened, 2 minutes. Push the vegetables out to the edges of the pot and dollop 2 teaspoons of chipotle purée in the center. Let fry for a minute and then stir together with the vegetables.

Add beans, stock, oregano and bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, and let boil 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed to keep the soup liquid and runny, not sludgy. Continue cooking until beans are just softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 hours. Add salt and pepper and keep cooking until beans are soft.

Meanwhile, make the pickled onions, if using: In a bowl, combine sliced onions, lime juice and a sprinkling of salt. Let soften at room temperature until crunchy and tart, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze dry in paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. If desired, chop coarsely before serving.

Adjust the texture of the soup: The goal is to combine whole beans, soft chunks and a velvety broth. Some beans release enough starch while cooking to produce a thick broth without puréeing. If soup seems thin, use an immersion blender or blender to purée a small amount of the beans until smooth, then stir back in. Continue until desired texture is reached, keeping in mind that the soup will continue to thicken as it sits.

Heat the soup through, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, drops of red wine vinegar and dabs of chipotle purée.

Julia Moskin, New York Times

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, or fat of choice
• 3 medium leeks, white parts only, cleaned and trimmed and roughly chopped
• 2 medium shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon Indian curry powder
• Kosher salt
• 1½ pounds broccoli, chopped into uniform florets
• ¼ cup peeled and diced apple (I like Fuji)
• 4 cups bone broth or chicken stock
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• Leftover pork, crisped in a pan (optional)
• Chives (optional garnish)

Preparation

Chop broccoli (including stems) and leeks. Turn on sautee function of the Instant Pot, and add fat, leeks, shallots, curry, and salt. Cook until leeks are soft (5 minutes) and curry is fragrant. Add broccoli and apple. Stir to mix, and add broth, plus water to make sure veggies are mostly submerged if needed. Switch off sautee mode, seal the pot, and set it for five minutes at high pressure (Manual, minus to 5 minutes, adjust to high pressure.) Release pressure manually when done. Blenderize with an immersion blender, add coconut milk, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Nom Nom Paleo

Ingredients

• 1 small rabbit, about 3 pounds, cut into 6 to 8 pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging rabbit, plus 2 tablespoons for sauce
• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 2 thyme branches
• 12 sage leaves
• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped capers
• ¼ cup thinly sliced chives
• 1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta or wide egg noodles, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Lay rabbit pieces on a baking sheet and season each piece generously with salt and pepper. (If you are using a pepper mill, adjust it for coarse grind.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put a deep, heavy-bottomed, oven-safe saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add lard or oil.

Put 1 cup flour on a wide plate. Dip seasoned rabbit pieces in flour and dust off excess. Gently set them in the hot oil in one layer without crowding; work in batches if necessary. Adjust heat to keep them from browning too quickly. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned.

Remove browned rabbit from pan and set aside. Add diced onion to fat remaining in pan. Keep heat brisk and cook onions until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle onions with 2 tablespoons flour and stir until well incorporated, then cook for a minute or so, until mixture starts to smell toasty. Add wine and 1 cup broth, whisking as the sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining broth and the whole-grain mustard and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt and adjust.

Return browned rabbit pieces to the sauce. Add thyme and sage. Cover pot and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until meat is fork tender. (Alternatively, simmer over low heat, covered, on the stove top, for about the same amount of time.)

Using tongs, remove rabbit pieces from sauce, set aside, and keep warm. Put saucepan over medium heat and bring contents to a simmer. Whisk in crème fraîche, Dijon mustard and capers and simmer until somewhat thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust.

Transfer rabbit to a warmed serving bowl and ladle the sauce over. Sprinkle generously with chives and a little freshly ground pepper. Accompany with noodles if desired.

David Tanis, New York Times

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large rosemary sprig
• 1 fennel bulb—cored and finely diced, stems finely chopped
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 2 small leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
• Eight 1-inch-thick slices of brown bread
• 1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 dozen shucked oysters, with their liquor
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced chives

Preparations

In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the rosemary over low heat. Remove from the heat and let the rosemary butter cool to room temperature; discard the rosemary.

In a large saucepan, combine the chopped fennel stems with the cream and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Strain the cream and discard the chopped fennel stems. Return the cream to the saucepan. Add the diced fennel and simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the leeks and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the bread with the rosemary butter and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for about 8 minutes, until lightly toasted.

Bring the cream back to a boil. Stir in the peas, lemon zest and lemon juice. Remove from the heat and stir in the oysters and their liquor. Let the stew stand for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the stew into bowls and stand a piece of toast in each bowl. Garnish with the chives and serve.

Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant (1 pound)
• Salt
• 3 ½ pounds bone-in chicken pieces
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cloves
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 ½ cups long-grain rice, rinsed well and drained
• 1 small onion, cut into large wedges
• Vegetable or olive oil, as needed
• 3 to 5 medium carrots, 2-or-3-inch pieces
• 1 medium potato, 1/2-inch slices
• ½ medium-head cauliflower, in florets
• ¾ cup broken vermicelli noodles (see note)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon Goya Sazón seasoning (optional)
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
• Chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Season well with salt, and let sit 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a large pot (a 10-inch, 5-quart size is ideal), and season well with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves (ideally, do this the day before). Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.

To the chicken, add the onion wedges, 1 tablespoon salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken, keeping the broth and discarding the onion and spices.

Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, then fry the carrots, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Repeat with the potato, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the cauliflower, about 7 minutes per batch. Finally, press the eggplant with paper towel until dry, then fry the eggplant in one layer until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, but don’t season. (If the eggplant is too oily, press on it with paper towels.)

Pour out the oil, keeping 2 1/2 tablespoons in the pan. Heat it over medium-high heat and add the vermicelli, stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, to dry it out, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, Sazón and garlic, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant.

Place the chicken back in the pot, skin side down. Place the vegetables on top, then rice. Pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth. Press down on the rice; add more broth or water if needed to bring the liquid barely to the level of the rice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium low. After 10 minutes, carefully stir just the rice to evenly combine the harder rice on top. Repeat after another 10 minutes. After a total of 30 minutes, the rice should be cooked, but not soft, and the liquid should be absorbed.

Place a very large serving dish on top of the pot, then, protecting your hands (and maybe with a partner), invert the pot onto the dish in one smooth motion. If there is liquid seeping out, spoon it out or soak it up with paper towels. Let the pot rest at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.

Lift off the pot to reveal the maqluba, and scatter the pine nuts all over. Serve with yogurt and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley on the side, seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil.

New York Times