Ingredients

• 1 c. fine- or medium-grain bulgur
• 1/2 c. chopped dried apricots
• 1 c. boiling water
• 1 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 c. shelled chopped pistachios
• 1/3 c. olive or pistachio oil
• 3 tbsp. orange juice or white wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. minced red onion
• 2 tbsp. thinly sliced green onion
• 3/4 tsp. coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Combine bulgur and apricots in a bowl. Add boiling water and let stand 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently to mix.

Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy

Ingredients

• chicken (breasts, thighs, or whole) or 3/4-1 lb. frozen cocktail shrimp
• salt
• pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• water
• 1 1/2 lb. grated monterrey jack
• 1 onion
• 1 doz. green chiles, chopped, or 3 small cans green chile
• 1 lb. container sour cream
• 2 doz. corn tortillas

Preparation

Boil chicken breasts, thighs, or a whole chicken (however much you want) with salt, pepper, and a bay leaf until fully cooked. Remove from liquid, cool, and shred. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add all but 1 cup of the cheese to the bowl, reserving for the top. Add onion, green chiles, half to 3/4 of the container of sour cream, and salt and pepper. Mix together until it forms a filling. Roll (or layer) corn tortillas filled with filling, softened in oil. If you have extra filling, spread it thinly over the top. Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350. Take the foil off, top with the reserved cheese, and bake for another 15 minutes or so until the cheese bubbles.

Can substitute 3/4-1 lb. of frozen baby cocktail shrimp for the chicken, if you want.

Ingredients

For the tagine:

• 6 pounds lamb shanks
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions, thickly sliced
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• One 2-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and slivered
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 rounded teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 rounded teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 scant teaspoons cayenne
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 2 cups pitted prunes
• 4 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 cup tomato puree

For the garnish:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup whole blanched almonds
• Large pinch of salt
• Small pinch of sugar

Preparation

Serves 6; Total Time: 4½ Hours

1. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 2 hours (or refrigerate over-night). Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions, season with salt and crumble saffron over them. Saute over medium heat until softened and slightly browned. Add garlic, fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, coriander and cumin seeds, powdered ginger and cayenne. Stir together, remove from heat and correct the seasoning. Add raisins and half the prunes.

3. Put the lamb in an enamelware dutch oven or deep sided baking dish and spread the onion mixture over the meat. Stir together broth or water and tomato puree and pour over. Cover the pan with foil and a tight-fitting lid.

4. Bake for about 2 hours, or until meat is meltingly tender.

5. Remove the foil and lid, add the second cup of prunes and submerge them. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Return lamb to the oven, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, to let it brown a bit.

6. Carefully lift meat from sauce and put in a low wide bowl or storage container. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. If sauce seems thin, pour it into a low saucepan and reduce over high heat. Check the seasoning and adjust. Pour sauce over meat and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

7.The next day, remove and discard any congealed fat. Gently reheat the stew, covered, in a low oven.

8. Just before serving, fry the almonds for the garnish. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and fry the almonds gently, stirring occasionally. When the almonds are golden, blot on paper towels and sprinkle with the salt and sugar.

9. Transfer tagine to a warmed platter and scatter almonds over lamb.

David Tanis, Wall Street Journal

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 lg. onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 c. water
• 1 tsp. caraway seeds
• 2 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• 1 can (1 lb., 11 fl. oz.) sauerkraut
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 carton (8 oz.) sour cream
• parsley

Preparation

1. Brown pork, part at a time (removing pieces to a bowl as a brown), in butter in a heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Sauté oven until golden, about 5 minutes, in same pan, adding more butter if needed. Stir in paprika; cook 1 minute longer. Return all meat.

2. Stir in chicken broth, the 1 cup of water, caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to boiling; lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

3. Drain and rinse sauerkraut; stir into the stew. Simmer 30 minutes longer, or until meat is tender.

4. Blend flour and the 1/4 cup water in a small cup; stir into simmering stew. Cook and stir until the gravy thickens and bubbles 3 minutes.

5. Lower heat; stir 1 cup hot sauce into sour cream in a small bowl until well blended; stir back into the kettle. Heat just until heated through. Do not boil. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6 servings.

Family Circle Cookbook

Ingredients

Rouille:

• 1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. fish stock or clam broth
• large pinch saffron threads
• one 1/4-inch thick slice of peasant bread, crust removed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 jarred piquillo pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
• cayenne pepper
• salt

Mussels:

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads of fennel, cored and diced, plus 1/4 c. chopped fronds
• 1 med. onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 c. Pernod or absinthe
• 1 1/4 c. fish stock or clam broth
• 4 lb. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 c. chopped parsley
• salt

Preparation

1. Make the rouille: In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 2 tbsp. of the fish stock at high power. Crumble in the saffron and let cool. In a large bowl, soften the bread in the remaining 1/4 c. of fish stock.
2. In a food processor, puree the soaked bread, egg yolk, piquillo, garlic, and lemon juice until smooth. With the machine on, slowly pour in 1/4 c. of the oil and the saffron fish stock. Slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 c. of oil. Season with cayenne and salt.
3. Prepare the mussels: In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the diced fennel, onion, and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 7 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the Pernod and boil over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook, shaking the pot, until they open, 5 minutes. Pile the mussels in a bowl; discard any that don’t open. Stir the butter into the broth, add the fennel fronds and parsley; season with salt. Pour the broth over the mussels and serve with the rouille.

Food and Wine, April 2010

Ingredients

• 1 block soft tofu (about 1 pound), drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 6 ounces ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced at an angle (or a handful of scallions can be substituted)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili bean paste
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
• 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons cold water

Optional garnish: 1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed roasted Sichuan peppercorn

Preparation

1. Heat peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Add pork and stir-fry until crispy and starting to brown but not yet dry. Reduce heat to medium, then add the garlic and leeks and stir-fry until fragrant.

2. Add chili bean paste, black beans, and ground Sichuan pepper, and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the oil is a rich red color.

3. Pour in the stock and stir well. Mix in the drained tofu gently by pushing the back of your ladle or wok scoop gently from the edges to the center of the wok or pan; don’t stir or the tofu may break up. Season with the sugar, soy sauce, and salt to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the tofu has absorb the flavors of the sauce. Then add the cornstarch mixture in 2 or 3 stages, mixing well, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. (Don’t add more than you need).

4. Serve while still hot in a deep plate or wide bowl. Garnish with optional scallions or crushed Sichuan peppercorn.

Serves 4 to 5 as part of a multi-course meal, or 2 to 3 as the main entree

Appetite for China

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ cups dried gemelli pasta (or fusilli, orrechiette, really any pasta that is non-noodle-like. Different pastas may require different amounts of liquid/cooking time.)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely minced
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 quart fish stock (you can use water if necessary)
• ½ pound lump crab meat
• 12 shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
• 2 handfuls of arugula

Preparation

Heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Add pasta and toast, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn light brown.

Add onion, leeks, and garlic cloves (along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper), cooking until translucent, but with no color, about three minutes.

Add white wine and cook until almost entirely absorbed, about two minutes.

Add stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed. Continue until you have about one more ladle to add and the pasta still has a little more bite than you want. (Don’t worry.)

Add the crabmeat, shrimp, and final ladleful of stock, along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, and chili flakes. Cook until shrimp is pink and pasta has absorbed the stock and has the right bite, approximately three minutes. Check for seasoning.

Add arugula right at the end. Toss until it begins to wilt slightly, and serve immediately.

Alain Ducasse, The Atlantic

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced very small
• Salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, very finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 red bell peppers (or one red and one green), peeled, seeded and sliced in thin strips or diced small
• 1 medium zucchini, peeled and finely chopped
• Black pepper
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 14-ounce can, drained

Preparation

1. Lay eggplant pieces on two layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. After 30 minutes, squeeze out liquid and pat dry.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in an earthenware casserole over a flame tamer or in a Dutch oven. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining olive oil along with the eggplant, bell peppers, zucchini and black pepper. Turn the heat to low, stir, cover and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt, cover again and cook until the mixture has reduced to a thick relish, 2 to 3 more hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings. Before serving, allow to sit for at least 1 hour, or better yet refrigerate overnight.

Yield: 6 servings.

New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1/4 cup chopped dill
• 1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise and sliced about 1/3-inch thick
• 4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Salt
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 4 Italian frying peppers or 2 green bell peppers, cut in 2-inch slices
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 2 medium zucchinis, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
• Black pepper
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped, or a 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2 bay leaves
• Chopped fresh herbs, for serving
• Yogurt, for serving

OPTIONAL:

• 3 artichoke hearts, quartered
• 1/4 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 pound small okra, ends trimmed

Preparation

1. Stir together the tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, fenugreek, paprika and half the parsley, mint and dill.

2. Heat a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt to taste. Lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes, as much eggplant as will fit in one layer in the pan, then turn and lightly brown the other side. Remove to a Dutch oven or earthenware casserole. Repeat with the remaining eggplant. (Alternatively, toss the eggplant with the olive oil in the casserole, cover and roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.)

3. Turn the heat down slightly and add a tablespoon of oil and the onions to the skillet. Stir often until they soften, about 5 minutes, and add the peppers. Stir until the peppers and onions are limp, 5 to 8 minutes, and stir in a generous pinch of salt, half the garlic and the coriander seeds. Stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to the casserole with the eggplant. Add another tablespoon of oil and the zucchinis to the skillet. Cook, stirring or turning the zucchinis often until lightly colored on both sides and translucent, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the remaining garlic, stir for 30 seconds to a minute, and transfer to the casserole.

4. Add the tomato paste mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil. Deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon. Pour into the casserole, and add the tomatoes, bay leaves, 2 more tablespoons olive oil, if desired, and the artichoke hearts, green beans and okra, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer (over a flame tamer if using earthenware). Cover, reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables are very soft, about one hour. Stir in the remaining herbs and simmer for another 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If possible, refrigerate overnight before serving warm or at room temperature, with yogurt and chopped herbs.

Yield: 6 servings.

New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 whole baking pumpkin, approximately 4 pounds, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preparation

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Make a lid on the top of the pumpkin by cutting around the stem at a 45 degree angle. Make sure the opening is large enough to work within. Remove the seeds and fibers with a metal spoon or ice cream scoop and kitchen shears. Reserve the seeds for another use. Brush the exterior of the pumpkin and the lid with vegetable oil. Oil a round casserole dish large enough to hold the pumpkin and place the pumpkin inside.

Combine the butter, onion, salt, garlic, apples, chicken broth, and heavy cream in the hollow pumpkin. Replace the lid of the pumpkin to cover. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the lid. Add the goat cheese and thyme and bake an additional 30 minutes, uncovered. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, and gently scrape some of the flesh into the soup mixture. Puree with an immersion blender to desired consistency, being careful to avoid the sides and bottom of the pumpkin. Serve immediately.

Alton Brown