Ingredients

• Mediterranean pie dough
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb ground or minced lamb shoulder
• 1/2 c chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 c pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• yogurt for serving

Preparation

Make the dough as directed. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

To make the filling, in saute pan over medium heat warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 min. Transfer to a bowl. Add the lamb, parsley, nuts, spices and seasonings and mix well.

Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll out in 3 in rounds. Top each round with a heaping spoonful of the filling, then bring up the three edges of the round to meet in the center and press together to seal. The pasties will be triangular.

Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the pastries with oil. Bake until golden, 15-20 min. Serve warm with yogurt.

Ingredients

• Mediterranean pie dough
• 1 lb spinach
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 1 c finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 6 tbl pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbl chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Prepare the dough according to directions.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Stem the spinach, chop coarsely, and wash well to remove traces of sand. Drain well, place in a colander and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt. Let stand 1 h. Squeeze all moisture out of the spinach and then chop coarsely.

In a large saute pan over medium heat warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until tender and translucent, 8-10 min. Add the allspice, stir well and cook for 1 min longer. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts, a few minutes. Stir in the pine nuts, lemon juice, mint, pepper, and salt to taste. Remove from heat.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions and roll out each portion into a 6 in round. Spoon about 1/3 c of the spinach mixture into the center of each round. Bring up the three edges of the round to meet in the center and press together to seal. The pastries will be triangular.

Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush pastries with oil. Bake until golden, 15-20 min. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with olive oil. Serve warm.

Ingredients

• 2 medium dried ancho chiles, wiped clean
• 1 dried chipotle chile, wiped clean
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• Rounded 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 medium zucchini and/or yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 pound kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (3 tablespoons)
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving juice, and chopped
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Accompaniments: rice; chopped cilantro; chopped scallions; sour cream

Preparation

Slit chiles lengthwise, then stem and seed. Heat a dry heavy medium skillet over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles, opened flat, turning and pressing with tongs, until pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds. Tear into small pieces.

Pulse cumin seeds and chiles in grinder until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oregano, cinnamon, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Cook onions in oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute, then add chile mixture and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in zucchini and kale and cook, covered, 5 minutes. Add zest, sugar, chocolate, tomatoes with their juice, and water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in beans and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Gourmet, November 2007

Ingredients

• cubed pork (country spare ribs)
• 2 qts. chicken broth
• 2 lg. onion, sliced
• canned hominy, drained and rinsed, or dried hominy
• red pepper flakes
• green chiles (1/2 to 1 doz., depending on heat)
• 3 cloves garlic

Preparation

Boil the pork in the chicken broth with one of the onions, salt, and pepper until almost tender. Add hominy, a couple dashes of red pepper flakes, green chiles, garlic, and the other onion. Simmer slowly until thickened.

If using dried hominy: rinse and soak overnight. Cook meat as above, then remove it from the broth. Add the hominy, and cook until tender. Then return the meat to the pot and proceed as above.

Ingredients

• 2 tbl olive oil
• 2 1/2 - 3 lb rabbit, cut in small serving pieces
• 1/4 c vinegar
• 1 med onion, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 head garlic, separated but unpeeled
• arugula
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preparation

Heat the oil in a deep casserole, preferably earthenware, and brown the rabbit on all sides. Add the vinegar, onion, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and garlic. Cover tightly and cook in the oven at 300-325 F for 2 h, uncover for the last 15 min. Most of the liquid should be evaporated. If it evaporates too quickly, add a little water.

Dress the arugula with 3 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the rabbit over the arugula.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola or corn oil
• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 equal pieces
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon each: dry mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 12 soft sandwich rolls, toasted

Preparation

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; brown the pork on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer pork to a slow cooker.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from skillet. Add the onion; cook over medium-high heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar; cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits, 2 minutes. Stir in ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, pepper and paprika. Cook stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble, 1 minute. Pour over pork.

Cover slow cooker; cook on high until pork is very tender, 4-5 hours. (The pork can be cooked on low 8-10 hours).

Transfer pork to cutting board; shred, discarding fat. Skim excess fat from sauce; return pork to sauce. Stir to combine. Serve on buns with vinegar coleslaw.

Ingredients

• 2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian hot sausages, casings removed
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 8 ounces (about 2 1/3 cups) orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or other small pasta
• 1 1/2 cups grated Romano cheese

Preparation

Strain liquid from canned beans into blender. Add 1 cup beans and puree until smooth. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add sausages, rosemary, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until sausages are cooked through, breaking up with fork, about 8 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add bean puree, remaining beans, broth, and pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender and mixture is thick, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing remaining 1 1/4 cups cheese.

Bon Appetit, February 2001

Ingredients

• 3/4 c mirin
• 3/4 c tangerine or orange juice
• 2/3 c lower-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbl sugar
• 1 tbl dark sesame oil
• 1 tbl grated tangerine or orange peel
• 1 3 in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1/8 in thick
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp chipolte chili powder
• 1 tbl cornstarch
• 1 1/2 lb shelled, deveined uncooked med shrimp
• 1/3 c sliced green onions
• 3 tbl toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Simmer mirin, tangerine juice, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, tangerine peel, ginger and chili powder in large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 min.

Combine 3 tbl water and cornstarch, stir into sauce. Simmer 1 to 2 min until thick and glossy. Add shrimp, cook 3 to 5 min or until shrimp turn pink. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Ingredients

• 8 c water
• 3/4 lb ground lamb or left-over leg of lamb cut into 3/4 in pieces
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 c yellow split peas
• 1/2 lb spinach, chopped
• 10 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c raw rice
• 2 c yogurt
• 1 tbl olive oil
• 2 tbl fresh chopped mint or 2 tsp dried mint

Preparation

Place the water, lamb, onions, split peas, spinach, scallions, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 40 min. Stir in the rice and cook over moderate heat for about 25 min, stirring occasionally. Add the yogurt. Stir 1 minute without boiling and remove from heat. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mint and stir for 1 min. Add to the soup and serve.

Ingredients

• butter
• 1 medium onion
• an equivalent amount of mushrooms (around 1 box, or 2 small cartons pre-cut mushrooms)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb, thin-cut round steak
• 2 c. container sour cream
• 3 tbsp. flour
• white wine (around ½c)
• 1 box noodles

Preparation

1. Cook a box of noodles according to package directions, stir a little butter through to keep them from sticking, and set aside.

2. Sautee mushrooms and onions in a few tablespoons of butter. Set aside.

3. Cut the steak into strips, and brown it in a few tablespoons of butter.

4. Return the mushroom and onion to the pan, and add the wine. Bring back to a boil, and simmer for a few minutes to cook down the sauce.

5. Add a few spoonfuls of sour cream from the container to the pan, stirring to combine with the beef juices.

6. Take a few tablespoons of flour (around three), and mix them into the rest of the container of the sour cream. Stir completely to prevent lumps.

7. Stir the container of sour cream (with flour) into the pan.

8. Bring the sauce back to a simmer to allow the flour to thicken the sauce, and serve it on the noodles.