Ingredients

• 1 European cucumber, peeled if desired and cut in medium dice
• Salt to taste
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded if desired, cut in thin wedges or diced
• 1 small ripe honeydew melon or cantaloupe, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice or shaped into melon balls
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon mild honey, like clover, or agave nectar
• 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil, rice bran oil or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• Fresh watercress for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Put the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink or a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

2. Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes and melon together in a bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, salt to taste, lime juice, honey and oil and toss with the fruit and vegetable mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Just before serving, toss with the herbs. Line plates with watercress if desired. Taste the salad, adjust the seasonings and serve over the watercress.

Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatoes, diced
• 3/4 pound cucumbers (1 European or 4 Persian), diced
• 1 green pepper, preferably a long green Italian frying pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Turkish or Aleppo pepper
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 ounces feta, crumbled (1/4 to 1/2 cup) (optional)
• Black olives as desired (optional)
• Romaine lettuce leaves and pita bread for serving (optional)

Preparation

Combine all of the ingredients except the olives and romaine in a large bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes toss together, taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with olives and serve, with pita bread and romaine lettuce if desired.

Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds whole small button mushrooms, wiped clean
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Gray sea salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Preparation

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms. Do not move the mushrooms until they have caramelized on the bottom. If you toss them too soon, they will release their liquid and begin to steam. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the butter. Cook and toss for 5 minutes, until beautifully browned.

Season with salt and add the garlic. Saute another 2 minutes, and add the thyme, lemon juice, and white wine. Cook to evaporate the liquid.

Toss in the parsley and serve immediately.

Michael Chiarello, Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 small bunch of young, tender greens (kale, collards, or turnip greens)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon of pimentón de La Vera
• a splash of wine vinegar

Preparation

First wash the greens in several changes of water. Remove the harder, tougher parts of the stem. (With really tender greens, much of the stem can be eaten: it has a nice crunch). Chop the greens very coarsely in ribbons.

In a heavy bottom pot or pan, fry the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant, but not browned. Remove the pan from the heat and let the oil cool some. Add a pinch of salt, the pepper flakes, or the pimentón de La Vera. Stir. Add the chopped greens, stir them until well coated with oil, and return the pot to the burner. It’s usually not necessary to add any liquid. The water clinging to the leaves is enough.

Cook the greens on medium, stirring until they wilt. Cover the pot and let them steam on low heat until tender. This usually takes 10 minutes but it may take more or less time, depending on the tenderness of the greens.

When they’re done, toss them with a splash of vinegar, if you like.

Simple Spanish Food

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• 1 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 1 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 c. cooked quinoa, cooled (~3/4 c. raw)
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-2 finely diced jalapeño peppers (optional)

Preparation

Mix everything together and serve over greens.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 6 medium beets with beet greens attached
• 2 large oranges
• 1 small sweet onion, cut through root end into thin wedges
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.

Bon Appetit, January 2004

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

• 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

Makes: 6 servings

• 9 cups water
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 white onion
• 2 1/4 pounds pumpkin or winter squash, peeled, seeded, cut in 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs epazote

Toppings: Crumbled queso fresco, chopped onion, chopped green chilies, lime quarters

Preparation

1. Combine water, 2 of the garlic cloves and salt in a stockpot. Cut one slice off the onion half; add to pot. Heat to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop remaining onion; reserve. Add pumpkin to the pot; lower heat to medium. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard onion slice and garlic.

2. Finely chop remaining 2 garlic cloves. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and chopped onion; fry until translucent, 1 minute. Add tomatoes; fry until reduced, about 5 minutes.

3. Place about 1 cup cooked pumpkin in a blender with some broth; puree. Return to pot. Add tomato mixture to soup. Season with salt if necessary. Add epazote; simmer over low heat, about 10 minutes. Set aside to season, about 30 minutes. Heat through; serve with toppings as desired.

Diana Kennedy, Chicago Tribune

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa (9 to 10 ounces), rinsed, drained
• 4 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
• 2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
• 1 3/4 cups 1/3-inch cubes unpeeled English hothouse cucumber
• 1 1-pint container multicolored baby heirloom tomatoes, halved (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled feta cheese (about 7 ounces), divided
• 1/4 cup Sherry wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation

Place quinoa in large saucepan; add enough salted water to cover quinoa by 1 inch. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 16 minutes. Drain. Chill until cool.

Meanwhile, combine spinach leaves, garbanzos, cubed cucumber, halved tomatoes, mint leaves, and half of feta cheese in extra-large bowl. Add cooled quinoa and toss gently to blend.

Whisk vinegar and smoked paprika in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining feta over.

Bon Appetit, July 2010