Yemen Honeycomb Bread (Khaliat Nahal)

YEMEN HONEYCOMB BREAD (KHALIAT NAHAL)

For the last few months, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the political climate and a tenor of hate that's been seeping into conversations, news, social media, everywhere. It feels like the floodgates have opened, and bigotry has been given a safe space to be expressed.

A bit heavy, I know, but I can't deny how I've been feeling.

Though for sure, everyone is welcome at my table (it's my go to hashtag :) and that's plain to see in all of the recipes and stories I have here on my blog, as of late, I’ve been cooking food from the (now) 6 banned Muslim countries. Some dishes are as familiar as an old friend; others are a tentative handshake with someone new. From Irani Javaher Polow, a jeweled rice which comingles in my memory with Pakistani rice dishes from my childhood, to Yemeni Khaliat Nahal, honeycomb bread rolls filled with cheese and glazed with a sweet, orange blossom-scented syrup (recipe here!), each dish is a bit of resistance. I’m doing it in part to raise awareness, but it's truly my way through: my personal means of processing this concerted exclusion. Of my parents. Of me. Of my daughter. Of so many others.

Ingredients

Yields 32 rolls

For the bread:

¼ cup lukewarm water

1 (¾) ounce packet yeast (active dry or instant)

¾ cup milk

7 tablespoons butter, softened, divided

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, beaten

3 ¾ to 4 cups all purpose flour

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, cut into 32 squares

1 tablespoon black and white sesame seeds, for garnish

For the glaze:

1/3 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon orange blossom water

For the rolls: I make this recipe in a stand mixer, but you can easily do this by hand. Start with the lukewarm water in the bowl of the stand mixer and sprinkle the packet of yeast over. Mix gently to combine and let sit 5 minutes or so while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a medium pot, bring the milk up to a simmer and add 5 tablespoons of the butter, the sugar and salt. Simmer for a minute, just until the butter melts and remove from the heat. This should not be scalding, so let it cool for a bit before adding to the mixture.

Add the egg and 3 ¾ cups of flour to the yeast mixture and mix together with a fork. Slowly pour in the milk mixture, using the fork to make a shaggy dough. Using the dough hook attachment (or your hands), knead for about 3-4 minutes. The dough should be soft and a bit tacky but should NOT stick to your hands. If it's sticky, keep adding flour in tablespoon increments until you have a non-sticky consistency. When you pull up the dough hook, the dough should slide right off.

Grease a 12 inch pie pan or cast iron skillet. Divide the dough into 32 even-sized pieces. Flatten each piece and place a cream cheese square in the middle. Form in to ball and place in the greased pan. Once all the balls have been rolled, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375˚ F.

After the rise, brush the rolls generously with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

For the glaze: Add the water and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-heat (until the sugar has dissolved). Remove from the heat and whisk in the honey and orange blossom water. Let cool while the rolls are baking.

Once the rolls are done, pour the glaze over the rolls while they are hot. Enjoy!

Crispy Miso (Baked!) Wings

CRISPY MISO (BAKED!) WINGS

Super Bowl = wings! And these are what I'm making. The spread, for me, is what it's all about…..eating "bad" (but oh-so-good) food. I figured it was time for me to up my wing game, and I’ve been slightly obsessed with putting white miso paste in everything lately. There are a ton of varieties of miso, and you can find it in any Asian grocery store in the refrigerated section. I use it in salad dressings, marinades for fish, meat and, of course, in my baked wings recipe.

I LOVE some good wings, but I wasn’t so into deep-frying them and making a splattered mess of my kitchen. But you can still get them crispy in the oven. If you crank it up high enough and cook the wings on a rack over a sheet tray - the chicken skin fat will render out, they'll stay tender AND the skin will crisp up nicely! These are slightly sweet, umami, and with a great kick. Enjoy!

Serves 6

For the marinade + wings:

½ cup white miso paste

¼ cup plus two tablespoons mirin

3-4 tablespoons sriracha (plus more if you want extra heat)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 lbs chicken wings, tips removed, drummettes and flats separated

Kosher salt

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

For the dipping sauce:

½ cup sour cream

½ lime, juiced

small handful of cilantro, chopped

Extra sriracha, to taste

For the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together the miso, mirin, sriracha, soy, sesame oil, brown sugar and rice wine vinegar. Set aside/refrigerate a half cup for the dipping sauce. Add the minced garlic to the marinade and toss the wings with it until they are thoroughly coated. Transfer to a plastic bag and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours and preferably overnight.

For the wings: Preheat oven to 400° F. Put a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside.

Transfer the marinated wings to a colander to drain, and then wipe off any excess. The marinade can burn, so you want it dry-ish. Season the wings with salt and transfer to the rack over the baking sheet. Bake the wings for about 40 minutes, rotating half way through cooking..

For the dipping sauce: In another bowl, add the reserved marinade and mix with the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro and more sriracha, depending on your heat preference.

Serve hot with the dipping sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds!

Native American Heritage Day

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY

While Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday, I (unfortunately) haven't given it a ton of thought beyond a time for family and friends to get together, reset, eat, and share some beautiful moments. The reality is the history of Thanksgiving is not so rosy, so I think I would be remiss not to pay homage to the Natives of our country.

Native American Heritage Day is the day after Thanksgiving, and it has me reminiscing about my trip to the Four Corners and the Navajo women I met and made fry bread with. It often baffles me that Native American food is so elusive to the average person (myself included!), particularly when you think about how so many of our Thanksgiving tables originated with Natives teaching us about farming. And when you think about it, it’s really just farm to table…right!? They cooked according to their regions and what the land provided for them.

Over the past couple years, more and more chefs have been trying to revive this cuisine around America; it is, after all, the true heritage of this country. As with other countries and their native cuisines, there are many different types of Native American foods based on regional tribal differences. Many cherish fry bread, and then there are some that refuse to make it because of the history of how it was born. Eater had a great article about Native American food last summer that's a good read.

Here are a few Native recipes to get you started - enjoy!

NAVAJO FRY BREAD

CEDAR-PLANKED SALMON WITH MAPLE GLAZE AND MUSTARD MASHED POTATOES

WILD RICE WITH CRANBERRIES

MAQUE CHOUX

CORN HUSK BREAD

THREE SISTERS STEW

Chipotle-Miso Butternut Squash Soup

CHIPOTLE-MISO butternut SQUASH SOUP

I know, I know - chipotle plus miso?? Obviously, this has no root in real tradition, but those flavors together are literally incredible, something I first played around with in my mind before putting them together. I love creating new soup recipes during squash season - that sweetness is the perfect canvas for spices and flavor. Squash creates such a lush, smooth, silky texture without even adding any cream so it’s the perfect option for dairy-free days.

The recipe below is for a spiced butternut squash soup, but you can easily substitute pumpkin, honeynut or kabocha squash for this recipe. Most soups call for roasting the squash first, but I skip that step here. The cubed, raw squash cooks up while it's simmering with all of the great flavors here. I love the smokiness and heat of the chipotle mixed with the umami and sweetness of the miso. Such a great, quick weeknight meal. I served it along with my pan de coco (coconut bread subbing coconut milk in this recipe)….sooooooo good!

Serves 4 to 6

2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 butternut squash, halved and seeded and cut into a 1-inch dice (optional: save the seeds for garnish)*
1/4 cup mirin**
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons white shiro miso**
1 chipotle in adobo (canned)
Salt and lemon juice, to taste
chopped chives, for garnish

In a soup pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and shallot
with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until translucent. Add the
garlic and the brown sugar and cook for another minute.

Add in the cubed squash along with the mirin and cook for 2 to 3 minutes
until the wine has mostly absorbed. Add the stock and bring up to a simmer.
Simmer for 35 minutes, partially covered, until all of the squash are
tender.

Add in the miso and chipotle and transfer to a blender or use a hand blender
to puree to your desired consistency. Season with salt and adjust acidity with lemon juice if necessary..

Serve sprinkled with chives & toasted seeds (if using).

* To toast the squash seeds, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean seeds of any pulp and dry on paper towels. Toss the seeds with oil, salt, cumin and smoked paprika. Toast in oven until golden brown about 10-15 minutes. Let cool on a tray and set aside for garnish on soup.

** Mirin is a type of Japanese rice wine. This along with the miso can be found at Whole Foods or a specialty / Asian grocer.

Breaking the Fast After Yom Kippur

BREAKING THE FAST AFTER YOM KIPPUR

Yom Kippur is arguably the most important holiday in the Jewish calendar. It marks the end of the 10 day celebration of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and translates to the “Day of Atonement”. The day is set aside to atone for the sins of the past year with a complete 25- hour fast. The fasting begins just before sunset the day before and goes until the next evening. At sunset on Yom Kippur, you have a “Breaking Fast” meal that usually includes all types of breads, cured meats and food that were cooked the day before since during fasting you are not allowed to do any work (even cooking)!

With this in my mind, I thought about easy breaking fast food, a homemade coconut bread recipe as well as some different ways to do lox.

CONCORD GRAPE HAND PIES

These are beyond easy! This is grape season, so just halve and remove the seeds from the sweetest grapes you can find. Roll out a sheet of homemade puff pastry and use a pastry cutter or overturned glass to cut out rounds. Place a small mount of the halved grapes in each circle. Fold the circle in half to make a semi circle and use a fork to press the edges down tightly. Paint with an egg wash and bake at 400° F for about 25 minutes. Done!

PAN DE COCO (WITH A TWIST)

Pan de coco is a Dominican bread that's usually a bit more flat. I combined it with my basic bread roll recipe, adding yeast to make it fluffy and light. Think a Parker House roll and Pan de Coco had a baby. It's soooo good.

Yields 16 rolls

¼ cup lukewarm water

(1) ¾ ounce packet yeast (active dry)

3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing and melting

¼ cup honey

2 ½ teaspoons salt

1 cup coconut milk

1 egg, beaten

4 – 4 ¼ cups all purpose flour

½ cup coconut flakes

Flake salt, for sprinkling

I make this recipe in a stand mixer, but you can easily do this by hand. Start with the lukewarm water in the bowl of the stand mixer and sprinkle the packet of yeast over. Mix gently to combine and let sit 5 minutes or so while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a medium pot, melt the butter. Add the honey, salt and coconut milk and heat gently until warmed through and uniform. Remove from the heat. (It shouldn’t simmer but should be warm to the touch.)

Add the egg and 3 ¾ cups of flour to the yeast mixture and mix together with a fork. Slowly pour in the milk mixture, using the fork to make a shaggy dough. Using the dough hook attachment (or your hands), knead for about 3-4 minutes. The dough should be soft and a bit tacky but should NOT stick to your hands. If it's sticky, keep adding flour in tablespoon increments until you have the right, non-sticky consistency.

For rolls, divide the dough into 16 even-sized balls and place in a heavily greased, 9-inch cake tin. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375˚ F.

After the rise, brush the rolls generously with melted butter, sprinkle with coconut flakes and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Brush again with butter once out of the oven and sprinkle with a little salt. Enjoy hot!

LOX 2 WAYS

Asian Salt & Sweet Lox

1 lb salmon filet, trimmed and all pin bones removed
1 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 cup mirin
1 or 2 fresh chilies (thai, serrano, depends on your heat tolerance), roughly chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chop (1/2 for cure, 1/2 for creme fraiche)
1 cup crème fraiche
1/2 lime, juiced

Place salmon in a large ziploc bag on a cookie (just in case the bag leaks). Whisk together the soy sauce, sugar and mirin until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture in the bag and add in the chilies, ginger and cilantro. Let as much air out of the bag as possible and seal. Put another cookie sheet on top and weight down with cans or something else heavy. Place in the fridge and let sit for 24-48 hours. After, rinse the filet under cold water until the filet is clean. Pat dry with paper towels and let it dry out a bit in the fridge before slicing.

Chop the remaining cilantro a bit more finely. In a bowl, mix together the crème fraiche with the lime juice and finely chopped cilantro. Slice the salmon with a sharp knife, serve with thecrème fraiche and enjoy!

Traditional Lox

1 lb salmon filet, trimmed and all pin bones removed
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
3 lemons, zested
2 tablespoons smoke powder (optional)

Place salmon in a large ziploc bag on a cookie (just in case the bag leaks). Mix together the remaining ingredients. Pat the mixture onto both sides of the salmon. Let as much air out of the bag as possible and seal. Put another cookie sheet on top and weight down with cans or something else heavy. Place in the fridge and let sit for 24-48 hours. After, rinse the filet under cold water until the filet is clean. Pat dry with paper towels and let it dry out a bit in the fridge before slicing. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Eggplant Dip

THE ULTIMATE EGGPLANT DIP

So I feel like the eggplant doesn’t get a lot of love! Recently, at the market, all the stands seem to have some sort of eggplant variety: the most common (classic), Japanese, white, Thai green, fairytale (those small purple ones above), Sicilian, baby. I have in the past bought the Thai green eggplants when I see them in the Asian supermarkets; they are the little green round ones that can fit in the palm of your hand and are my favorite when making a thai green curry. I just throw them in whole and let them simmer in the curry (fairytales are great for that too).

There are so many more ways to use eggplant, though - roasting and scooping out the inside to make a great dip, breading and sautéing for an eggplant parm, or just frying and making a caponata. Personally, I love fire-roasting eggplants, outside on coals or a gas grill or just over your gas stove flame. Eggplants take on incredible smokiness, so I wanted to share my favorite, smoky eggplant dip from my cookbook.

This dip is based on baba ganoush, a traditional Middle Eastern mezze of smoky eggplant purée mixed with tahini and extra virgin olive oil. I also add a dollop of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of chives to give it that rich, party-worthy dip feel. Fried fingerlings or other small potatoes are the perfect match for this! Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the eggplant dip:

3 whole Italian eggplants

1 clove roasted/raw garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon crème fraiche

Juice of half a lemon

Salt to taste

Chives, for garnish

For the fingerling chips:

canola or peanut oil for frying

1 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed, skin-on

Salt, to finish

For the eggplant dip: Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Prick the eggplants all over with a fork and then place on the open flame of a gas burner. You want to char the skin all over the eggplant to impart smokiness. If you don’t have a gas burner, you can do this on a grill or under the broiler.

Once the skin is charred and shriveling, transfer to a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven for another 25 to 30 minutes.

Let the eggplants cool before handling. Split them open and scrape out all the flesh inside into a medium bowl. Add the garlic, tahini, crème fraiche, lemon juice and salt and use a fork to mash everything together. You want to create a creamy consistency but with texture. You can also do this in the food processor if you want something smoother. Taste and readjust seasoning. Chill before serving.

For the fingerling chips: In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 3 to 4 inches of oil to 360° F. The oil should go less than halfway up the pot.

Using a mandolin or with a very sharp knife, thinly slice the fingerling potatoes and transfer to a bowl of water. Gently mix the potato slices, strain out the water and dry on paper towels. The potatoes should be completely dry before adding to the oil or they will spatter and bubble up.

Add the fingerling slices to the oil, working in batches, and fry for about 45 seconds to 2 minutes depending on how thick you sliced them. You basically want them golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and finish them with salt.

Serve the dip cold with fingerling chips on the side.

Not Your Average Oysters

NOT YOUR AVERAGE OYSTERS

It used to be that you could only eat oysters in months that end in "R", but, now oyster farming (rather than harvesting from the wild) makes them safe year-round. And nothing says summer better than a bottle of wine and fresh oysters! I recently took a day trip out to Greenport, Long Island and had some super fresh oysters at Little Creek Oysters, along with a bottle of local wine from Bedell Cellars. I love this part of Long Island; there are so many vineyards to visit and have tastings as well as an abundance of local farm stands to get fresh produce, you can even pick your own at some spots! The oysters are straight out of the Peconic Bay, and you can have them shucked or you can shuck yourself with a little lesson from the waitstaff. I went for the shuck yourself, to get down and dirty, and to earn my dozen oysters for the day!

I don’t know about you, but I like to have my first few oysters “naked”, and then I start to experiment with various toppings. If I'm in a restaurant, I'll go for a mignonette, some fresh lemon juice or a few dashes of hot sauce, but, at home, it gives me the opportunity to use all of the crazy, multi-ethnic pantry items and sauces I have in the fridge. A few thoughts:

(1) HORSERADISH - Horseradish and lemon juice are a great combo too. You can buy store bought horseradish, or if you can find the fresh root make it yourself in a food processor. (1) peel the horseradish root and chop in to a small dice (2) process in the food processor with a little salt until finely chopped (3) let sit for 5-10 minutes so the flavor strengthens….the longer the better! (4) add vinegar to preserve and give it a little cook. Adding the vinegar stops the horseradish from blooming more flavor, so make sure it’s pungent enough to your liking before heading to this step. If you want to calm down the flavors add a little sugar for a nice balance.

(2) JALAPEÑO-BASED MIGNONETTE - A classic mignonette is made with finely diced shallots, pepper and vinegar. I like to take mine a step further with some diced fresh or pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and I use apple cider vinegar to give it more of a kick!

(3) GO JAPANESE! - I love ponzu sauce, which is a Japanese, citrus-based sauce that has yuzu, lemon, sudachi and other tangy flavors. I also always have ponzu shoyu, which is a blend of ponzu with soy sauce (which you can obv do yourself). A few drops of either of these are great on oysters and can be mixed with some chili sauce for heat. A little togarashi seasoning with ponzu is also a great touch.

(4) INDIAN PICKLES & CHUTNEYS - Indian pickles and chutneys also make for great toppings for oysters. A good Indian pickle is typically a mustard-oil cured fruit or vegetable - think green mango, lime, carrots. It has a really tart bite to it, so you using it sparingly is key here. Also, a good coriander or coconut chutney is AH-MAZING on oysters with heat, sweetness, tang as is a tiny drop of tamarind paste.

(5) KIMCHI - If you happen to buy or make your own kimchi, finely chopping up a bit and throwing it on an oyster is kind of life-changing. Just saying.

(6) OTHER CHILI SAUCES - Tabasco or Frank's aren't the only hot sauces out there that work on oysters. I love Sriracha, sambal oelek or a good, West Indian pepper sauce made from scotch bonnets. Salsa verde is perfect too.

(7) MOROCCAN-STYLE - Both harissa and preserved lemons are a fantastic topping for oysters.

There are so many different ways to play around with flavors for oysters - these are just a few (for the non-purist :))! Enjoy!

All About Crab Season + Crispy Spiced Crab Cakes

ALL ABOUT CRAB SEASON + CRISPY SPICED CRAB CAKES

I’ve previously expressed my undying love for crabs with this delicious recipe , and I just wanted to re-emphasize this love (ok…obsession!) with the fact that soft shell crab season is just around the corner. Crab is one of those delicate ingredients, sweet and flaky, but can take on so many different preparations - deep-frying, pan-frying, baking, boiling, in a salad, soup, pasta, or rice dish. For me, the marriage of crab with spices and butter is absolute heaven!!

Here are a bunch of crab recipes to experiment with along with my favorite, crispy, spiced crab cakes!

SOFT SHELL CRAB WITH CURRY BUTTER

Even though we are able to have crabs all year round, the soft shell crab is one of the varieties that has a true farming season (mid May - September, depending on the temperatures of the water). During this time, the blue crab is molting its shell in order to grow in to a new, larger one. When the crab loses (pretty much ejects itself from) its shell, they have to be taken out of the water immediately and harvested before they begin to grow their new, hard shell…you know the one that takes forever to crush and get to the juicy, delicious meat.

As with most shellfish, it’s best to purchase live and take home immediately. Taking home a lobster and throwing in a pot of boiling water, or (gasp) sticking a knife in the head before throwing in said boiling water is a whole lot easier (in the sense of being humane and having less guilt) than cutting off the face of the soft shell crab, ripping out the gills from behind the face and then removing the apron on the underside of the crab….you tell me! But, if you are adventurous in your cooking and you choose to tackle this task, this is a great step by step for cleaning them at home (and good luck to you, I will continue to have my local fishmonger clean them for me…thanks!).

SINGAPOREAN BLACK PEPPER SNOW CRAB

I will never forget when I was vacationing in Hawaii having dinner at this completely ordinary looking restaurant and ordering a variety of sushi, one of which was a crab roll. Crab roll - what comes to mind? The fake crab meat that's good...but not great. When the food arrived, the crab roll was ridiculous, not to mention all the other sushi! I’m talking fresh, amazing, shredded snow crab meat explosion wrapped in seaweed. My mouth is watering just thinking about this meal again. If you have the chance to experience fresh, just caught snow crab you should definitely jump at the chance. This recipe is a delicious, simple way to enjoy the legs as well.

TRINIDAD CALLALOO WITH CRAB

CRACKED DUNGENESS CRAB WITH LEMONGRASS, BLACK PEPPER & BASIL

Unfortunately, due to this crazy weather we have been having this year (thanks El Nino), Dungeness crab season has had a late start on the West coast. The season finally kicked off at the end of March and ends in June. I love the sweetness of this crab meat - it complements different flavors so well and also is just perfect on its own with a bit of drawn butter.

STONE CRABS

Stone crabs are one of my favorite types, and especially since I found out how they are harvested. The crabs are caught and one claw is removed and then the bodies thrown back in the water to regrow their claws (allowing it to have one to fend off predators). How amazing! As with most crab legs, these are great just steamed with a great mustard sauce or clarified butter.

CRAB CAKES WITH MUSTARD SEEDS & PARSNIPS

Serves 4-6; Yields 15 to 16 crab cakes

1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into a medium dice

2-3 tablespoons canola oil plus more for frying

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

8 curry leaves (optional)

1 large shallot, finely minced

1-2 red and/or green chiles, finely chopped (ex. red jalapeno, jalapeno, thai)

3 - 4 garlic cloves

1 pound jumbo lump or lump crabmeat, drained and picked through for any shells

¾ cup breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

handful of fresh herbs (chives, cilantro, parsley), roughly chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter for frying

kosher salt to taste

In a medium pot, cover parsnips with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring up to a boil and cook for 6-8 minutes until fork tender. Drain and pass through a ricer (best) or mash with a potato masher and let cool.

While the parsnips are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves if using, and, when they start to pop, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the shallots, chili and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallots are translucent, remove and let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine crab with the pureed parsnips, the shallot mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and herbs. Form into 2 ¼ inch patties and let chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

In a large sauté pan, heat 1/8” of oil with 1 tablespoon of butter. Fry each crab cake 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and removed to a papertowel-lined plate to drain.

Finish crab cakes with a sprinkle of salt as soon as they are out of the oil and serve hot.

Freezing: These guys freeze really well, and I love to make a double batch to keep some on hand for a quick weeknight meal. Just let them thaw for a few hours in the fridge before frying up!

Smoked Ricotta Gnocchi with Ramps, Favas & Thai Green Curry

SMOKED RICOTTA GNOCCHI WITH RAMPS, FAVAS & THAI GREEN CURRY

Inspiration can come from anywhere, and this dish started because I bought a tub of smoked ricotta and it loomed in the fridge. There were some stray egg yolks as well, and I thought about how I could use it all up: a ricotta tart, savoury cheesecake...but ultimately landed on making gnocchi.

When I mentioned it to my girlfriend, she told me a secret her grandma used for her gnocchi, which she said were the ultimate. Potato flakes! Instant. Mashed. Potatoes. And her grandma was a genius! So in playing around with making the ricotta gnocchi, I added some in, and light, fluffy (without any dough-y taste) gnocchi resulted.

I also happened to be working on a spring thai curry with ramps and favas and dipped one of the butter-browned gnocchi in because why not. So this dish!

If you scroll down, you may decide that there is an insane amount of work to make this dish. But I think what's great is that there are elements to play around with to do from scratch or decide not to: You can use store-bought gnocchi. You can make the gnocchi with regular ricotta instead of smoked. You can just make the curry and throw some fish and shrimp in (which is what I did with the leftover curry!). You can leave out some of the hard-to-find Thai ingredients and still have an amazing dish. I've played around with all of these, and it's still damn good.

And this Thai green curry is everything you want in a Thai curry - super spicy (seriously not for the faint of heart) with that beautiful lemongrass-ginger-kaffir lime fragrance and brightness from Thai basil. And it only takes 10 minutes to make. So so good...

Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the gnocchi:

8-ounce container ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk

1 egg yolk

1 egg

½ cups freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1 ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup potato flakes

¼ cup "00" or all purpose flour

½ stick unsalted butter

For the curry:

2 cans (13.5 ounces) coconut milk (full fat)

4 tablespoons Thai green curry paste*

½ cup water

1½ teaspoons palm / coconut sugar or brown sugar

6 kaffir lime leaves

4 ramps, top leaves chopped and bottom stems left in tact (about 1 ½ inches at the bottom)

1 lemongrass stalk, outer leaves removed and inner stalk finely chopped (optional)

½ inch piece of galangal, thinly sliced (optional)

¼ cup fava beans, shelled & peeled

2/3 cup green beans, snipped and halved

1 tbsp fish sauce

Garnishes: handful of chopped fresh cilantro, handful of chopped Thai basil and 4 halved Thai chilies

For the gnocchi:

Set a large pot of water on the fire to bring up to a boil while you are prepping the gnocchi. Remember to salt the water heavily once it’s up to a boil.

First, you want to dry out the ricotta a bit. You can drain or just blot your ricotta with paper towels depending on how much moisture it has.

In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg yolk, egg, Parmesan, salt and some freshly ground black pepper using a wooden spoon or a spatula. You want the mixture to be uniform. Add in the potato flakes and flour and fold until incorporated.

On a floured surface, mold dough into a circular disc. Cut into 4 quadrants using a pastry cutter or a knife. Roll each quadrant out into a 12-inch cylinder and then cut into 8 to 10 gnocchi.

You can cook these right away or freeze to cook later. If you are freezing to cook later, let them freeze on a floured baking sheet with space in between each gnocchi before putting them in plastic bags. That way, they won’t stick together.

Add gnocchi gently to the boiling, salted water and cook for about 3 minutes or until the gnocchi float for about 30 seconds. If you are cooking all of these, I wouldn’t do them all at the same time – break it up into 3 rounds of boiling.

If you are cooking from frozen, add on an extra minute or two and follow the same rule for floating.

For the curry:

Start with the canned coconut milk. Don’t shake the cans before using! You want to take the thickened coconut cream from the top of one can and sauté in a medium saucepan. Saute for about 6 to 8 minutes over medium-high heat until it breaks and looks a bit curdled. Add the Thai green curry paste and sauté for another 5 minutes. You want to cook out any rawness in the curry paste.

Add in the remaining coconut milk, water, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, ramps, lemongrass and galangal (if using), and bring up to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in the fava beans and green beans and simmer another 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and add in the fish sauce, Thai basil, cilantro and chilies. Cover and let sit 5 to 10 minutes to infuse.

To serve:

In a skillet, melt the butter until it browns. Add in the gnocchi and sauté for about 1 minute per side to crispy brown. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Spoon the curry into the bowls and top with the gnocchi and extra basil and cilantro, if desired.

*I like Maesri.

A Bread Dough You Can Use for Everything

A BREAD DOUGH YOU CAN USE FOR EVERYTHING

Lately, I've been mildly obsessed with baking my own bread and not just your basic quick bread: the real stuff with yeast and what not. It always seemed so time-consuming - brioches with 5 steps and 2 rising times, cinnamon buns that proof in the refrigerator overnight, sourdoughs with starters, weighing ingredients, waiting for them to rise....(I hope I haven't talked you out of reading on!)

Well, this recipe is none of those. It's what I call my "universal" bread dough - a simple bread dough that requires only (1) 45-minute rise and can be used to make everything from soft, buttery, fluffy rolls, to cheese-stuffed buns or even pull-apart bread. It's weeknight bread. It's weekend-morning-made-THAT-morning bread. It's guests-are-about-to-arrive bread. It's everything.

I'm going to share the basic recipe and then some thoughts for ways to transform it. I'm still experimenting myself with it...like every few days, so expect some more versions of this on Insta!

Yields 16 rolls

¼ cup lukewarm water

(1) ¾ ounce packet yeast (active dry)

1 cup milk

¼ cup honey

3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing and melting

2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, beaten

3 ¾ to 4 cups all purpose or "00" flour*

Flake salt, for sprinkling

I make this recipe in a stand mixer, but you can easily do this by hand. Start with the lukewarm water in the bowl of the stand mixer and sprinkle the packet of yeast over. Mix gently to combine and let sit 5 minutes or so while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a medium pot, bring the milk up to a simmer and add the honey, butter and salt. Simmer for a minute or two, just until the butter melts and remove from the heat.

Add the egg and 3 ¾ cups of flour to the yeast mixture and mix together with a fork. Slowly pour in the milk mixture, using the fork to make a shaggy dough. Using the dough hook attachment (or your hands), knead for about 3-4 minutes. The dough should be soft and a bit tacky but should NOT stick to your hands. If it's sticky, keep adding flour in tablespoon increments until you have the right, non-sticky consistency.

For rolls, divide the dough into 16 even-sized balls and place in a greased, 9-inch cake tin. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375˚ F.

After the rise, brush the rolls generously with melted butter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Brush again with butter once out of the oven and sprinkle with a little flake salt. Enjoy hot!

*For the rolls, I used all purpose flour, but for the savoury buns, I used 00 flour, which yielded a more delicate, fluffier texture.

Some fun options:

(1) Before baking, but after brushing with butter, sprinkle with spices! Thing za'atar, an everything bagel spice blend (!!), furikake, simple nigella seeds...

(2) To make the savoury buns, roll out the dough into an 18"x12" rectangle and place it in front of you with one of the longer sides near you (a horizontal rectangle). Mix together a stick of unsalted, room temperature butter with a half packet of softened, Boursin cheese. You could also use regular cream cheese and then add in your own garlic, roasted garlic, chives, other herbs. Spread this mixture all over the dough and sprinkle with a bit of salt. You can also use other cheeses here by themselves or in addition to the cream cheese - mozzarella, a mexican blend....Roll the dough, starting with long side near you to form a cylinder, and then place in the freezer for five to ten minutes to make it easier to cut. Use a serrated knife and cut the rolls into 1 ½-inch thick rolls. Place cut side down in the greased tin. Let rise an hour. Brush with butter and bake at 375˚ F for closer to 40 minutes, until the buns are uniformly golden brown.

(3) For pull apart bread, roll into a 6"x14" rectangle and cut into 12 pieces. Spread the butter / cheese mixture on 11 of the pieces. Stack layers horizontally in a parchment-lined loaf pan, ending with the non-buttered piece to book-end. Cover and let rise. Spread the remaining butter-cheese mixture on top with a sprinkle of salt before baking. Bake at 375˚ F for closer to 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Cover towards the end of baking if the cheese is browning too much. (By the way, the photo to the side is a pull-apart cinnamon scone bread, but just wanted to give everyone an idea for what it could look like!)

Enjoy!!

Link Love: Step Up Your Easter Cooking

LINK LOVE: STEP UP YOUR EASTER COOKING

Easter is such a fun holiday to cook for! With the beginning of Spring, the meal just signifies all the good, fresh food to come! So, with this in mind, I wanted to share some of the recipes that have been inspiring me this year (because I'm honestly still on the fence for my menu)! Enjoy!

SLOW ROASTED LAMB PAPPARDELLE WITH GARDEN PEAS & MINT

GRILLED LAMB WITH HARICOT VERT AND COCONUT MILK BROTH

FRESH HAM WITH HONEY & CLOVES

CACIO E PEPE POTATOES

POTATO LEEK AU GRATIN

SIMPLY SAUTEED GARLICKY PEA SHOOTS

FARRO & ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH SESAME-MISO DRESSING

SKY HIGH LEMON MERINGUE PIE

MOLTEN HALVA LAVA CAKES

KOMBUCHA HOLIDAY PUNCH

How to Make Your Every Day Salad Taste Good

HOW TO MAKE YOUR EVERY DAY SALAD TASTE GOOD

With spring on its way, I’m getting super impatient waiting for the fresh greens and veggies that are about to explode at the farmers' markets. For me, and I feel like a lot of others, when the weather gets warmer I start to crave lighter, healthier foods. The thought of a winter pot roast just isn’t doing it for me anymore. But, truthfully, I'm not the biggest salad person! I have, however, mastered how to dress up a salad (in a healthy way) to make it more appealing to a big eater like me, combining flavors and textures to make it crave-worthy. Thought I would share a few of these tips with you guys!

THE BEST MIX-INS

You've got the greens - now what? I think the perfect salad has a great raw base but works in one or two cooked elements. Roasted beets and salad always seem to go hand in hand with me; a mixture of golden and red roasted with shallot, garlic, olive oil, fresh thyme and marjoram are the best. If you aren't a beet fan, roasted sweet potatoes, squash, fennel, cherry tomatoes or asparagus are delicious. A simple blanching of veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, etc…) is easy too - bring water to a boil, salt heavily, add veggies for a minute or two max depending on how large the cuts are and then shock the drained veggies in ice water. You just want to get rid of that raw bite and keep the vibrant colors. I love to keep blanched veggies in the fridge to throw into salads or even a fried rice....ok, back to salads! :)

HERB IT UP

Fresh herbs are aromatic, healthy and go a long way in adding flavor with just a light chop and toss in (cilantro, parley, basil, dill, mint!) There's this one stall at my local market that has amazing micro greens and mustard greens. I love the spicy bite I get when I have a mixture of mustards greens with my regular green mix….such a great surprise. Mint and cilantro are my favorite combo though - they just add such brightness and cut some of the bitterness of other greens.

MAKE A KILLER DRESSING

The dressing makes all the difference. I always have olive oil, sherry vinegar, dijon mustard and lemons on hand. A super simple vinaigrette and always a hit!

We don't always think of oils as important, but it can completely change the flavor of a dressing. Lately, I've been using grapeseed oil for a more milder flavor than EVOO; for me, I find extra virgin gets bitter so easily. Other great oils are avocado oil (it has a faint aniseed flavor to it), hazelnut oil, walnut, macadamia and, of course, sesame oil. Infused oils also add great flavor - think rosemary, garlic, and, of course, truffle.

Once you have the base of your vinaigrette figured out you can then add other ingredients to create a creamy dressing without the cream. Mustard is an incredible emulsifier, the ingredient that makes a dressing thick, but there are so many other things you can add to do that. My current fave is tossing some roasted shallots and garlic in the blender with dijon, sherry vinegar and grapeseed oil - so tangy and delicious. Other great ingredients for a creamy dressing without the cream are tahini, miso, yogurt, avocado, and almond butter (or any nut butter, really). Also, jam or jelly makes a great emulsifier, so if you like a touch of sweetness, try a tablespoon or two of currant or berry preserves.

ADD SOMETHING PICKLED

Pickled chilies are a staple in my fridge. I pretty much put them on everything I eat, so why not salad? A little sour and a little heat….sooo good! Olives are a no brainer - nice plump, juicy kalamata or green, stuffed with blue cheese. Capers are a nice little pop of salty goodness which, by the way, are made even more delicious if you deep fry them! You can also do a quick pickle of other veggies like radishes, red onion and daikon for a nice crunchy texture, or, if you are a bit experimental, of dried fruit. Pickled raisins, sultanas or even cherries add a great sweet-sour bite.

CROUTON ALTERNATIVES

Love the crunchy topping of croutons but don’t want to eat the bread!? There are lots of crunchy alternatives. Of course, nuts are always a great option, but my latest experiment was with red quinoa. I simply soaked as usual for 10-15 minutes and baked it in the oven until crispy! You can also do it on the stove top. Buckwheat is another great grain to toast up - some grocers even sell it toasted. Sev is also a great crunchy alternative. It is an Indian snack made out of seasoned chick pea flour paste and deep fried. They come in various sizes, but are very thin…thinner than the crunchy chow mien noodles you usually see on “Asian” salads.

TOP IT OFF WITH A SPICE BLEND

I often see people add salt and pepper to their salads before eating, so why not make a spice blend to give it more depth of flavor. Egyptian Dukkah is always a great go-to. Za'atar (usually a combination of sumac, sesame seeds and thyme) adds a sort of tangy and nutty flavor to any dish. Advieh is a Persian spice mix usually containing dried rose petals, cardamon, cinnamon and cumin, so warming and aromatic. You can find these spice blends at the store if you aren’t the spice blending type of person. I also stock up on Japanese rice seasoning blends (furikake) for a quick shake of flavor on my salad. They usually have bonito flakes, dried seaweed and sesame seeds in them adding a little saltiness to your salad.

Enjoy!

Tagliatelle with Maitake Mushrooms, Pickled Chilies & Egyptian Dukkah

TAGLIATELLE WITH MAITAKES, PICKLED CHILIES & EGYPTIAN DUKKAH

Winter and pasta for me go hand-in-hand, and, as always, I love to get a little experimental with flavor combos.

Maitake mushrooms are such a favorite – they are meaty and nutty (and have actually replaced my weekend bacon, if you can believe!). I did a pop-up dinner at a little store in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I created this dish for the dinner. Hard, pan-roasting the mushrooms and finishing them with butter and salt make them irresistable and is a key step in the recipe. They need a proper sear to bring out what’s best in this dish.

The sauce is super thin and easy and gets an extra hit from the pickled pepper juice. I top up the pasta with some of the actual pickled peppers, chopped cilantro, and Egyptian dukkah, a gorgeous nut and spice blend with coriander that complements the mushrooms beautifully.

This can be as homemade or not as you want. You can use my fresh pasta recipe or store-bought. You can pickle your own cherry peppers or grab a jar at the grocer. And the spice blend, Egyptian dukkah, can be bought from a specialty store, or you can use my recipe below - it stores for a month, so have fun sprinkling it on salads, a nice, seared piece of fish or on your next rice bowl. Enjoy!

Serves 6

1 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle

1-2 tablespoons canola oil

4-5 tablespoons unsalted , divided

2 (8 ounce) maitake mushrooms, hand torn into bite-sized pieces

1 shallot, finely chopped

3 cloves fresh or roasted garlic, minced

¼ cup white wine

¾ cup chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

¼ cup pasta water

scant ¼ cup pickled cherry peppers, juice reserved

small handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Egyptian dukkah

salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil and season generously with salt until the water tastes salty. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still a bit firm to the bite, about 8 to 10 minutes if dry or according to package directions if fresh. Drain pasta reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the tablespoon of canola oil, and when the oil starts to smoke, add the maitake mushrooms in a single layer. If they don’t all fit, you may need to repeat the process depending on the size of your skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. The cooked side of the mushroom should be golden brown and crispy. Flip the mushrooms and throw in 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter. Season the mushrooms generously and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove mushrooms using tongs to a paper towel-lined plate. If repeating, use the other tablespoon of canola oil and only 1 more tablespoon of butter.

Lower the heat to medium-low, add another tablespoon of butter and the shallots and garlic with a bit of salt. Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the shallots are translucent. Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the white wine. Reduce until most of the wine has evaporated and the shallots are almost dry. Then, add in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and pasta water. Reduce in half. The sauce should coat a spoon but shouldn’t be too thick.

Remove the sauce from the heat and swirl in a final tablespoon of butter along with 2 teaspoons of the pickled cherry pepper juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Throw in the pasta, maitakes and chopped cilantro and toss to coat.

Serve immediately garnished with a few pickled cherry peppers and about 1 teaspoon of Egyptian dukkah per plate.

Egyptian Dukkah

Yields approx 1 ½ cups

¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly crushed

¼ cup pistachios, roughly crushed

½ cup white sesame seeds

¼ cup coriander seeds

2 tablespoons white cumin seeds

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

2 tablespoons dried mint

pinch of chili powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Preheat the oven to 350° F. As opposed to toasting in the skillet, I like to toast this blend up in the oven so the nuts and spices toast evenly.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the hazelnuts, pistachios and all of the seeds and make sure they are in a single layer. Toast for 8 to 10 minutes – you should smell a really nutty fragrance.

Transfer toasted nuts and spices to a mortar and pestle or a spice / coffee grinder. I like a slightly rough texture for this, so grind until there are still bits and pieces and it’s not completely powder.

Combine with the dried mint, chili powder, black pepper and salt. Store in an airtight container, preferably in a cool spot – it will keep for about a month.

Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italian and Beyond!)

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES (ITALIAN AND BEYOND!)

It’s only a few days to Christmas and time to commit to a decision on what to make for your holiday dinner (if you haven't already!). The thought of turkey makes you cringe, with good reason….so what else is there to make? In my house, the go-to for Christmas dinner is always a plump, juicy roast (think standing rib roast or rack of lamb), but this year I am inspired by the ‘Feast of the Seven Fishes’, which is a traditional Italian celebration on Christmas Eve. This meal typically consists of 7 seafood and fish dishes but I've seen some families have upwards of 10! I'm sticking to 3 or 4, thank you. After enduring a 3 day food coma from Thanksgiving, the thought of an array of light seafood dishes for Christmas sounds delicious and not overly filling (not to mention getting a kick start on that New Year's resolution of eating healthy!).

FIRST COURSE: EASY APPETIZER

I like to have a couple simple snacks ready for when guests arrive. Everyone always arrives hungry and ready to eat, and this means they can snack and stay out of the kitchen! ;) Small bites or spreads are best for this feast since there are many more courses to come, so try to keep it simple and easy to make ahead! I love this Peruvian Clams à la Parmesana recipe that's in my cookbook. I learned about these in Lima, clams with a little chili paste, garlic and pisco and then topped with buttery-parmesan breadcrumbs. You can assemble them ahead of time and pop them in when guests arrive - they only take 3 minutes under the broiler! These Quinoa-Crusted Shrimp are another great, healthy option.

SECOND COURSE: RAW BAR OR SEAFOOD SALAD

For me, nothing beats a great raw bar to truly showcase the flavors of the sea. Stone crabs, cooked lobster, or gorgeous jumbo shrimp served with a flavorful cocktail or tarator sauce are showstoppers. Pair with a seasonal salad (think: fennel, mache, oranges and pomegranate) with a bit of balsamic and oil.

THIRD COURSE: HEARTY, WHOLE FISH

This course and the next should be the big dishes, the ones that showcase the entire meal. A whole fish, such as red snapper or striped bass would be perfect here with a couple side dishes to go along. A whole fish doesn't have to be daunting, and salt-crusting is the perfect technique! Take 4 cups kosher salt plus 8 egg whites and thoroughly mix together. Make a bed on the baking pan with the salt mixture, lay the fish on top and add a thick coating on top, patting down to seal it all around. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes at 400° F. Crack open the salt layer with a spoon and peel back the skin for the most tender, flavorful (not salty I swear!) fish you've had. Serve with your favorite chili-garlic sauce, chermoula or a lemon-basil vinaigrette.

FOURTH COURSE: PASTA OR, IN MY CASE, PAELLA!

If we were creating a traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes, this course would showcase a pasta dish. But, since the feast is just a guideline to this epic meal, I am choosing to replace the pasta with a delicious seafood paella recipe. The key to a great paella is the rice! You can use short grain rice but if you can find it, bomba rice is what most fine-dining restaurants use and is the traditional rice for this dish. And remember, you want that crunchy rice on the bottom of the pan….that’s the best part!

FIFTH COURSE: SOUP OR SEAFOOD STEW

Yes, can you believe it? We are still eating! If you have room after consuming the previous courses, take it down a notch with a warm brothy seafood or fish soup. This recipe for Ginger Crab is nothing short of amazing and is the type of food I grew up eating - food particular to the East Coast of Africa that blends all that's amazing about African, Indian and Arab foods.

FINALLY: PALATE CLEANSER + DESSERT!

Ok, so I’m combining the last two courses because I just don’t think I can eat anymore at this point! A great palate cleanser could be a simple citrus sorbet or semifreddo. The traditional dessert with this feast is an array of Italian cookies, but since we are skipping the sixth course, I’ve decided to do a decadent South African Cape Malva pudding, a moist, butter-y cake with caramelized edges steeped in a warm brandy sauce. Done!

Enjoy!

Black Friday Brunch

BLACK FRIDAY BRUNCH

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and your fridge is filled with leftovers! You can't think about cooking another thing for the rest of the week. This is my favorite time to be creative and come up with new ways to re-purpose the delicious meal from the night before (instead of just reheating the same old plate). And why not turn the dreaded Black Friday into a yummy brunch day with friends and family while having them help you clear out your fridge!

THE TURKEY

Everyone’s go-to the day after will most likely be a quick turkey sandwich or a one pot hash mix up, but there are so many other options out there to choose from! The word brunch and "benedict" go hand-in-hand so why not a Turkey Benedict? A traditional eggs benedict is your basic starting point and can be played up with whatever your leftover situation looks like.

- Let's start with the base: instead of using English muffins on the bottom, use any leftover parker house rolls or biscuits. If you’re feeling really adventurous with your Benedict, you can even use the stuffing as the base and just mold in to a patty and sear in a pan on the stove to give it a nice crust. You could even crumb coat leftover mashed potatoes to make a patty.

- Next comes the bacon. Substitute here with your turkey or ham (or short ribs in my case!), if that’s what you cooked…or both if you’re like my family and completely over do Thanksgiving! I like to warm them up in a sauce pan real quick.

- Get some eggs poaching: bring a pot of water to boil, and once it comes to a rolling boil, add a couple tablespoons of white vinegar - this will help the eggs stay together once in the water. Stir the water a bit and drop the egg in slowly, as close to the surface of the water as you can without poaching your fingers!

- The finishing touch: sauce. Hollandaise with the runny yolk is what makes this dish, but I’ve come across some recipes that use the gravy instead (equally delicious). Warm up some of the leftover gravy in the pot and pour away once the benedict is assembled!

- For the vegetarian option, omit the turkey and add any leftover vegetable side you might have (think creamed spinach or roasted brussels sprouts). The possibilities are endless with this dish, you can’t go wrong!

THE VEGETABLE SIDES

Another no-brainer when it comes to brunch is quiche. I love quiche because you can pretty much fill them with whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand…hopefully you over-shopped and have an extra pie crust in your freezer or some puff pastry lying around to make your life easier! If not, use my crab and callaloo quiche recipe as a starting point for your crust and quiche procedure (think roasted brussels sprouts and bacon quiche, green bean casserole, stuffing and turkey quiche etc…) so easy! Don’t have a ready made pie crust and don’t feel like dealing with homemade dough? Try this frittata recipe and replace the butternut squash with your chosen Thanksgiving leftover (even better if you do have leftover squash!).

MASHED POTATOES & STUFFING

Honestly, I can just eat the stuffing the next day right out of the fridge (and may even be too lazy to heat it up...) - it is so delicious and something I really only cook once a year…so why not!? But if you want quick bites to initially satisfy your hungry brunch guests these recipes for croquettes, samosas and steam buns are the most genius way to combine stuffing, mashed potatoes and your turkey leftovers…who knew!?

CRANBERRY SAUCE

What to do with the massive amount of leftover cranberry sauce? Make some pancakes, waffles, or use my recipe for these breakfast clafoutis and substitute the cranberry sauce for the mixed berries, so delicious and compliments the season so well! For a more savory recipe, try this cranberry and brie puffed pastry bite. Also, how good would leftover cranberry sauce be, as is, on top of spiced potato samosas?!?

Enjoy the holiday everyone!

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A BREAD DOUGH YOU CAN USE FOR EVERYTHING

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TAGLIATELLE WITH MAITAKES, PICKLED CHILIES & EGYPTIAN DUKKAH

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES (ITALIAN AND BEYOND!)

BLACK FRIDAY BRUNCH