Nan-e Barbari (Persian Flatbread)

NAN-E BARBARI

I know - I've been going a bit bread and baking crazy on here. But THIS! Nan-e barbari, more commonly known as Persian flatbread, is a very thick flatbread that is popular in Iran. It is similar to Indian naan in shape and cooking technique, but is pretty unique and spectacular with it's grooves and coating of nigella and sesame seeds. I call it "statement bread".

Nan-e barbari requires 2 rises but literally cooks within 20 minutes on a well heated stone in the oven. There is also a paste that the bread is coated with called a roomal that gives the bread its crispy texture and golden brown color. This flatbread is most commonly eaten as a breakfast bread, served with a type of feta cheese, clotted cream or jam, but I love it fresh out of the oven with dinner - to scoop up a curry or stew or hug some grilled kebabs.

I use a preheated pizza stone to bake this, but you can also use a cookie sheet. Just know that you might not get as nice a crunch on the bottom of the flatbread.

Enjoy!

For the Dough:
1 packet active dry yeast
1 ¾ cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons sugar
3 ¾ - 4 cups bread flour (plus more for coating pizza peel)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Paste (Roomal):
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup water
pinch of sugar

Garnish: nigella seeds and/or white sesame seeds

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add the yeast, water and sugar and let stand for 10 minutes until it begins to foam. If it doesn’t begin to foam at this point, your yeast may be bad and the dough may not rise properly. With the mixer on low, slowly add the bread flour and salt until a shaggy dough forms. Put the mixer on medium and let knead until a soft, smooth dough has formed (5 to 7 minutes). You may get a little sticking to the bottom - that’s ok! Remove the dough from the mixing bowl, form in to a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl to rise in a warm area, covered, for about an hour or until it doubles in size.

Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down and separate into two equal pieces. Shape each dough into a long oval. Place each oval on a parchment lined cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap to allow to rise for another 30 - 45 minutes.

While the dough is on its second rise, preheat the oven to 450° F and allow the pizza stone to heat for 30 minutes or more on the bottom shelf.

You can also start making the roomal. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all of the roomal ingredients and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until the paste coats the back of your spoon and has deepened in color. Remove from heat and set aside.

If you have a pizza peel/paddle, lightly coat with flour and place one of the pieces of dough on it (you can also use the back of a cookie sheet or a cookie sheet that has no raised sides). Make sure the dough can easily slide off so you have no issues when transferring it to the hot pizza stone. Press down on the dough and release some of the air. Using the side of your pinky finger, gently press down the length of the dough to make the grooves, trying not to go all the way through the dough. Do this about 4-5 times. You can also go back over the grooves with your fingers if you want a deeper indent - up to you! Brush the dough all over with the roomal and sprinkle with the nigella seeds and/or sesame seeds.

Gently slide the bread on to the preheated pizza stone and cook in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. While the first piece of dough is cooking, prepare the other half.
Barbari is best served warm, or at room temp.

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!

The Festival of Lights

THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

This year, Christmas and Hanukkah land on the same day, and this has me thinking about lots of shared traditions and stories....and, of course, dessert! If you have ever had the pleasure of enjoying a traditional Jewish meal on one of their many holidays, you understand the connection. There’s nothing more extravagant and plentiful than a homemade Jewish feast and just when you think you can’t eat any more after dinner, the table gets cleared and rows and rows of sweet treats are placed in front of you! From rugelach (my daughter's fave) to chocolate-covered matzo to coconut macaroons, it’s truly amazing for a dessert lover.

For Hanukkah, the main dessert is sufganiyot, which is effectively a cultural jelly doughnut! For the Festival of Lights, sufganiyot symbolizes the burning lamps in the ancient holy temple in Jerusalem. Below is a fantastic recipe for these treats as well as a few others to round out the holiday table. Enjoy and a very happy holiday season to you all!

STRAWBERRY SUFGANIYOT

THE BEST RUGELACH!

BETTER CHOCOLATE BABKA

BLACK SESAME DONUTS WITH DATE MOLASSES

BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES

COCONUT MACAROONS

Homemade Chicken Thigh Shoyu Ramen

HOMEMADE CHICKEN THIGH SHOYU RAMEN

Secretly, when I go out of town, my husband goes to the store and buys instant ramen noodles. He won't admit it or mention it when I'm gone, but I come back to the evidence stuffed in our trash can...

I decided to try to make ramen from scratch and outdo the store bought stuff! Although, traditional ramen can take up to 3 days to make a proper broth, etc., I was not up to that task. I was a bit under the weather and wanted this ramen to do double duty as my medicinal chicken soup. SO I decided to do a delicious homemade chicken stock, infuse it with a little kombu and finish it with a shoyu-based tare. All of the terms are a bit confusing, but Serious Eats does a great breakdown of all of the different types of ramen.

The best part of ramen are the fixings! What to put in your ramen? I used crispy chicken thighs, sliced red chilies, bean sprouts, baby bok choy, corn, scallions and some enoki mushrooms, and this kept it super fresh and light. Whenever I’m in the Japanese store getting ingredients, I also pick up a few packs of fish balls from the freezer section. These are made from fish paste, cook up quickly and taste delicious in ramen, particularly if you just make a simple dashi base (water + kombu + bonito flakes). But you can get creative here: leftover chicken, spinach, ground beef, pork belly……whatever you want! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

For the Dashi and Tare:

2 quarts homemade or store-bought chicken stock

1 (10” x 4”) piece of kombu, wiped clean with a damp cloth

¼ cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

2 tablespoons mirin

3 tablespoons sake

For the Ramen:

3 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if necessary

4 – 6 boneless chicken thighs, skin-on and room temperature

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

4-6 (3 oz) packages dried ramen noodles (if using fresh or homemade, replace each 3 oz dried with 5 oz. fresh)**

2 to 3 pieces baby bok choy, halved

½ cup enoki mushrooms, cleaned

3 large eggs, soft boiled*

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 small red chilies, thinly sliced

2/3 cup corn, cooked

Salt, to taste

Other optional garnishes: togarashi, nori sheets, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), white pepper

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

For the dashi and tare:

Place the 2 quarts stock in a large pot and add the kombu. Let soak 30 minutes. Slowly, bring the stock up to a simmer and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the kombu and discard. Reserve the stock in the pot until ready to serve.

In a separate bowl, combine the shoyu, mirin and sake and set aside.

For the Ramen:

In a large sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Make sure the chicken thighs are very dry and season on both sides with salt. Place the thighs skin-side down in the hot pan and lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until the skin crisps. Flip and cook another minute. Transfer to a sheet pan and finish in the oven for 10 minutes. Let rest about 5 minutes and then slice the thighs to desired thickness.

In the same pan, add the minced garlic. If the thighs haven’t rendered enough fat/drippings, add a little more oil, just enough to coat the garlic. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until browned. Strain infused oil into a bowl and add the sesame oil. If you want, you can also blend the oil with the garlic to make it extra potent. Set aside until ready to serve.

Heat a large pot of water. Boil noodles per package directions until al dente. Drain.

To Assemble:

Bring infused stock up to a boil and add the shoyu mixture.

Divide the cooked noodles and broth between the bowls. Top with the sliced chicken, bok choy, enoki mushrooms, eggs, scallions, sliced chilies and corn. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of the garlic sesame oil over each bowl.

Serve immediately.

*Eggs should be boiled only for about 7 minutes. The yolk shouldn’t be completely set.

**If you are up to the task, making your own ramen noodles from scratch can be fun. Ramen noodles aren’t just your average pasta noodle - they have to be able to stand up to sitting in a bowl of hot broth and keeping their signature chewy texture. If you were to use a regular pasta dough, the noodles would be overcooked by the time you got through the entire bowl.

What gives ramen noodles their texture and color, believe it or not, is the addition of one particular ingredient: Kansui, or alkaline minerals. It’s difficult to find this ingredient if you don’t have a good Japanese store near you, but you can make it at home, I bet you have it in your pantry right now! Baking soda. All you have to do is bake the soda for an hour at a low temp to change the properties from bicarbonate to carbonate. It’s really that simple!

For the Noodles:

3 g baking soda
150 g lukewarm water
2 g sea salt
300 g all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 250° F. Sprinkle the baking soda on a sheet tray and bake it in oven for about an hour. You can bake more than the recipe amount and keep the excess stored in an airtight jar indefinitely.

Mix the water, baked baking soda and salt in a bowl until dissolved. Measure flour into another bowl, and then add the water mixture. Combine together and make a very flaky loose, crumbly dough. Form mixture in to a ball and knead for about 5-10 minutes.

The dough will be a lot more tough than pasta dough, and that is exactly what you want. After the dough is smooth, wrap and keep at room temp for an hour.

Cut the dough into 4- 6 pieces. You can then break out the pasta machine and roll the dough until the 2nd to last setting. I cheat and put my dough through the spaghetti attachment instead of cutting by hand….up to you.

Oxtail Mafé

OXTAIL MAFÉ

There is nothing I love more than walking in to the aroma of a delicious homemade dinner that has been simmering for hours. When the weather gets brisk and the market is full of squash and root veggies, I love braising - short ribs, lamb shanks, oxtail.

I am a bit old school about braising and love to take my time developing every bit of flavor: a serious brown on the meat, a slow sweat of all of the aromatics, 3 + hours of low and slow cooking in the oven. In a time crunch though, there's nothing like a slow cooker! Many dishes in the slow cooker allow you to just throw everything in one pot, turn it on and go, but I prefer to quickly sear or sauté whatever I am cooking,to get more flavor out it, and then throw it in the pot.

When it comes to oxtail, which is what this recipe is all about, I loooove West Indian-style - sweet, spicy, with a good dose of salt pork and some scotch bonnet heat.

I decided to break out and do something a little different. When you work in kitchens you find yourself surrounded by many different cultural backgrounds and this leads to epic family meals! One of my most memorable was being in the kitchen with a line cook from Senegal. When it was her turn for family, she made the most amazing foods, my most favorite was her Chicken Mafé (basically a chicken and peanut stew). I still crave it to this day! I remember her saying she uses beef at home…so why not oxtails!?

Below is my take on her dish, it’s best with rice or fonio (a West African grain)…pretty much anything to sop up the yummy sauce with! I'm now not sure which is my favorite way to make oxtail....Enjoy!

Yields 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 ½ pounds oxtail, cut into segments

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, diced

1 Scotch bonnet pepper or habanero pepper, minced or kept whole if you want less heat

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 can diced tomatoes, fire-roasted

3/4 cup peanut butter, all natural

1 quart chicken or beef stock

2 tablespoons Fish sauce

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)

1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1" dice

1-2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" dice

1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped for garnish

1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped for garnish (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 325° F.

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Dry off oxtails, season generously with salt and pepper and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Work in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Remove the oxtails and set aside in a plate or tray.

Reduce heat to medium and throw in the onion, bell pepper, and habanero or scotch bonnet if cut up (if whole, wait). Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until everything has softened. Add in the minced garlic and cook another 30 seconds or so. Add in the tomato paste and sauté for another minute.

Now, add in the diced tomatoes, peanut butter, stock, fish sauce and soy sauce (if using). If you are keeping the habanero or scotch bonnet pepper whole, this is the place to add that in as well. Turn up the temperature and bring up to a boil. Make sure the peanut butter is evenly mixed into the stew.

Nestle the oxtail into the stew making sure they are fully covered. Pour in any juices that accumulated in the plate or tray where the oxtail were. Cover and place into the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 hours.

Remove from the oven and stir in the sweet and regular potatoes. Cover and place back into the oven for another 45 minutes.

Serve hot over rice or fonio garnished with chopped cilantro and peanuts.

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

The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey

THE ULTIMATE THANKSGIVING TURKEY

I feel as if I've been walking around in a fog, and, now, Thanksgiving is basically a week away! When did this happen? I always think that Thanksgiving is far enough away that I have plenty of time to plan and then all of a sudden, it's just here. This year, I definitely don't want to go the traditional route with a turkey. We did this amazing, marinated, dry-brined, spatchcocked turkey last year out on our grill to free up oven space. It was AMAZING - super moist and evenly cooked with crispy, crackling skin.

Turkey can be so hit or miss with the main complaint being that it's too dry. Brining is the best way to ensure that the turkey will stay moist and flavorful! The only decision left is a dry brine vs. a wet brine. Using a dry brine is basically pre-salting the turkey without any water. Some say that this is the better method (it definitely saves space in the fridge...), and while it doesn’t always guarantee as juicy a bird as a wet brine, it does offer a much crispier skin when cooked. The turkey sits in the fridge, uncovered, with the dry salt brine mix for up to 3 days prior to cooking. The salt mixture will draw out the moisture from the bird. The salt is then dissolved in this liquid and reabsorbed which helps to break down any tough proteins making it tender, juicy and flavorful.

With a wet brine, you add water to the equation and need a bag big enough to house the turkey and a pan (for a just in case the bag bursts scenario). This just means more room needed in the fridge that, quite frankly not a lot of us have around this time of year! The turkey then bathes in the brine for up to 3 days and (I think) creates a juicer outcome.

I’ve used both techniques in the past and honestly, I think the choice for brining depends on the cooking method. For a traditional roast turkey, I say go with the wet brine - for the longer cooking time, you need the brine to plump up the moisture content. For a spatchcocked turkey, though, that cooks in far less time, I think a dry brine is the best way to go - you get the moisture you need and perfectly crisped skin!

What I love about both brines is that you can add whatever spices you want to create a personalized mix. In the past, I have played around with allspice berries, juniper berries, fresh (or dry) herbs, garlic chipotle peppers (grinded), citrus zest (orange, lemon, lime, etc…), star anise, cardamom…..you get the idea. All you need to know is the ratio of salt to water for a wet brine (about 2- 2 1/2 cups salt to 1 gallon of water). For a dry brine, I use a 1/2 cup kosher salt with 2 tablespoons baking powder as a ratio and don't always use all of that salt, depending on the size of the turkey.

A few things: Always default to kosher salt here as this method needs the larger crystals to work; regular table salt is not ideal for this recipe. Also, this is only good for a non-kosher, non-treated, fresh turkey. If you aren't buying a fresh one, make sure you read the label to see if it's been pre-treated.

Finally, remember that there is no need to re-salt the turkey once you are ready to put it in the oven! Usually with the wet brine, I rinse the turkey in and out and pat dry before stuffing it and putting it in the oven. With the dry brine, I don’t rinse but only pat the skin dry before roasting.

Here are a few recipe ideas to get you started with your Thanksgiving Feast!

SPATCHCOCKED ROAST TURKEY

SLOW-ROASTED TURKEY RECIPE

DRY-BRINED TURKEY

SLOW-SMOKED AND SPICE-BRINED TURKEY

JAMAICAN JERK TURKEY

Link Love: Diwali Sweets

LINK LOVE: DIWALI SWEETS

This weekend starts the ancient celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Diwali is arguably the most significant Hindu celebration, marking the Hindu New Year. This celebration of life happens in autumn, after the last summer harvest, to celebrate good over evil, light over dark, and hope over despair…The preparations and rituals last over a 5-day period and, amongst other things, lamps and candles (diyas) are lit inside and outside of the home. Gifts are exchanged, and families feast during this time, but the most important part of the food celebration is the sweet desserts (or mithai).

Mithai were always a mystery to me growing up - they were always so beautiful, brightly colored and sometimes touched with gold leaf. I wanted to show some link love with some of the best mithai recipes out there. Enjoy!

GULAB JAMUN

CHOCOLATE BURFI

CHICKPEA FLOUR (BESAN) LADDU

SHAHI TUKRA

DULCE DE LECHE BARFI

COCONUT LADDU

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!

Not Just Apple Pie + Lamb Shanks!

NOT JUST APPLE PIE + LAMB SHANKS!

There’s nothing better than apple picking on a cool Fall weekend with the fam! As I get older, I totally geek out about stuff like that (who knew?). Now, if only the weather would cooperate...I have my favorite spot up in Warwick, NY, which, coincidentally, also happens to be a vineyard with wine tasting. Because tipsy apple picking is even better! Just joking (sort of).

There are so many different varieties of apples to choose from that I’m so glad they have maps and descriptions of each apple. I tend to get overly excited and end up with WAY too many apples when I get home! So after lugging pounds of different apple varieties home, I'm always thinking about what to do besides, of course, the mandatory pie or crisp. I love a good apple butter to keep for later, and I freeze off batches of applesauce for the chickadee.

I put together a few ideas for you, and, further down, is a yummy recipe for Honey-Braised Lamb Shanks with Butternut Squash and Apples, which is basically a tagine and seriously delicious. Enjoy!

APPLE PIE WITH STAR ANISE BROWN BUTTER

BUTTERNUT SQUASH & APPLE BREAD WITH MAPLE & CARDAMOM

PISCO SOUR APPLE

SWEET APPLE COUSCOUS

HONEY-BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLES

This lamb dish is based on North African tagines, which slow-braise lamb and other meats with both sweet and salty elements. While many tagines feature apricots, prunes, or raisins, I thought seasonal butternut squash and apples would provide the perfect sweet counterbalance to the spiced braise. I use lamb shank here because I love the flavor and the end result – spoonable, fall-off-the-bone meat in a rich stew.

Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons canola oil

2 ½ pounds lamb shanks (approximately 2 shanks), room temperature

1 large onion, cut into a medium dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground ginger

large pinch saffron

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

4 cups beef or chicken stock

1 tablespoon honey

2 cups butternut squash, cut into a ¾” inch dice

1 ½ cups honeycrisp or fuji apple, cut into a ¾” inch dice

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 ½ teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, season the shanks generously with salt and freshly ground pepper, and sear 2 to 3 minutes per side to develop a nice brown. Remove to a plate and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the onion and a bit of salt and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, saffron and cinnamon and sauté for another 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant. Nestle the lamb shanks back in the pot, and add in the stock and the honey. Cover, bring up to a boil and then place in the oven.

Cook for 2 hours and 15 minutes and then remove from the oven. Toss in the squash, apples and half of the almonds. Cover and put back in the oven for the next 45 minutes to an hour. The meat should be spoonable, basically falling off the bone.

Serve hot, garnished with the remaining toasted, sliced almonds and sesame seeds. This is great alongside couscous.

Rose-Scented Falooda

ROSE-SCENTED FALOODA

This weekend kicked off the start of Eid Al Adha (or Feast of Sacrifice). For those that are unfamiliar, it's the second of the two Muslim holy holidays and is considered the most holy, the other being Eid Al-Fitr, celebrating the end of Ramadan.

Although this holiday is considered the "Salty Eid" with savoury dishes being the mainstay of the celebration, it made me think about a sweet drink I grew up having at the sweet shops when I travelled. Falooda is a rose-scented, sweet milk that is flecked with sweet basil seeds (tukmaria), a cornstarch vermicelli and ice cream. It's such a distinct taste memory, an Indo-Pakistani bubble milk tea of sorts for a reference point, and was always a treat.

I thought it would be fun to recreate and also do it a bit more naturally (to give to my little one!). I used a rice vermicelli because falooda sev, the traditional cornstarch noodle, was too hard to find. In lieu of a pre-fab, pre-sweeted rose syrup, I made my own to control for sweetness, but, by all means, it tastes great using either. Finally, I used a touch of kewra essence because that flavor is part of my childhood, but it's totally optional (and also not the easiest to find).

Basil seeds, by the way, are very similar to chia seeds. When you soak them, they swell and become gelatinous. Like chia, they are considered a superfood, but, theoretically, you could sub in chia if they are too tough to find.

Serves 4

2 teaspoons basil seeds

1/3 cup white or brown rice vermicelli, broken into 1- to 2-inch pieces

2 cups milk (whole, skim, almond, coconut)

3 tablespoons rose syrup*

1 1/2 tablespoons kewra essence (optional)

4 medium scoops ice cream (vanilla, honey, pistachio, or any flavor you think fits here)

In a small bowl, cover the basil seeds with water and let sit 5 to 10 minutes. They will swell up, so you may need to add a bit more water. Strain.

Cook the vermicelli per the package instructions - usually about 3 minutes in boiling (unsalted!) water. Strain and transfer to an ice bath (water and ice) to cool down immediately and stop cooking. Strain once cooled.

To the milk, stir in the rose syrup and kewra essence, if using.

Divide the basil seeds and vermicelli between 4 glasses. Top with the rose milk and finish with a scoop of ice cream. Serve immediately with a straw and a spoon!

*For the rose syrup, in a medium pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup dried rose petals and 1 cup white sugar (if using a natural brown sugar like palm or coconut, change this to 3/4 cup) up to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep until it cools to room temperature. Strain, using the back of the spoon to press through as much of the liquid (and flavor) from the rose petals as possible. Add a few tablespoons of rose water to intensify the flavor if need be - it all depends on the strength of the rose petals you're using.

Japanese-Inspired 5-Ingredient Cheesecake

JAPANESE-INSPIRED 5-INGREDIENT CHEESECAKE

The fact that National Cheesecake Day falls in the summertime is a bit odd to me. That thick, tangy lusciousness somehow belongs during a time when you're not trying to eat light (and kill it in a bathing suit...). BUT I recently tried a Japanese cheesecake, which is also called a Cotton cheesecake (because of how light and fluffy it is). Think if an angel food cake and a cheesecake had a baby....Turns out, this crustless, spongy creation is the perfect summer dessert.

I set out to create a simplified version of it because summer desserts should be a bit easy. I wanted a canvas, a simple cake, to showcase seasonal ingredients as its topping. This cake is 5 ingredients, and the hardest step is just whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding into the batter. Other than that, foolproof! I used yuzu juice as the acid in keeping with the Japanese theme and because it has a touch of salinity, which I looooove, but lemon juice or even key lime juice would be a great substitute.

When I’m indecisive about a topping for my cheesecake, my favorite go to is a whipped sour cream topping. The tangy tartness of the sour cream with the bite of the creamy, sweet cheesecake is one of the more surprising taste combinations. Who would have thought sour cream with cheesecake would be a thing!? And it’s super simple to make. For a more basic recipe I use sour cream, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract. Just throw it all into the Kitchenaid and whip 'til smooth or whisk in a bowl if you don’t like lugging out your stand mixer.

There were so many blueberries at my Saturday's farmers' market, so I thought I would test out a blueberry sauce with my cheesecake. This recipe combines the blueberries with one of my favorite herbs, lemon verbena. It’s a super simple sauce and starts off like you would a jam. Instead of letting it boil down til thick, you simply take off the heat and let cool. I like to steep the lemon verbena in boiling water to really bring out the flavor and then use the water when making the sauce. In a sauce pan, mix the blueberries, corn starch, and sugar until the blueberries start to release their juices. Gradually stir in the lemon verbena water and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 5-10 minutes until desired consistency and some of the berries start to burst. Turn off heat and let cool to room temperature.

Here's the 5-ingredient cheesecake recipe - enjoy!

Yields (1) 9-inch cake

1 can sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
6 eggs, room temp and separated
2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon yuzu, lemon or key lime juice

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk and cream cheese. Fold in yolks, cornstarch and yuzu/lemon juice.

In a separate bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Add a little bit of the egg whites to the cream cheese mixture to lighten and then fold in the rest in 3 increments. Transfer to a greased, parchment-lined 9-inch cake tin or springform pan. Place in a roasting pan and pour boiling water in the pan to halfway up the cake tin (if using a springform, make sure to wrap in foil all over to keep the water from seeping in.

Bake for 40 minutes. Then, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove and let cool completely before refrigerating. Refrigerate at least hours before serving.

Summer = Fish Tacos

SUMMER = FISH TACOS

I. Love. Tacos. Tacos are the ultimate - easy food with literally endless combinations. Summer is all about simplicity and lightness, so my favorite by far this time of year are fish tacos. From grilled red snapper to lightly breaded mahi mahi or a nice “meaty” grilled swordfish, there’s nothing better for an easy weeknight meal (or for entertaining). The hardest part is deciding on toppings!

The Baha-style, fried ones here took no time to whip up. I never use a recipe, so I'm just going to tell you what I do. For 4-6 people, take a 1 ¼ - 1 ½ lbs flaky white fish (snapper, mahi mahi, grouper, etc) and portion into strips. Basicallly, make sure the size of the fish strip fits into your taco as one or two strips. Divide a cup of flour evenly between two bowls. Season one of the bowls with salt, pepper, paprika and any other powdered spices you like until it tastes good. To the other bowl, whisk in beer until it has the consistency of wet paint.

Dip the fish strips first into the flour bowl, shake off excess and dip into the beer batter. Let any extra drip off and fry in about an inch to an inch and a half of oil (at 350° F) until golden brown (generally 3-5 minutes). Transfer pieces to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with some salt. Make sure to fry in batches and not crowd the pan too much.

In terms of toppings, the combination for my lamb tacos are my go to, especially the chipotle crema, but, here, I just used some pickled shallot, cabbage, fresh chile, green onion, and cilantro. My sauce was a smoked habanero crema (mayo/crema + smoked habanero sauce), but you can literally stir together mayo/crema/crème fraiche with any hot sauce you like until it tastes good.

Since it's summer, my smoked peach chutney is another topping that would be ridiculous on some fish tacos. The sweet, smokey flavors of the peach pairs perfectly with any fish dish. Or you can do a simple pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice), super easy and refreshing.

Feel free to use soft or hard tacos. I'm partial to corn tortillas myself. Enjoy!

Red Snapper with Lemon, Onions, Mustard & Habañero (Poisson Yassa)

RED SNAPPER WITH LEMON, ONIONS, MUSTARD & HABAÑERO (POISSON YASSA)

Summer has officially begun, and with that, besides grilling it up, I like to go a bit lighter. This recipe is for a Senegalese-inspired fish, poisson yassa. Fish (here, I used snapper) is marinated with onions, garlic, lemon, bay, mustard and habañero pepper. After a quick sear of the fish and sauté of the onion mixture, it's all placed in the oven to bake and for the flavors to mingle.

The flavor is so amazing - with the sweetness of the caramelized onions, the tart bite of the mustard and lemon, and the heat from the habañero. I love that this preparation can also be used for chicken and lamb with obvious changes to cooking times. Enjoy!

Serves 4

4 white onions, thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, minced

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

1 habañero pepper, seeded, ribbed and thinly sliced

¼ cup canola or olive oil, plus more for cooking

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoons soy sauce

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

4 filets red snapper (1 ½ - 2 lbs)

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Handful of fresh herbs, finely chopped (parsley, chives, cilantro)

In a bowl, mix together the onions, garlic, lemon juice and zest, habañero pepper, oil, vinegar, mustard, soy and bay leaf. This is the marinade for the fish. Transfer to a plastic bag or baking dish and make sure the fish is thoroughly coated. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes but preferably a few hours.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Remove filets from the marinade (reserving the marinade), dry off and season with salt and pepper.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan along with the butter over medium-high heat. When hot, add the snapper skin-side down. Cook for 3 minutes and remove to a plate (skin-side up).

Add the onion marinade mixture (juices and all!) to the skillet, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 6-8 minutes until the onions start to soften. Remove from the heat, nestle the snapper filets in the onion mixture, cover with foil and transfer to the oven for 15 minutes.

Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. It's traditionally served over rice, but I also love it with some crusty bread.

Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed

MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST IN BED

There’s nothing better than enjoying breakfast in bed, especially if you weren’t the one that prepared it! So why not treat mom this Sunday to a lovely, lazy morning with a deliciously home cooked meal! (Anybody from my house getting the hint?? :) As a child, this was my favorite way to spoil my mom (with Dad’s help….sometimes). I put together a bunch of my favorite breakfast/brunch recipes below to help you plan your Mother’s Day feast!

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SHAKSHUKA

FLATBREAD WITH SMOKED TROUT, RADISHES & HERBS

Photo: Bon Appetit

MY FAVORITE CHAI

BLUEBERRY CREPES WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Photo: Flourishing Foodie

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH POACHED EGG AND LEMON MUSTARD

Photo: Food52

SPICED RICOTTA HOTCAKES WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

BUBBLE TEA OATMEAL (!)

Photo: Two Red Bowls

RHUBARB, RASPBERRY AND ORANGE FLOWER WATER GALETTE

Photo: Cannelle et Vanille

PINEAPPLE COCONUT WATER

Photo: 101 Cookbooks

Hello Spring, Goodbye Peak Season Citrus

HELLO SPRING, GOODBYE PEAK SEASON CITRUS

With the arrival of all the fresh spring produce, we often forget the fact that the citrus season is coming to an end. I mean, you can get lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit etc. all year round, so why would you miss it? But the citrus family goes far beyond those 4 common fruits. Below are a few of my favorites and how I like to preserve them until they are back in season next winter!

MEYER LEMONS

Meyer lemons are a hybrid of a lemon and a mandarin or orange. These guys are my go-to for salad dressings (and cocktails) because of their sweetness and when I don’t want that acidic, lemon-y taste that a regular lemon gives me. You can find them in your grocery store in the winter but, lately, they've become more popular and can be found year round in most specialty stores. They have a more orange tinge to their flesh as opposed to their “parent” the regular yellow lemon and are a bit softer. Preserving lemons in the traditional, Moroccan style is really easy and adds amazing, bright flavor to recipes. All you need is a bunch of lemons (Meyer or otherwise), jars and salt! Although they are traditional in tagines, stews and savoury dishes, a preserved lemon curd is another great use for them.

KUMQUATS

These little, olive-sized fruits are amazing - they are super healthy for you, and I grew up with a kumquat tree in my backyard. I remember trying them at intervals as they ripened and went from really tart to a floral sweetness. As opposed to the other citrus fruits, you can pop them in your mouth, peel and all. The have a lightly sweet, tangy flavor and are packed full of vitamin C and fiber. These are probably one of my favorite citrus fruits and when I can find them in the stores I buy a bunch to preserve them and make marmalades or chutneys…or both!

BLOOD ORANGES

These beautiful, blood red-colored oranges are my favorite flavor for fresh squeezed OJ or for the Dominican drink, morir sonando. They are the primary orange grown in Italy, so you will find many Italian recipes with it as a main ingredient (i.e. ricotta cakes, gelato, Italian soda). They often have a sweet bite to them but can also be very tart, which makes them perfect for a fresh bite in your salad. You can preserve them much the same way you do lemons or Meyer lemons or go the chutney/marmalade/curd route, but I also loooove this recipe for orangecello, an orange-y take on limoncello! It's genius to throw in a vanilla bean.

POMELOS

Also known as the Chinese grapefruit, these guys are much larger than your average grapefruit; they also have a much milder, sweeter flavor to them as well. They are native to South and Southeast Asia (I ate my way through them in the form of salads when I was Thailand) and can be found in most asian grocery stores. They go great in a simple noodle dish, on seafood and are perfect for any citrus-y cocktail. For these, making a candied peel is a great way to preserve their flavor.

SUMO CITRUS

I am now addicted to these delicious ‘oranges’, but unfortunately their season just ended! Sumos are a hybrid between a navel orange and a mandarin. Larger than your average orange, much easier to peel, super sweet and juicy, I haven’t had a bad one yet! They took 30 years to develop in Japan and were only available in California but they have finally made their way to the East Coast during their short season. You could add these to any recipe that calls for citrus…..sure. But every time I buy these in the store I eat them so fast they don’t make it in to my cooking!

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

Not-So-Traditional Irish Soda Bread

NOT-SO-TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

I love indulging in a warm, baked-from-scratch loaf of bread. But let's be honest: making it at home can be a long (see: tedious) task what with the letting the yeast rise, punching down, rising again...but that's why the quick bread was invented! Quick breads are basically any breads that don't use yeast to rise - like banana bread. With St. Patty’s Day just around the corner, I thought a take on the traditional Irish soda bread would be fun.

Irish soda bread is usually made with a few simple ingredients: flour (wheat or white), baking soda, buttermilk and salt. Once you have those basics, you can expand with any seeds, citrus, dried fruits you want to create a not-so-traditional soda bread. This recipe is a slightly modified version of one from a great friend/chef, Tamsin Kelly, who makes this with her family for St. Patrick's Day. I love the combination of caraway seeds, orange zest, and dried currants in this recipe, but you can substitute however you like (raisins, fennel seeds, etc…)! Enjoy!

Yields (1) 9-inch cake tin

4 cups plus 3 - 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons white sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 ½ cups buttermilk*
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
zest of 1 orange

Preheat the oven to 350º F.

To the bowl of food processor, add the 4 cups plus 3 tablespoons of flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Pulse until mixed. Sprinkle the cold, cubed butter on top and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Whisk the buttermilk with the egg and slowly add to the flour mixture, pulsing until the dough forms. Pulse in the currants, caraway seeds and orange zest. If the dough is too sticky, add another tablespoon of flour. Do not overmix or it will toughen up! You just want the flour blended, and you are ready to go.

I like to cook mine in a greased cast iron skillet or you can use a greased, 9-inch round cake tin. Score an “X” in the dough (about 1/2” thick) and place in the middle of the oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the dough halfway through cooking. When done, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Make sure to enjoy with a nice, rich, salty Irish butter!!

*I hardly ever buy buttermilk for a recipe since I always have milk, vinegar and lemon juice laying around. For every cup of milk, use 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar or lemon juice. Just mix together and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. It will thicken slightly and look a bit curdled and then it's ready to go!

New Year's in Belize

NEW YEARS IN BELIZE

This past week, I got to spend some much-needed family time in and around Ambergris Caye, Belize. The water and beach were my main agenda (ha!), but, of course, I couldn't leave without spending some time getting to know a bit more about Belizean cooking.

Susanna Arceo started the restaurant, El Fogon, in her home, built out to look like the kitchen she grew up in - a thatched roof, dirt floor, benches (to accomodate all the kids!) and, of course, the open, wood-fired grill. The food is super authentic, a lot of old school stews and beans cooked right on the fire (mangrove wood fueled with coconut husks!), and this is one of the few places that does it right in town.

Recado rojo is the main spice blend, a paste really with achiote, cumin, Mexican oregano, black pepper and tongue-numbing allspice (and some others) usually dissolved in a bit of vinegar, water and/or juice. That's the marinade for any of the meats that go on the grill or in the stews - chicken, pork, beef, venison, and even gibnut.

Just wanted to share some of the pictures of my experience there and about town over the holidays! Happy New Year's to you all!

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!

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NAN-E BARBARI

YEMEN HONEYCOMB BREAD (KHALIAT NAHAL)

THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

HOMEMADE CHICKEN THIGH SHOYU RAMEN

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY

THE ULTIMATE THANKSGIVING TURKEY

LINK LOVE: DIWALI SWEETS

BREAKING THE FAST AFTER YOM KIPPUR

NOT JUST APPLE PIE + LAMB SHANKS!

ROSE-SCENTED FALOODA

JAPANESE-INSPIRED 5-INGREDIENT CHEESECAKE

SUMMER = FISH TACOS

RED SNAPPER WITH LEMON, ONIONS, MUSTARD & HABAÑERO (POISSON YASSA)

MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST IN BED

HELLO SPRING, GOODBYE PEAK SEASON CITRUS

LINK LOVE: STEP UP YOUR EASTER COOKING

NOT-SO-TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD

NEW YEARS IN BELIZE

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES (ITALIAN AND BEYOND!)