Pretty excited about this trio of summer veggies. What better way to utilize last weekend’s farmers’ market haul. This is the type of cooking and eating I love best. It satisfies my love and craving for all things vegetables. First off, charred eggplant with red bell peppers, Sherry vinegar and smoked paprika. You really want … Continue Reading

What happens when you cross çilbir — Turkish poached eggs over yogurt topped with chile-spiced butter — with an Indian smoky, eggplant-yogurt — baingan ka raita — and top it all with tadka, spices tempered (i.e., briefly roasted in oil or ghee) to release their essential oils, making them more flavorful and aromatic?? Well, that’s … Continue Reading

The thing I love so much about Greek cooking is that typical, humble, everyday ingredients are transformed into incredibly flavorful dishes with minimal effort. Case in point, green beans. They are not something I typically gravitate toward. But, when green beans (known as fasolakia in Greece) are slowly cooked with onion, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, dill … Continue Reading

Pide (pee-DEH) is a Turkish flatbread formed into a boat-like shape. It’s addictively good, anytime of the day — breakfast, lunch or dinner. While pide can be layered with various toppings, ground beef or lamb is often common. However, I was in the mood for something on the lighter side, so went a slightly different … Continue Reading

Bring back summer. I’m not ready for fall. I actually had to get out the hat and scarf today (ugh). However, on the bright side, it’s soup and stew season. What’s your favorite soup or stew? Today, it’s lentils and smoky eggplant with homemade harissa. On their own, lentils are kind of bland. They need … Continue Reading