Inspired by Indian curries, Charred Leek Gulai Sayur

Often described as Indonesian curry, gulais are rich, spicy stews. This plant-based one features leeks as the key ingredient. Recipe below.

LIBRARIES ARE ONE OF THE GREAT INSTITUTIONS OF MODERN SOCIETY, and we love them. Early in the pandemic, when we were able to get our first vaccinations, the first public place we went was not a bar or a restaurant, but the Harold Washington Library—the gem that is Chicago’s central library. That’s where we recently came across a gem of a cookbook, A Splash of Soy: Everyday Food from Asia—Charred Leek Gulai Sayur is the second recipe we’ve cooked from it. Continue reading “Inspired by Indian curries, Charred Leek Gulai Sayur” →

Spicy Tofu Stir Fry

This quick, simple dish with sweet/tangy/spicy Asian flavors can be an exciting vegetarian side or a main course. Recipe below.

TOFU IS A WONDERFUL BLANK CANVAS, ready to take on all kinds of flavors and textures, depending on the tofu you choose and how you cook it. It’s also a chameleon, used in many cuisines in many countries. It’s often used as a vegetarian source of protein, but then again, many Asian dishes combine it with animal protein. Spicy Tofu Stir Fry is a vegetarian dish, but it can be served as a side or as a main course. See what we mean? Continue reading “Spicy Tofu Stir Fry” →

Biscuits and Vegetarian Red Eye Gravy that will fool your favorite carnivore

Mushrooms and spices used in sausage making give this vegetarian version of a Southern diner breakfast staple a convincingly meaty flavor.

BISCUITS AND GRAVY ARE PERHAPS THE ICONIC SOUTHERN BREAKFAST FOOD. More specifically, biscuits and some kind of meaty gravy made with either pork sausage or rendered fat from fried ham or even lard, if no meat is available. Sounds dodgy, tastes delicious. Continue reading “Biscuits and Vegetarian Red Eye Gravy that will fool your favorite carnivore” →

Butter Beans with Roasted Tomatoes

Butter beans cooked with roasted tomatoes, garlic and a red bell pepper, served over Greek yogurt make a delicious light meal or side. Recipe below.

THE OTHER DAY, I WAS NOODLING AROUND ONLINE, actually hunting for photos of English house interiors, when I stumbled on a recipe from a new book, Ottolenghi Comfort, by Yotam Ottolenghi and his frequent collaborator Helen Goh, along with Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley. I am always interested in anything Ottolenghi and his friends create—his first cookbook, Plenty, is a tried-and-true at our house—and this latest collaborative work looks like it will be marvelous too. One recipe that caught my eye was Butter Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Continue reading “Butter Beans with Roasted Tomatoes” →

Livening up a comfort food classic—Kimchi Grilled Cheese

Kimchi puts a tangy, slightly spicy, umami-rich Korean spin on the classic grilled cheese sandwich. Recipe below.

IS THERE ANYTHING KIMCHI CAN’T DO? When we first heard the words “kimchi grilled cheese,” we thought perfect. Take a classic American comfort food favorite, the grilled cheese sandwich, and add kimchi to it? We’re there.
Continue reading “Livening up a comfort food classic—Kimchi Grilled Cheese” →

Healthy, autumnal, delicious: Cauliflower Potato Soup

Cauliflower (roasted or not), potatoes, miso paste and aromatics create a healthy, satisfying vegetarian soup. Recipe below.

OTHER PEOPLE IMPULSE-BUY SHOES, OR JEWELRY, OR CANDY. Me? Well, just before our Upper Peninsula trip, I bought: a cauliflower. Which I forgot about until a couple of days ago when Terry reminded me of its existence. There it was, that forgotten impulse purchase, lurking in the produce bin, amazingly still white and fresh. Continue reading “Healthy, autumnal, delicious: Cauliflower Potato Soup” →

Black-Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk and Berbere

A mix of African and global ingredients bring big flavor to this creamy, spicy, hearty stew. Recipe below.

WE CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS STEW. Thick and creamy and spicy, it is an absolutely satisfying meal in a bowl, filled with a mix of big flavors that all blend into a delicious ensemble dish, with nothing grabbing the spotlight. As we ate it the other night, we kept saying “this is so good” over and over. Continue reading “Black-Eyed Peas with Coconut Milk and Berbere” →

Microwaving puts the quick in Quick Skillet Potatoes

Nuking potatoes instead of parboiling them makes skillet-sautéed potatoes even quicker to fix. Fresh herbs add a nice finish.

YOU USE IT EVERY DAY. BUT CAN YOU MAKE IT COOK? Mark Bittman asked that about microwave ovens several years ago, when he was still writing The Minimalist column in the New York Times. In the article, he sang the praises of actually cooking fresh foods in your microwave. We don’t do that so much, but we often give fresh foods a head start in the microwave. Nudging carrots toward tenderness before adding them to our classic Chicken and Wine. Speeding up our popular favorite, Half-baked Potatoes. Or skipping parboiling for our Quick Skillet Potatoes, making them nice and tender on inside and crunchy on the outside. You’ll find the recipe for these delicious potatoes—and the Mark Bittman article—right here.

On the road, thinking of Mushroom Spinach Quiche back home

WE’RE ON A ROAD TRIP OUT WEST. Today, we ate lunch sitting at the bar at The Kitchen American Bistro in Boulder, Colorado. Marion and I both ordered the quiche, with roasted mushrooms, leeks and Parmesan, along with a beautiful salad they just called “simple greens.” It was perfect. The quiche reminded me of our own version made with mushrooms and spinach. The mushrooms, sautéed with shallots, tarragon and the spinach, lend an umami meatiness to this vegetarian meal. You’ll find our recipe here.

Chickpea Salad—a fresh (and healthier) take on a summer favorite

Fiber-rich chickpeas stand in for potatoes in this crunchy, healthy, summery salad. Recipe below.

THIS VERY SIMPLE DISH IS A RIFF on a recent New York Times recipe, that in turn, is a riff on a summer classic, potato salad. It is ridiculously easy to assemble—a few minutes of measuring, chopping and a bit of stirring. You never even need to turn on the stove. Continue reading “Chickpea Salad—a fresh (and healthier) take on a summer favorite” →