sel et sucre

Category: appetizers

  • Turkish Bean and Vegetable Soup

    turkish bean and vegetable soup

    I recently visited Istanbul, and once there, I quickly fell in love with Turkish food. I booked myself a food tour (through Istanbul Eats who I can wholeheartedly recommend) and spent a good six hours traipsing through the Beyoğlu neighborhood and trying some amazing food. A lot of dishes hinted at the Middle-Eastern food I already know and love, but there were also some completely new flavors. After the tour, I made my way to the spice bazaar, and when I returned home, laden with Turkish spices and nuts (and Turkish delights, of course), I was ready to incorporate Turkish flavors into my everyday cooking. I devised this soup to try out a mixture of dried vegetables I’d purchased at the spice bazaar as well as the spices, and I ended up quite happy with my little experiment.

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  • Ratatouille

    ratatouille

    It feels like we are positively barreling into summer. I love watching the gardens in my neighborhood steadily grow, plants spreading out and reaching high. Of course, my focus is always on the food, and I can’t help but smile as I start to see the tangled squash vines (not in my garden, unfortunately, as I can’t bring myself to plant them again after watching them take over and then subsequently die by root disease before producing a couple years ago) and the small fruits forming behind the wilting flowers on tomato and pepper plants. In anticipation of the most prolific summer days, when the produce is cheap and overflowing, here is a great simple ratatouille recipe to make the most of some of those delicious vegetables. I’ve left eggplant out of my version here, but feel free to include it (make sure to salt the eggplant and let it sit before using), and I’ve chosen to include mushrooms instead, which are a little less traditional, because I like the meatiness they add. Oven roasting adds a little extra depth and brings out the natural sweetness of the squash and bell peppers. This stew can be a great side or vegetarian (vegan, actually!) entree. I served mine with Tuscan braised white beans – I know, mixing my Italian and my French food here, but it was a great combination.

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  • Tuscan Braised White Beans

    tuscan braised white beans

    I cook a lot of one pot meals so I often feel like my recipe collection is lacking in good sides. These Tuscan braised white beans are a simple but versatile dish that would go well alongside lots of different main dishes. The addition of olives and greens adds something a little unusual for a bean dish and helps to keep this side interesting enough to eat on its own as a snack. I kept the spicing simple with herbs de provence, but using fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano, if you have them on hand, would work equally well, if not better.

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  • Pickled Sugar Snap Peas

    pickled sugar snap peas

    Every year, I eagerly await the opening of the farmers market near me. The winter can drag on around here, those seemingly endless days when eating locally and seasonally feels impossible, when beets and greens are the best you can do. The farmers market doesn’t open until late May, but that first Sunday when I can stroll down the street (I’m lucky enough to live just a block away) and see the vendors open for business, I feel a great sense of excitement and relief. Excitement, of course, about all the fresh food and the summer season ahead of me, but also relief, as though only this truly cements that the warm weather is here to stay (until fall, at least). Although this market has great meats, cheeses, and baked goods, I always beeline first for the produce. Without a plan in mind, I was seduced by a pint of sugar snap peas, fresh from the vine and extra sweet. I knew I wanted something simple (and almost just ate them plain), to focus on the flavor of the peas themselves, and this pickle recipe was perfect. The sugar snap peas are the star of the show, their crisp sweetness complemented by the acidity of vinegar and flavored with garlic and chiles. I tasted them 24 hours after pickling and immediately regretted not having bought more sugar snap peas (I highly recommend doing the full recipe posted here – my batch was only about half). They’re the perfect little springtime snack.

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  • Thai Corn Salad

    thai corn salad

    As we move into summer, I just don’t have the patience to spend a long time next to a hot stove or hot oven to cook. And I certainly don’t feel like eating anything too heavy or rich. So this easy Thai corn salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a side to a lazy summer dinner. A dressing of fresh Thai basil and cilantro along with lime, honey, and ginger perfectly complements the sweet corn that will soon flood our markets and makes this a lot more exciting than your usual corn salad. And since the salad tastes great cold, at room temperature, or even a little warm (and there’s no dairy to spoil), this is the perfect dish to bring along to a picnic. It only takes about fifteen minutes to throw together (or maybe a little bit longer if you use cooked corn rather than raw – I recommend grilling if you’re going to cook the corn), so you’ll still have a lot of time to get out and enjoy yourself.

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  • Cucumber Sesame Salad

    cucumber sesame salad

    My life has been crazy lately, an absolute whirlwind of activity. All exciting events in various ways, but I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath. As a matter of fact, I am writing this from an airport terminal as I wait to board a flight to Istanbul (where I’ll be presenting at a conference – and getting ideas for new cooking projects, of course). It can be hard, amidst a flurry of events, to keep cooking, to eat well (both in terms of health and taste). So that’s why I’m posting a simple recipe today, one you can throw together in a matter of minutes. And one that’s quite tasty, to boot. This Asian-inspired cucumber salad can work as a quick lunch (especially if served over greens) or a side and would work amazingly at a picnic. Black sesame seeds add crunch, flavor, and great visual effect. Even when your life feels overwhelming, you should find a little time for this salad.

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  • Candied Kumquats

    candied kumquats

    Kumquats, if you’ve never had them, are a citrus fruit about the size and shape of grapes. Unlike other citruses, you can eat the peel of a kumquat, and in fact, the peel is pleasantly sweet while the flesh itself is quite tart. These flavors make kumquats great for eating straight, but they’re even better when candied. The basic formula for candying citrus is easy – water, sugar, and fruit. But I’ve changed things up a little here for this recipe. Brown sugar and bourbon add extra sweetness and depth while a dried chile lends a little kick. The result is complex and delicious. These candied kumquats can be used for both savory and sweet applications; they’d be just as at home on top of a salad or in a lamb stew as on top of a cake or mixed into ice cream. My absolutely favorite use, though, is as a replacement for the traditional orange slice and maraschino cherry in an old-fashioned. Top a spoonful of these (making sure to get some of their syrup) with ice, bourbon, and bitters, and you’re really in for a treat.

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  • Smoked Duck

    smoked duck

    I’m an ambitious person. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always dreamt big in everything I do. When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said “the president” just because that was the biggest job I knew. My ambition’s a lot more focused now. And cooking is one of the areas where I’m always trying to push myself. So when the idea of smoking a whole duck popped into my mind, I knew I had to do it. It required me to transform my (roommate’s) grill into a smoker, not an easy feat for someone who’s barely even worked the grill before (embarrassing, I know), but I did it (I used this Simply Recipes tutorial, by the by), and it worked wonderfully. It took about 24 hours total, from brining the duck overnight to letting it slowly cook in a haze of cherrywood smoke, and it was worth it. I like being an ambitious person, even though it means that I’m always aiming for something bigger and better… mainly because it means I’m always aiming for something bigger and better. If you’re like me, maybe this is your next big cooking endeavor. I’m already planning my next one.

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  • German Red Cabbage

    german red cabbage

    Although I often focus on main dishes (especially one pot meals), there’s a lot of value in being able to provide the perfect foil to your piece de resistance. This recipe is simple, but cooking shredded red cabbage for over an hour with vinegar, sugar, apples, and a few key spices makes for a delicious side. I ate this tangy sweet cabbage alongside a simple combination of sausage and white beans, and I think it would serve as a good complement to any kind of beans or any kind of pork. The vibrant purple of the resulting dish also makes it an easy way to provide a often much-needed visual pop to a meal.

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  • Red Lentil Dal

    red lentil dal

    Back when I still ate meat regularly, my dad insisted on taking me to a highly recommended South Indian restaurant with an entirely vegetarian menu. I was skeptical that these dishes could live up to my favorite North Indian chicken and lamb dishes, but soon all thoughts of meat had left my mind as I eagerly dove into a veritable feast of curries, chutneys, raitas, masala dosa, and a mango lassi to top it all off. And the dals! These mysteriously delicious lentils, so different from what I was used to. Cooked until falling apart and heavily fragrant with spices. Here is my take on a red lentil dal (or masoor dal), in homage to one of my first realizations that vegetarian food could be just as tasty as its meaty counterpart. Red lentils cook quickly and fall apart beautifully, resulting in a stew that tastes like you’ve been simmering it all day. Fresh spices will make a big difference here (homemade garam masala is ideal) since there’s not much else in this simple dish. A little bit of honey stirred in at the end alongside cilantro is probably not authentic, but the hint of sweetness works very well.

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