Middle Eastern Walnut Dip (Muhammara)
Middle Eastern Walnut Dip (Muhammara)
Depending upon the source you consult, this roasted red pepper and walnut dip is Armenian, Arabian, Turkish or Syrian in origin. In any case, it is healthful, delicious and a welcome addition to any mezes platter. I like to serve it with warm pita bread or cucumber slices. If you are not meat-averse, this dip can also be used as a sauce for kebabs.
If I could, I would have my own cow. I just love them!
If I could, I would have my own cow. I just love them! But since I live in the city, I made do with “let’s pretend”. This timer, which I acquired on a visit to @farmhousecheeses – an artisanal cheesemaker in British Columbia – heads my windowsill barnyard. She always makes me smile
Castilian Garlic Soup (Sopa de Ajo)
This traditional garlic soup from Castile may very well be what sustained Don Quixote in his windmill attacks. It is a simple soup and a type of gazpacho, in the sense that bread is used as a thickener. Spanish smoked paprika, or pimentón de la Vera—which comes in sweet, bittersweet or hot varieties, depending on your preference—is produced in a neighboring region and provides the distinguishing flavor to the soup.
Chinese Hot-and-Sour Mushroom Soup
In Chinese medicine, which is fundamentally based on the balancing principles of yin and yang, heating foods are those that warm the body, feeding it with energy. Balance, which includes establishing equilibrium among the five flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami), helps the body’s vital spirit, called qi, to flow freely and support excellent health. Need I say more? Hot, sour, salty, sweet and loaded with umami from the soy sauce and mushrooms, which are also known to strengthen the immune system, this soup has all the makings of a restorative tonic. And it tastes good, too!
Paella
My paella is not traditionally Spanish. It is more like a Portuguese dish in the sense that it combines seafood and meat. But I’ve been making it for years and it is a family favorite—one that, I might add, I often serve to guests. Served with crusty bread, a simple green salad and some good white wine, it makes a perfect Friday night dinner with friends.
Feta and Roasted Red Pepper Dip
If you have the ingredients on hand, this tasty dip can be ready to serve in about 5 minutes. Serve it with crudités, crackers or pumpernickel rounds for an elegant appetizer at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
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