Characteristic: gluten free

This is a simple preparation that is nice and bright and welcome in the wintry months. ... Read more »

Two of my favorite condiments/sauces in one dish. They have cumin and hot pepper in common and the heat and spice from the harissa, thinned down with red wine vinegar and a little olive oil, tenderizes the meat which also nicely absorbs the flavors. I developed this recipe for Carman Ranch who's meats are delicious and need little fanfare. Serve this with rice or roasted potatoes or something that can soak up the juices and any extra chimichurri. If your short on time skip the harissa and just grill your steak and dress with chimichurri--totally delicious as is! ... Read more »

The Nicoise Salad template, if you will, lends itself to year-round adaptations. I never miss the green beans and tomatoes when I make this, or a similar version, in the dead of winter. Quantities can be adapted to suit your needs and can be varied in all ways. You just want enough dressing for everything so scale that up if you’re using more vegetables.  ... Read more »

I adapted this dish from the always creative Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi from the book Jerusalem. It can be a one-dish meal as is or enjoyed with a fried or poached egg on top.   I rarely deep fry anything but it's totally worth using 3/4 cup oil (which you can reuse) to fry the onions for this dish. They are sweet, crispy and luxurious.  ... Read more »

This takes 5 minutes to put together and 35-40 to bake so if you turn the oven on the minute you walk in the door it might be a doable weeknight dinner component. I've served it with sausages or fried eggs and good, crusty bread for a simple wintry dinner.   You can use savoy or regular cabbage in the place of the Napa though it may take a little longer to bake. To speed things up you can also parboil the cabbage (any kind) in lightly salted water for 2 minutes, then drain well and proceed with the recipe. It will take more like 20-25 minutes in the oven in this case.... Read more »

I love the crunch of watermelon, Black Spanish or daikon radishes in winter salads. They're refreshing and imposing and stand up to lots of different ingredients.   Adapt this to suit your tastes and what you have on hand just be sure to chop everything fairly small so all the ingredients integrate well.... Read more »

--inspired by Epicurious   This is a quick, fresh and tasty winter time pickle. It is quite pungent when you open the jar but the flavor is sweet and mellow so just open a window!   Serve it as a condiment with rice or stir fried meats or fish, eggs, or anything rich that needs a cool, fresh complement.... Read more »

This is a quick, delicious curry and can be adapted in many ways. Add a can of coconut milk for a richer and larger dish and serve it over rice. Use spinach or chard instead of mustard greens. Add ginger or pump up the heat with more chilies. ... Read more »

This is a stunning and stunningly simple salad. I cribbed the idea for it from John Taboada of restaurants Navarre and Luce. ... Read more »

  This was on regular rotation when I was growing up. I always liked it but never made it myself until my early 40s. I make it a bit dryer than my mother did and my family loves it. It takes about 20 minutes, start to finish and can serve as a one-dish dinner.  Scale up or down and change the ratio of ingredients as needed. It's very flexible.... Read more »

Quick and fun to make, look at and eat.  ... Read more »

I like the texture and feel of finely chopped vegetable salads. It's almost a cross between a salad and a garnish or salsa but I eat lots of eat, not garnish-sized portions. As always, substitute vegetables and herbs as needed. Keep it crunchy though. ... Read more »

  This is a warming, flavorful one-dish dinner. You could substitute green cabbage for the cauliflower or add some diced potatoes or sweet potatoes for heft. Use a vegan alternative to the yogurt topping, if you'd like.   If you have already cooked rice this comes together quite quickly.... Read more »

You can use a wide variety of salad greens here. I particularly like the heft and slight bitterness of chicories (escarole, frisee, radicchio, sugarloaf) or the brightness of arugula and sorrel. However, butter lettuce or oak leaf or even romaine would be good too. And by all means use hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds in place of the pistachios or use sunflower or pumpkin seeds and skip the sesame seeds. ... Read more »

I like to make fritters of most anything and these pack a nice punch from the hot pepper and are earthy and filling. The garlicky, minty yogurt topping delivers a bright, fresh kick. ... Read more »

This puree is light as a feather, simple and delicious. You can use olive oil instead of butter and a little broth instead of milk; you could add a little nutmeg or any number of herbs or other spices. You could enrich it with cheese and/or cream. Adding in roasted garlic in place of the steamed garlic is also delicious. For an even silkier texture you can add one small, diced potato to the mix.... Read more »

Scalloped potatoes was one of the first dishes I cooked for my family as a child. I learned from my mother to layer the thinly sliced potatoes, with herbs and spices and grated cheese. And I was extra generous with the black pepper--in each layer--in those days. Here's my updated and simplified version.   ... Read more »

The creamy, sweet beans balance the assertive radicchio. All you need is good olive oil, vinegar and salt.   In this version I used cassoulet (Tarbais) beans but you could use cannelini, navy or even corona beans or chickpeas for a slightly different but equally delicious result. And by all means add sage, rosemary or parsley or chopped salami or anything else you think would be complementary.  ... Read more »

  The richness of the egg pairs nicely with the assertive radicchio. You could dress this up with toasted nuts and/or apples or pears but I do love the simplicity of this, especially if you're serving other rich dishes.... Read more »

  I like to roast a big winter squash on the weekend and then have the squash ready to turn into salads, soups, etc. all week long. I used an Oregon Sweet Meat here but a butternut or hubbard type would work well.... Read more »