Characteristic: vegan

  I love the time of year when I can make ratatouille, when sweet peppers, eggplant, summer squash and tomatoes are all at their peak--usually beginning early August and lasting until mid-to late September. In my cook-with-what-you-have version quantities are easily adapted and the ratios are not critical so scale up or down as needed. It is important to cook some of the vegetables separately so that you don't crowd the pans and steam them rather than sautéing them. You want the browning and sweetness that comes with direct contact with the hot skillet.   It is a rich, stew-like dish in which the vegetables all break down a bit. It is not beautiful but it is GOOD! Serve with some good crusty bread, another salad, a frittata or some such. It’s even better the next day and delicious at room temperature as well.... Read more »

The stew is delicious with butternut, red kuri, hubbard or buttercup squash. I wouldn’t use delicata as it’s not meaty enough.  This stew is rich, nutrient dense, sweet, savory, just a little spicy and vegan. Garnish with green onions and crushed roasted and salted peanuts for an extra kick.   You can also add carrots or substitute carrots for some of the squash.... Read more »

  Simple, delicious and beautiful on a hot day, any day, really. You can use other summer squash in place of the zucchini.  I began making this dish for my family when I was in high school and it's remained a standby.  ... Read more »

--adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi   You'll be amazed how much of this you can eat. It's just such a winning combination, even in its simplified form. You can certainly add other vegetables to the mix and you can use any kind of onion--just use lots.   Most any winter squash or pumpkin will work for this recipe. If you’re loathe to peel and trim the squash raw you can bake the whole squash, seeds and all for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees and then remove it, let cool a little and then peel and cut—a bit easier to handle this way.... Read more »

Carrot salads add bright and fresh flavors year-round and are the perfect foil for the cook-with-what-you-have approach. Cumin, coriander, chili flakes, fresh, hot chilies, lemon, lime (juice and zest), rice vinegar, parsley, mint, cilantro, tarragon, and basil are all wonderful complements to the carrots. Toasted nuts and seeds of many kinds are good too.   You can add white beans to this salad for a more robust version. Make a little extra dressing and you have a great lunch or light supper.   With a simple frittata and a piece of good bread, this makes a lovely dinner.   Serves 4... Read more »