Combine the flavors of two popular Middle Eastern dips (baba ghanouj and hummus) in this tasty puree. Serve with raw veggies or spread on whole grain crackers.
Lentils were once hippie food, then chefs decided they were elegant enough to serve as a bed under rosy lamb or roast salmon, as an accompaniment to poultry, or in hearty bowls flavored with bacon. These little legumes, which are packed with protein and sophisticated flavor, can also be a vegetarian entree. The best ones are the small, dark green French lentils (sometimes labeled le Puy), which have a cleaner flavor and a more toothsome texture than their larger, light green counterparts.
I first had Swiss chard pesto two years ago while volunteering on an organic farm in Italy. It was a revelation. Pesto, usually made with basil, is also fantastic with any leafy greens — radish greens, turnip tops, kale. Swiss chard is the easiest to work with because of its enormous, easy-to-tear leaves. For vegans, omit the cheese in the pesto, as I do here. Then boil a pot of pasta and grate a good bit of Parmesan onto the servings for people who want it. Use fresh whole-wheat spaghetti or a dried shape with a little curve, such as fusilli.
My housemate Jason is from Phoenix, where a particularly prolific grapefruit tree grows in his yard. His mother sent us several plump, pungent fruits, which I decided to pair with thin slices of fresh fennel. The chickpeas are tossed with pimenton de la vera, a Spanish smoked paprika (available at Christina’s Spice & Specialty Foods, 1255 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-576-2090). Of the three classifications, the “dulce’’ variety is best for this recipe. Pimenton de la vera literally makes everything it touches infinitely better.
Every morning, my housemate, Quin, makes fabulous steel-cut oatmeal. The night before we decide what flavorings should go in and what time “first oat’’ will be served. Though we get very experimental with our oatmeal (pumpkin/garam masala, for example), we always come back to our standby — cardamom/currant. This flavor combination is just as good in oatmeal cookie form, and very easy to make. We don’t have an electric mixer, so we use plenty of elbow grease to make this dough.
At the beginning of the semester, this was one of the things I made when my housemates and I sat down for dinner together. The Brussels sprouts at the market looked particularly appealing that day, and we had some bread sitting around. Panzanella is a traditional Italian dish made with stale bread, tomatoes, and olive oil. This version, made with Aleppo pepper (a fruity, not-too-too-spicy chili from Syria) can work as a vegetarian main course.
When it comes to using up leftover ingredients, chefs are not that different from the rest of us. Foie gras and truffle oil might not be in your refrigerator or pantry, but you may have lobster shells left from a celebration dinner, as Andrew Wilkinson did one day.
My mom used to make breakfast for dinner every Thursday night when I was growing up and I always looked forward to it. Really, is there anything better than a big plate full of cheesy eggs, pancakes with melted butter and maple syrup, and fruit salad? I would love to continue this tradition with Apolinaras, but unfortunately, he isn’t a fan. I think it’s partly because he actually gets up early enough to make eggs every morning, while I prefer to savor every last minute of sleep and usually end up just having cereal.
The richness of smoky grilled vegetables is well complemented by the creaminess of Humboldt Fog.