January 2017

This is the most minimalist eggplant Parmesan imaginable, really an eggplant gratin with tomatoes. (If memory serves me, that’s how they make it in Parma: no mozz, no meat.) You cook the eggplant in abundant oil. Yes, you can broil it or bake it, but I really think the taste of eggplant slices that have had oil boiled right through them is dreamy. Make a 15-minute tomato sauce of fresh or canned tomatoes, onion and olive oil, then grab a gratin dish and layer the eggplant, sauce and Parmesan. Do this two or three times, and that's it. Bake until it's bubbly and golden brown.

This is a typical fisherman’s stew. No need to make a fish stock; water, aromatics and anchovies will suffice. Use anchovies even if you don’t like them, as they add great depth of flavor, not to mention omega-3 fats. And don’t worry: the dish won’t taste like anchovies.

I’m all about snacks. Whether it’s something to crunch on during a movie, or giving dinner guests something to munch on while dinner’s in the oven, any new additions to my snack game are welcome.

If I can make those snacks healthy, that's even better. If I can somehow give chickpeas the addictive crunch and cheesy taste of a bag of Cheetos? Holy moly — hold me back from going into full-on snack-attack mode.

Most recipes for quinoa pilaf turn out woefully overcooked because they call for nearly twice as much liquid as they should. We cut the water back to ensure tender grains with a satisfying bite. We toast the quinoa in a dry skillet to develop its natural nutty flavor and finish our pilaf with a judicious amount of boldly flavored ingredients.