April 2021

Rice and lentils with caramelized onions is a much-loved food in the Middle East. This is our take on the version we tasted in Lebanon. The rice and lentils are simmered together in the same pot, with the lentils getting a 10-minute head start so both finish at the same time. Meanwhile, the onions are fried until crisp and deeply caramelized — almost burnt, really — to coax out a savory bittersweet flavor.

Muhammara is a spicy-tart dip for flatbread made from walnuts and roasted red peppers. The name comes from the Arabic word for reddened. The dish originated in Syria, where it often is served alongside hummus and baba ganoush.

Aleppo pepper is made from ground dried Halaby chilies; it tastes subtly of cumin and fruit, with only mild heat. Look for it in well-stocked markets and spice shops, but if you cannot find it, simply leave it out — the muhammara will still be delicious. Serve with flatbread or vegetables for dipping or use as a sandwich spread.

We set out to develop a recipe for a vibrantly spiced pearl barley salad with the right balance of sweetness, tang, and nuttiness. Before we could focus on building these exciting flavors, we had to find a consistent cooking method for our barley. We wanted the grains to remain distinct, rather than cohesive as in a pilaf. We turned to what we call the “pasta method,” in which we simply boil the grains until tender. With our perfectly cooked barley set aside, we turned our attention back to flavor.

The base of this bowl, hearty, nutty farro, is traditionally associated with Italy and flavor profiles of the western Mediterranean, but it takes well to a variety of ingredients. For toppings, we chose crispy seared tofu planks, which we attractively fanned on top of the grains, along with a simple sauté of mushrooms, shallot, and spinach. We partnered these easy-to-prepare toppings with a potent miso-ginger sauce, which is enhanced with a little vegan mayo for body so that it's the perfect consistency for drizzling.

Espinacas con garbanzos is a hyper-regional dish native to Seville with strong Moorish influence that's substantive and full of flavor. Briefly simmering canned chickpeas (uniformly tender, well seasoned, and convenient) in a combination of chicken broth and chickpea canning liquid tenderized them and infused them with savory flavor. A picada (a paste of garlic and bread cooked in plenty of olive oil) thickened and seasoned the sauce. Smoked paprika and Moorish spices such as cumin, cinnamon, and saffron imbued the picada with heady aromas, and tomatoes and vinegar boosted its tang.

Romans use the leaves that grow around heads of broccoli to make a flavorful sauce for pasta. In the United States, most of the leaves are stripped off before broccoli is sold. Our recipe instead uses the stems, which are equally flavorful and produce a silky sauce. Baby spinach maintains the color of the original recipe.

Undercooking the broccoli stems could throw the sauce off. We’re accustomed to cooking vegetables until crisp-tender, but the stems here should be cooked until fully tender.