Pistachio Soup
Saffron brings depth to the pistachios but it’s the citrus that creates magic.
Yogurt, White Bean and Garlic Soup
If you ever wished to have garlic bread in the form of a soup, this is it. If you never thought you wanted it, you should now. It’s creamy, it’s garlicky, it’s good.
Roasted Beets with Rosemary Oil
There’s nothing quite like the deep red of beets on a winter plate. Roasted beets pair well with citrus which brightens their sweetness and rosemary brings an earthiness to the fruitiness.
Arugula, Grape, Parmesan and Pecan Salad with Grape Vinaigrette
If you’re thinking you don’t want to eat another salad, you’re doing it wrong. Arugula has bite, grapes are sweet, Parmesan is sultry and pecans are deep.
Fried Eggs with Greens, Bacon and Grits
We know I’m a sucker for a hearty breakfast, grits, runny eggs and greens. This dish combines all that plus tops it off with a kick of acidity, crispy bacon and brown butter.
Roasted Cabbage
Y’all eat your cabbage for New Year’s. We all need wealth, prosperity and health in 2021. While we’re at it, eat your black eye peas for good luck. This is not the time to tell me you aren’t superstitious … if I’m wrong here, a little cabbage hasn’t hurt anyone.
Chewy Spiced Molasses Sandwich Cookies
If you want a festive Christmas cookie, but don’t want to roll out dough or decorate cookies, these are for you.
Green Pancakes with Lime Butter
These pancakes work as an appetizer or as a starchy side to your beef steak, chicken or fish. You can even put a dollop of the lime butter on the protein.
Charred Greens (Turnip)
Charred greens are fast, fun and comforting. Embrace the green and your options are limitless.
Fennel, Satsuma and Pomegranate Salad
Fennel and satsuma bring unchartered brightness to the table and pomegranates add a pop of color to make this fall salad a must.
Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie
The brown butter adds a complexity to the pie that kicks it up a notch. It’s rich, it’s decadent and I hope it will find its way to your Thanksgiving table.
Chicken Shawarma Wrap
This wrap was inspired by the chicken tarna wrap and approved by my Armo. If you make everything from scratch the day you want to eat it, plan to spend about 5 hours in the kitchen plus a little bit of prep on the previous day.
Braised and Glazed Butternut Squash Soup
My mom makes some of the best butternut squash. She uses the braised and glazed method from Mark Bittman in How to Cook Everything. This soup uses that method to make the squash burst with flavor.
Popcorn Balls
At each driveway, we’d jump off the wagon and run down loooooong driveways to get the goods. There was always the house with plenty of witch’s brew, the house with Zapp’s, and my favorite — the house with popcorn balls.
Red Beans and Rice
We used to eat red beans and rice with smoked sausage browned in a frying pan. For an extra special treat, pour a little cane syrup on the sausage after it’s on your plate.
Tasso Lentil Soup
I used the cooking water from the chicken enchiladas last week as a broth for this soup. If you don’t have that cooking water, fear not! Use chicken stock and add red pepper flakes.
New Mexican Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Most commonly green chile pairs with light meats (chicken). However, my favorite New Mexican spot in Santa Fe is Casa Chimayo. One of their signature dishes is red chile chicken enchiladas. If you have beef with the rule breaking, take up with the owner’s prior generations because I’m just the innocent product of it.
Pastel de Alcachofas
Artichoke pie by a fancy name. Think of this dish as artichoke spinach (more artichoke flavor) dip in a shell. This recipe is adapted from Adina by Martin Morales.
Wedding Cake
I’m definitely a wedding cake person. Before I lose you because there’s nothing special about wedding cake, wedding cake should be a white cake with almond flavoring, filled with fruit pineapple (most traditional), lemon or strawberry.