"Tamal en cazuela is our ultimate comfort food," insists Acela Matamoros, one of Cuba's top cooking teachers and food historians. A kind of Cuban polenta -- or a stove-top tamal -- at its most basic, tamal en cazuela can be just a soft mush of water, cornmeal, and salt, sometimes eaten with milk and a sprinkle of sugar. Other versions use grated corn or the strained "milk" of the corn puree, which thickens when cooked. The flavorings range from classic pork, such as here, to chicken to seafood. This recipe, using pork ribs and a combination of grated corn and some cornmeal to thicken it, is easy and fairly quick but delivers plenty of that comforting, grandmotherly flavor.
This refreshing salad is a wonderful way to spruce up the humble carrot and was inspired by an afternoon I spent with Leila Rohbani, a yoga teacher from Tehran. I had a delightful time with her; drinking green tea from small stoneware cups and talking about our favorite recipes in the bright, airy rooms of her home, which doubles as her yoga studio—an oasis of calm in the hectic city, overlooking a garden filled with fig and Pomegranate trees. This makes a lovely addition to a mezze spread, or you could serve it with feta and bread for a more substantial meal.
To infuse smashed potatoes with savory chicken drippings, we butterfly a chicken and roast it on top of a bed of potatoes.
The sweet, nutty flavor of roasted butternut squash pairs best with flavors that are bold enough to balance that sweetness. We chose the traditional Middle Eastern spice blend za'atar (a pungent combination of toasted sesame seeds, thyme, marjoram, and sumac).
This Yemenite sauce is fresh and bright from herbs, while also having an intensely spicy kick to it. It's the ideal accompaniment for falafel or sabich sandwiches, but it also goes great with a variety of grilled vegetables, fish, meat, and eggs. And it should last a few weeks in the fridge (though I've never had a jar linger long enough to actually find out).
Pork loin is flattened and then rolled with a mix of creamy ricotta, bright tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs and lemon.
Wild arugula and parsley vichyssoise
Iranians love eggs, whatever way they are cooked, but they are especially fond of kuku, a type of open-faced omelet similar to the Italian frittata and the Arab eggah.
Bursting with fresh herbs, lemon, and mango, and super easy to throw together, this healthy grain salad would make a great addition to picnics or potlucks.
Just like fresh salmon, canned salmon is loaded with omega-rich fats, which are linked to heart and brain health (plus it has even more calcium than fresh salmon!), which is why I try to make a salmon-centered recipe at least once a week for my family.