A simple tomato and cucumber salad inspired by a Middle Eastern recipe. Terrific on its own or with grilled Halloumi or feta.
Category: Vegetarian Choices
Cauliflower and Feta Frittata
A cauliflower frittata recipe from a Turkish hole in the wall restaurant in Berlin-Kreuzberg. What a great way to spice up an underrated vegetable!
Eggplants with Chermoula
Chermoula is a fresh and spicy marinade and sauce. Morocco’s national sauce imparts a distinctive flavor to fish, meat, and vegetables.
Gnocchi with Spring Vegetables
Ready-made gnocchi are a fast cook’s dream. Sauteing them in butter and olive oil sears them in a crispy mantel. A quick and healthy option for dinner.
Baked Endives with Gruyere Cheese
Endives au Gratin, a classic from Belgium and Northern France. The sweet and slightly salty taste of the Gruyere cheese is a perfect match to the the endives.
Roasted Potatoes with Persillade
A tasty recipe for roasted potatoes Provence style: Leaving the potato skins on is healthy and the Persillade adds zest. Goes well with meat dishes.
Dutch Mustard Soup
The mustard soup with bacon and leek is one of the classic Dutch recipes. Instead of Dutch mustard, use equal amounts of whole grain and Dijon mustard.
Chermoula
The famous Moroccan recipe for a spicy marinade and sauce, a mixture of cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), cumin parsley, garlic, paprika, lemon and olive oil.
Lima (Fava) Bean Salad with Feta Cheese
For this recipe, you can use lima beans, butter beans or fava beans. This cool lemony salad is one of my favorites and quick to prepare.
Beetroot Soup with Feta Cheese
I have never been fond of beets. To me they always came in jars, tasting like earth and vinegar. Nothing to look forward to. I changed my mind! Beetroot soup is not only eye-catching but delicious too. Add a shot of vodka to it, and have a Borscht experience.
Mojo Verde (Spanish Green Sauce)
Originally from the Canary Islands, this recipe is now popular all over Spain. It’s used for potatoes (Spanish are consummate potato eaters), roasted vegetables, fish, salads, soups you name it, you got it.
Labneh
Labneh, also known as Laban, which means yogurt in Arabic, is a traditional food in the Middle East. It can also be served on its own as an appetizer – sprinkled with some olive oil and herbs and accompanied by some pita bread – a real delight!
Provençal Potatoes
Tian à la Comtadine is a traditional potato dish of the Provence. “Tian” is a gratin dish and “Comtat” means duchy. This is a popular side dish in France for meats and fish. But I also like it as a vegetarian choice accompanied by a green salad.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de Gallo also known as Salsa Fresca is one of the best known Mexican imports to the American food scene. It’s a versatile sauce that renders itself to a multitude of uses. It is a crisp and tart condiment which enlivens grilled meats, baked dishes and is a great side kick to snacks. Indispensable in a summer party.
Cured Olive (Olives Piquées)
Here is a recipe to prepare your own cured olives. It only works with freshly harvested olives. You can’t obtain fresh ones? Then you might want to take a look at this recipe, so you buy the right variety for your Mediterranean dishes.
Persillade
Persillade (Persil = parsley in French) is a recurrent theme in the French kitchen. No wonder, the irresistible aroma of garlic and parsley makes any dish glorious. It can be added during the preparation of the dish for a more subtle flavor, at the very end to provide a more garlicky taste or even used raw as a garnish.
Cèpes (Mushrooms) à la Provençal
The type of mushrooms normally used for this dish are Cèpes, a French term which should be applied only to the Porcini variety. For this dish, you may also use cultivated mushrooms, like champignons, as long as they are fresh.
Cranberry Chipotle Sauce
No longer your grandmother’s traditional cranberry sauce. A Latino touch has been added to it. Chipotle chilis and dried smoked jalapeno peppers add a spark of heat and smokiness to the sweet/tart cranberries.
Ensalada Rusa
It’s one of the most popular dishes in a Spanish tapas bar, Russian Potato Salad. During the Franco dictatorship the word Russia was “prohibido” hence the dish was called – in public only – Ensalada Nacional. As part of a tapas dish tuna (canned or small shrimps are added as well as sliced hard boiled eggs as garnish. I love Ensalada Rusa also as a side dish without tuna.
Baked Potatoes with Olives
Potatoes, onions, red peppers, olives and a few spices baked in olive oil – it’s amazing what a few good ingredients can do to a simple dish. It could even serve as a vegetarian main course.