SERVES 6 I was the official rice maker in my family, and I perfected a water-measuring technique that involved placing my thumb against the bottom of the pan, just like my Sitti (“grandmother” in Arabic) taught my mom. I took great pride in my fluffy rice, and it was...
SERVES 4 to 6 The word “casserole” is so unassuming and suggestive of “stuff from cans,” it hardly seems appropriate for this dish. It’s almost a confection, made of pillows, clouds, and whispers. It starts as a puree that, while not bad on its own, is still just...
SERVES 2 to 4 Banish boring broccoli! In the time it takes to microwave a bag of frozen stuff, you can whip up this fresh side dish that brings the sun-dappled shores of the Aegean right into your kitchen. The tender broccoli and tangy-sweet tomatoes relax in a sauce...
SERVES 2 to 4 “The Incident” in my elementary school cafeteria left me cooked-carrot averse. (Think mean lunch lady, waterlogged carrots from a can, tepid milk, and force feeding.) But my mom introduced me to the sweet goodness of roasted carrots and saved the day....
SERVES 2 to 4 I grew up in diner country, where creamy mashed potatoes were a standard side dish that almost defined a balanced dinner. (Hello, meat and potatoes!) This cauliflower proves that starch is not a requirement for comfort. Snuggled under a hearty beef stew...
SERVES 4 to 8 Jane Eyre is my favorite book, and I’m a sucker for any fog-shrouded British mystery. I can’t get enough of the accents, the Queen’s English, the tweed and wellies, the moody weather, and the fervent belief that a steaming cup of tea is a cure-all....
MAKES 2 to 4 I was never happy when I found a sandwich in my packed lunch. But I always loved salads, especially with a major dose of creamy Italian dressing. When I was in grade school, my mom would put my lunchtime salad in a Tupperware, then pour just the right...
SERVES 4 to 6 I’m a sucker for anything leopard print and any recipe that includes coconut, which sort of explains how this recipe came to be. Sri Lanka is home to the distinctively-spotted Sri Lankan leopard, as well as a traditional dish called “sambol,” a paste...
MAKES ½ cup I’ve yet to encounter a vegetable or grilled meat that wasn’t improved by a little drizzle of olive oil and herbs. These two sauces come from opposite sides of the planet but share one lovely characteristic: they make already good food even better. And...
MAKES 1/3 cup When I was a small-town kid, my parents would sometimes take my brother and me to a Chinese restaurant in the next town over. There were lush potted palms and a koi pond with a bridge in the middle of the restaurant. The big round table (“our table”) had...
