Recipes

Eggplant and Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses

Eggplant and Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses

A summer staple from the coastal town of Antakya, this light stew is a favorite of Musa Dagdeviren's wife, Zeynep, who was born there. To keep the textures and flavors of the vegetables distinct, Musa layers the eggplant in a pot with tomatoes, lentils, chopped onions and garlic, then slowly cooks it, covered, without stirring. The stew is best when made ahead and allowed to mellow for at least a few hours.

Healthy

Jamaican Stew Peas and Spinners

Red kidney beans, aromatics, coconut milk, a Scotch Bonnet pepper, and more come together in these Jamaican Stew Peas and Spinners, which writer Brigid Ransome Washington developed based on her mother-in-law's recipe. While the iterations Ransome Washington enjoyed growing up in Trinidad and Tobago included meat, this version is vegan, but make no mistake, it's still luscious, hearty, and satisfying. Don't throw away the soaking liquid from the beans—according to Vivienne, her mother-in-law (who she calls Auntie), simmering the beans in it gives the dish a beautiful color. The resulting Stew Peas are hearty, comforting, and filled with earthy and bright flavors.

Healthy

Fonio Stuffed Collards with Pepper Sambal and Sauce Moyo

For this recipe, Marcus Samuelsson stuffs collards with onions, herbs, and fonio, a tiny protein-rich grain that has been grown and eaten for thousands of years in West Africa. He seasons his fonio with dawadawa powder, an umami-rich seasoning made from fermented locust beans. Samuelsson's version of sambal is made with roasted red peppers and is used as a sauce to bake with the collards. To finish it off, you need just a little bit of the spicy sauce moyo on top of each roll.

Healthy

Halloumi and Vegetable Skewers with Pomegranate Tahini Sauce

Pomegranate molasses is the secret ingredient in this simple marinade. Its punchy, sweet, earthy notes add long-cooked depth of flavor to cheese and vegetable skewers in just 30 minutes of marination, with pleasantly bitter tahini rounding things out. The pomegranate-tahini marinade goes the extra mile as a final drizzle for the skewers; thinned with fresh orange juice, it supplies the perfect, sweet-savory finish to the dish. Be sure to soak wooden skewers in water before threading on the cheese and vegetables to prevent flare-ups while grilling or broiling.

Meat and Seafood

Pancit

Sheldon Simeon grew up with this noodle stir-fry seasoned with oyster sauce and fish sauce and loaded up with whatever meats and vegetables are on hand.

Healthy

Ratatouille

This iconic dish from the South of France is a celebration of summer.

Meat and Seafood

Spicy Chicken Curry

For this spicy curry, chicken thighs and drumsticks simmer in a rich sauce seasoned with chiles, garlic, ginger, and an array of spices.

Meat and Seafood

Insalata di Pesce

Master Sommelier Pavle Milic, of FnB in Scottsdale, Arizona, gave us the inspiration for this seafood salad, which pairs beautifully with white wines. “I was 14 when I started working for the family business, a little joint called Franco’s Trattoria. We offered a seafood salad that was light, refreshing, and showcased what just a few simple ingredients can do. I love it with Scarpetta Frico Bianco, a blend of Friulano and Chardonnay from my pal (and Master Sommelier) Bobby Stuckey,” Milic says. Quickly poaching the mixed seafood gently cooks each piece to perfect doneness for tender, flaky bites. Choose a favorite olive oil here; its flavor permeates the whole dish and adds a savory vegetal flavor.

Meat and Seafood

Shrimp Chow Mein

Easy enough for a last-minute dinner, this shrimp chow mein recipe will satisfy cravings for take-out.

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