Recipes By David Tanis
747 recipes found
Whole-Wheat Za’atar Flatbreads
These herb-smeared flatbreads can be an ideal snack or appetizer with (or without) a little labneh or feta, or they can accompany a main course. The dough is easy to mix by hand, preferably several hours in advance of baking to let it hydrate and mature and allow gluten to develop. Za’atar, a lightly salted spice blend containing wild thyme, sumac and sesame, makes a delicious topping. Though you can make your own, it’s worth a trip to a Middle Eastern grocery where many different versions are sold.
Spiced Roasted Lamb and Vegetables
This fragrant stew, redolent of cumin, coriander, ginger, allspice, fennel and cinnamon, is slowly simmered to tenderness. A lamb shoulder roast makes the most succulent stew, but thick bone-in shoulder chops are sometimes easier to find and work just as well. Let the meat rest a day or two in its own broth in the refrigerator. Reheating revs up the complex spice mixture. Then, grab a warm flatbread and get to dunking.
Pistachio-Almond Cookies
Cardamom has a mysterious flavor that’s hard to describe — sweet, peppery, sharp, a hint of citrus. It’s an outstanding spice that can be put to good use in many types of baked goods. Long cherished in the Middle East and India, pistachios are having a moment in the United States: Many bakeries are now featuring pistachio-filled croissants, for instance. These cookies have a slightly soft center, with a crisp exterior.
Double Celery Salad
This dish employs two kinds of celery: the tender hearts of branch celery and so-called knob celery, also known as celery root or celeriac. It’s a nice salad in winter, for a change of pace. A bed of spicy watercress, arugula or mizuna lends even more of a green hue to this dish.
Mussels in Spicy Green Broth
Steaming a pot of mussels couldn’t be easier for a quick, satisfying meal. Cooked simply with garlic, shallots and white wine, they produce a delicious broth. For a version with more oomph, stir in this spicy butter and a squeeze of lime.
Cauliflower Cheese
Cauliflower cheese is classic British comfort food. In its simplest form, the vegetable is cloaked with white sauce (béchamel) and Cheddar, then baked until bubbly. It may be served as a side dish but is often the main course for a frugal lunch or supper.
Citrus Salad With Radish and Watercress
This easy, refreshing salad is best made in winter, when citrus fruit is at its best. You may prep all ingredients in advance, but build the salad just before serving.
Pistachio Chocolate Bark
Not so much a dessert as a little something sweet to nibble on, chocolate bark is easy to make and always popular. This one calls for just two ingredients and a little time for something everyone will talk about. Serve on a platter at the center of a dinner party table, or pack some up for everyone to take home.
Avocado, Radish and Iceberg Lettuce Salad
I’ve always liked this very simple salad that was served at La Taza de Oro, a now-defunct Puerto Rican diner in New York City.
Braised Chicken With Tomato and Potatoes
Long-simmered to a tender, falling-off the-bone state, this braised chicken is fragrant with smoky paprika and cumin. This dish aims to be Spanish chicken in salsa brava, but the addition of ancho chiles, traditionally used in Mexican cooking, lends a bit more heat. Along with a splash of wine and chopped tomato, it is hearty and warming, with a ruddy red sauce. Make the dish a day in advance, if you can; the longer it sits in the sauce, the deeper the flavor will be.
Arroz con Leche With Roasted Pineapple
With a touch of coconut, broiled pineapple and bright-red pomegranate seeds, this is a festive dessert. Many rice pudding recipes call for a custard, but this one just calls for simmering short-grain rice in sweetened milk — it may make you think of Thai coconut sticky rice. Serve it warm to cap a meal, and keep some for the next day. Leftovers make a fine breakfast.
Roasted Halibut With Cumin, Lemon and Bay
For a main course, this easy fish dish features flavors enjoyed in many Middle Eastern dishes and meant to be together — cumin, lemon and bay, so fragrant and satisfying. Use any firm-fleshed white fish fillets, such as halibut, snapper or rockfish. (Using small whole fish like branzino is another possibility.) The fish can be roasted, uncovered, in a hot oven, beneath the broiler or in a covered grill. The lemon and bay get slightly charred, and their perfume immediately infuses the fish in a beautiful way.
Spicy Carrot-Ginger Soup
Let’s proceed on the theory that everyone likes soup, and some soups are better than others. You might think of squash for an autumn soup, but this bright soup of carrots, stewed with ginger and jalapeño and finished with a good squeeze of lime and a handful of chopped cilantro, is an example of how not to make the all-too familiar stodgy too-thick purée. Still, feel free to try it with kabocha or butternut squash. If the soup is not to be served immediately, cool after puréeing, and reheat just before serving — it will taste fresher.
Orange Salad With Pomegranate
For dessert, a simple fruit salad like this one after a meal is always welcome, refreshing and palate-cleansing. The only real challenge is peeling the oranges with a sharp knife, leaving them spherical and ready to cut into thin slices. Want to doll it up? Surround the platter with Medjool dates or honey dates and serve with almond or walnut cookies.
Roasted Pepper Antipasto
A simple, pretty appetizer, this antipasto can be served in individual portions or as part of a buffet table. Roast your own in-season peppers for the best flavor, and spring for top-quality anchovies.
Fish in Tomato-Basil Broth
Steamed in a savory tomato broth, the fish in this easy recipe remains exceptionally moist. For the best results, use a white-fleshed fish, like cod, striped bass or halibut. Any extra broth is great to have on hand: Make this dinner, and you'll also get about a quart of chilled soup for lunch.
Plum Crostata
This showstopping Italian-style fruit tart nestles juicy ripe plums — any type, or substitute apricots — into a sweet pastry shell. This recipe makes enough for two crusts: Save the second in the freezer so you can make a second tart any time you like.
Summer Vegetable Niçoise Salad
You’ll find the green beans, wax beans, Romano beans and fresh shelling beans for this salad at the farmers’ market, making it perfect for a summer lunch or supper. With sweet cherry tomatoes and fingerling potatoes, it makes a substantial meal. Add good canned tuna, black olives or anchovy fillets too, if you wish.
Raspberry-Nectarine Icebox Cake
Chilled, creamy and not too sweet, this simple, no-bake icebox cake is a perfect dessert. In truth, it’s even a bit like tiramisù, but with ripe summer fruit. Store-bought ladyfingers make it easy; shop at the farmers’ market for the best fruit. Make it a few hours or even a day in advance of serving for effortless entertaining.
Chilled Avocado Soup
This chilled soup couldn’t be easier to make, packing a lot of flavor into a quick dish of just a few ingredients. Fresh, green and somewhat tart, it’s quite refreshing on a warm day.
Lemon-Blackberry Shortcakes
Berry season is the time for shortcakes, a classic dessert with berries, whipped cream and freshly baked sconelike biscuits. Here, a bit of sweet-tart lemon curd, prepared up to a week in advance and perfect with blackberries, makes these particularly special. Serve these assembled, on individual dessert plates, or, if you prefer, set out all the elements for guests to build their own.
Paprika-Rubbed Pork Chops
A marinade based on salt, sugar, ground coriander and various red-pepper powders infuses these easily pan-cooked chops. Double or triple the marinade for use on any fish, fowl, meat or vegetables (eggplant is especially nice). These chops can also be prepared on the grill. They cook quickly – 2 minutes on each side – over medium-high heat. Take care, though: Loin chops are quite lean and become tough and dry when cooked over high heat.
Turmeric Potato Salad
This French-style vinaigrette potato salad, infused with Indian flavors and finished with a tadka built on cumin and mustard seeds in oil, is a delicious picnic side, with or without the lettuce cups. Choose small, yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon, and top them with cherry tomatoes, sliced scallions, chiles and cilantro for a bright, perky and robust accompaniment to summer.
Cheese-Topped Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower “steaks” were all the rage in upscale restaurants a few years ago, but they’re easy to make at home in any number of variations. To get thick slices, you’ll want to invest in a couple of cauliflowers and be prepared to turn the trimmings into soup or use for stir-fry for another meal. Or simply skip the slices and use florets instead. You can serve these with a light marinara sauce, but they are very tasty with no sauce at all.