Recipes

As pumpkin pie spice reminds me of pumpkin and poultry seasoning reminds me of poultry, so too does dried oregano remind me, somehow, of pizza. There's nothing like frying oregano in butter to scent the entire apartment with Perfume of Pizza (even whilst the tomatoes have yet to be added). With this in mind, I thought it'd be fun to transfer those flavors to another dish I love cooking in the winter: moules marinière, or sailor-style mussels.

Classically, tahini dressing is made by mixing it with minced garlic, lemon juice, and water to make a delicious, creamy sauce that is equally good as a sauce for fish or lamb as it is tossed over raw vegetables as a salad dressing.

My friend Grace posted a picture of some steamed fish she made, and it looked so good I had to ask for the recipe. Turns out the fish isn't so much steamed as baked in the oven, but it's so moist and tender, it might as well have been steamed!

The local herring season in San Francisco arrives in December or January, and we fillet, salt, and pickle thousands of these tasty baitfish during their short season. We make a big bucket of fish sauce every year with the remnants of the herring that didn’t get pickled. If you choose to do so, we highly recommend that you go way out in the country away from neighbors. We cover the bones with solé and let it sit for a year at room temperature. Then we strain it and let it age for another 6 months. It can be used in just about anything; we like it in the green chili fish stew.

This one-pot of savory goodness doesn't take much time to prepare, and it can be eaten warm or cold. This recipe's roots place it in North Africa, but it is simple to prepare and oh-so delicious. The preserved lemon adds a fantastic, somewhat zippy, quality. No need for salt here with the satiny lemon and the briny olives. Dig in.

Provençal Potato Salad with Tuna Dressing blends tender boiled potatoes and green beans with a light, rich tuna-mustard dressing infused with lemon, olive oil, capers, and fresh herbs. A vibrant, satisfying salad perfect for summer or picnics.

Possibly one of the most Venetian dishes around, risotto al nero di seppia – squid ink risotto – is a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Greek-style Shrimp in Tomato Sauce with Feta is a vibrant, Mediterranean dish featuring succulent shrimp simmered in garlic‑onion tomato sauce, deglazed with white wine, then finished with crumbled feta and fresh herbs. Ideal with crusty bread or rice

I love smoked fish for breakfast, and one of my favorite ways to have it is mixed into a skillet of fried potatoes. I add dollops of smoked paprika aioli for a little extra smoke and tang. Since it's breakfast, I just mix up an easy aioli by adding garlic, lemon, and spice to mayonnaise, but you could absolutely make one from scratch if your arm is up for that kind of whisking early in the day.

Think of this as a fresh take on pasta salad. . . an elegant side to a summer buffet or an entree in itself. It derives from one of my favorite comfort foods - one I don’t make often: shrimp and grits. Shrimp and grits - Charleston-style - is a heaven-sent dish of creamy, buttery, cheesy goodness, topped with a spicy shrimp “gravy.”