Searching4Zen

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  • Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (Zeytinyağlı Biber Dolma)

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    Ingredients 2 lb small green bell peppers (approximately 18-20 peppers) 2 cups white rice 4 medium size onions, finely chopped (you can use a food processor) 3 tomatoes, grated 1 tomato (this one is for covering the tops of bell peppers after stuffing) 1/3 cup pine nuts 1/3 cup currants 1 tbsp all spice 1 […]

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  • Grilled Duck Breast With Charred Greens, Grapes, And Celery

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    Mellow duck, crisped skin, a garlicky, pine nut emulsion, juicy grapes, and the textures of burnt greens and crisp celery: This is a dish that hits almost every pleasure center in my brain. These duck breasts (and the following sausage coil) serve as a bridge in this chapter, leading us away from the straightforward grilling […]

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  • Garlic And Pine Nut Emulsion

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    Smoked salt is the chef-y ingredient du jour, and normally I am skeptical of such things. But in this creamy sauce of milk-soaked pine nuts blended with garlic, the seasoning lends a hit of depth and aroma. Of course, if you’d rather not make a trip to the fancy food store for it, sea salt […]

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  • Charred Greens With Green Grapes And Celery

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    I love duck best in the fall, so I’m quick to work another autumnal favorite, grapes, into this meal. Though tart green grapes are specified, any variety would work here. I like Concords, for example. This side is really more of a savory-sweet-tart garnish that cuts through the gamy meat. To make it more robust, […]

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  • Potato-Fennel Gratin

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    I love to make potato gratin and fennel gratin, so I decided to combine the two. If you make this in an old French gratin dish, it looks wonderful and can go from the oven to the table with style. This gratin can be cooked days ahead and reheated at 350 degrees for about 30 […]

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  • Margarita

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    Ingredients 1 1/2 ounces tequila 1/2 ounce triple sec (Cointreau is recommended) 1 ounce fresh lime juice Lime wedge for garnish Salt to rim the glass Instructions Salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into the prepared glass with or without […]

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  • Spaghetti Puttanesca (Spaghetti With Capers, Olives, and Anchovies)

    15 mins.
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    “Puttanesca” literally translates to “in the style of prostitutes,” supposedly because the pungent aromas of garlic, anchovies, capers, and olives tossed with pasta were how Neapolitan prostitutes would lead customers to their doors. This is one of those stories that seem, in the words of Douglas Adams, apocryphal or at least wildly inaccurate. That said, […]

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  • Tartiflette

    1 hour
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    This potato recipe is based on tartiflette, a Savoy dish. Waxy potatoes are simmered with white wine, onion and lardons, then smothered with a heady cheese like reblochon and baked until bubbly and brown. I varied mine, adding thyme and using an aromatic cow’s milk cheese, Hooligan, from Cato Corner Farm’s stand at the Union […]

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  • Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)

    15 mins.
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    If you were to watch a practiced hand make cacio e pepe, you might think the instructions were as simple as this: Cook spaghetti and drain. Toss with olive oil, butter, black pepper, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve. But we all know that the simplest recipes can often be the most confounding, and so […]

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  • Chicken with Mustard

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    Ingredients: ½ cup (135g), plus 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika Freshly ground black pepper ¾ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt 4 chicken thighs and 4 legs (8 pieces, total) 1 cup (100g) diced smoked thick-cut bacon 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or […]

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