For the past few weeks, I’ve been inching slowly (and sometimes, painfully) back into the robust workout routine that I observed before I got myself involved with all this culinary school business. These new miles of pounded pavement have been making me feel ravenous between meals, and I’ve been on the lookout for snacks that can satisfy, while being tasty, nutritious, and low in calories and fat.

Ironically, when I first encountered this healthy, nutritious snack, I was sitting down to a celebratory dinner of epic and caloric proportions at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a restaurant/working farm/theme park for food dorks like me who are into sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine. Tuscan kale chips, artfully suspended above antique wooden blocks by a thin piece of wire, were the first of the parade of amuse bouche that we enjoyed that night. Everyone in our party was delighted by their simple beauty and surprised by how delicious they were. They were the perfect introduction to the flavor and feel of the restaurant.

You can imagine my excitement when, as I was rifling through old issues of Bon Appetit weeks later, I discovered the very same recipe we’d enjoyed at the restaurant. Happily, when it comes to my snacking criteria, these kale chips fit the bill on all counts. Their texture is delicate and crisp, they crumble between the teeth and then dissolve away on the tongue. They have an earthy, nutty flavor, that is well complimented with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. I think I may even try making them with a bit of Spanish paprika for a little bit of smoky heat. They are fully of vitamins, and the negligible fat that they contain is the good kind.

Best of all, they are ridiculously easy to make. I’ve been bagging these up to take along with me as a mid-day snack, mindlessly nibbling on them while I answer emails, and pushing them on Brian when he whines about being hungry before dinner. I also fully intend to make a batch to stand up in tall glasses next to the cheese and finger foods the next time I entertain, because if these are fancy enough to serve in a classy joint like Blue Hill at Stone Barns, then surely they are good enough for my tiny apartment.

Tuscan Kale Chips
Adapted from Dan Barber’s recipe, courtesy of Bon Appetit, February 2009

I made a few adjustments from the original recipe: I found that they were less likely to have burnt spots if I rubbed the oil into the nooks and crannies and the outer edges on both sides of the kale. Also, after my first batch with salt sprinkled on them came out with visible salty spots, I decided to try sprinkling them with a salt solution instead. These measures add a few more minutes to the process, but they make the results more aesthetically pleasing. Feel free to skip them if you are in a hurry and/or don’t care as much what they look like- taste will not be effected. If bagging up to take along for a portable snack, be sure that there is air in the sealed bag to act as a cushion to prevent them from being crushed.

12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 250°F. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water with the salt and stir to dissolve. Once the salt is completely dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool. Toss kale with oil in large bowl and rub the leaves to make sure they are coated evenly. Sprinkle with pepper and the salt water mixture to taste, and shake off excess liquid. Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves. Transfer leaves to rack to cool.

Speaking as someone who is learning to cook for a living, I’ve got a sad, embarrassing confession for you: I’m just not that into cooking meals at home these days. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I’m on my feet at 5AM and I’m baking biscuits by 6. Or maybe it’s an over-saturation of the senses, the intoxicating smell of pan-caramelized apples wafting up at me, and the constant bombardment of sauteed garlic, homey herbs, and savory braise smells of the creations from another cook, desensitizing my desire for good food. Whatever the cause, when the time to cook when the day’s end rolls around, I’ve been struggling to muster much enthusiasm.

I’ve come up with a counter-intuitive solution to my problem by challenging myself to only cook dinners that I’m genuinely excited about eating. They don’t have to be hard recipes or take hours to make, in fact most of them so far have been made up on the fly. They do need to be dishes I’ll look forward to eating, meals worthy of opening a moderately priced bottle of wine to enjoy midweek. To select these recipes, I pause and ask myself, as I’m heading by the store on the way home, “what am I hungry for?” And then, I make that thing. So far, it’s been a success.

The other night, I was jonesing for fresh pasta – something that I’ve practiced enough to confidently make whenever I need it, as long as I have a spare hour available for the dough to do its requisite chilling in the fridge.

I had portobellos, shiitakes, and a block of parmesan cheese, and I began to conceive of a meal that I became very excited about, indeed.

I sauteed the mushrooms in garlic, white wine, and  lemon juice, and finished them with just a dash of heavy cream, creating a mushroom-wine sauce that coated each strand of the al dente pasta, without overwhelming it.  A sprinkle of grated parmesan  added some sharp, creamy flavor, and the tender, meaty mushrooms stood up well with the pasta. A simple meal, nothing groundbreaking here, but also an exciting one for me, and that’s the most important thing when you’re cooking your way out of a slump.

Mushroom Fettuccine

I’m not going to provide exact ingredient amounts here, since so much of this recipe is suited to taste. Use this as inspiration to create your own pasta craving.

Serves 2, with leftovers

1/2 lb . shiitake, crimini, portobello, or other favorite mushrooms, sliced uniformly
fresh fettuccine pasta, either homemade (use my guide) or store-bought (enough for 2 people)
olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
lemon, squeezed
a glass of dry white wine (or more, to taste)
grated parmesan cheese
dash of heavy cream
salt
black pepper

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat enough olive oil to coat the pan generously, on med-low. Add the garlic and saute in the oil until it is translucent, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat if the garlic starts browning too quickly. Add the mushrooms, stirring to evenly coat them in the oil and garlic mixture. If the mushrooms seem dry or are sticking, add a little more oil. Cook for a few minutes until they become a bit limp and flexible, then add lemon juice and wine. Simmer until the mushrooms are done to your preference, add a little water  or additional wine if the liquid cooks off too fast. Stir in the heavy cream right at the end, toss the pasta into the mixture, only long enough to heat up to desired temperature. Add salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese to taste. Serve immediately.

When I was a kid, I was envious of those who were Jewish. It has nothing to do with my interest in the faith, the appeal of its strong community, or the preservation of very old traditions. Rather, it came down to simple mathematics; with eight being decidedly greater than one, I was convinced that Christmas-celebrators were being shortchanged days of celebration.

Now I’m grown up and about to marry a Jewish man, and through our courtship I’ve discovered something entirely different to envy about the chosen people – their delicious and comforting foods. It’s a stretch for me to choose, but if I had to pick my favorite from the mass of sumptuous kugels, brisket, noodle pudding, lox, and knish I’ve enjoyed, I’d still have to say that latkes (potato pancakes) are the dish that I look forward to more than any other.

This year, Brian’s family has exploded with craziness and we just couldn’t find a way for us all to get together for Hanukkah this year, so we decided to celebrate a little early on our own by making potato pancakes two ways – the traditional latke with sour cream and homemade apple puree, and a potato pancake dressed up with ingredients and spices reminiscent of potato dishes from our neighborhood Indian joints.

For both pancakes, I had two objectives in mind: a crispy crust on the outside, and mealy texture (as opposed to just mashed potatoes) within. With the help of a very hot cast iron skillet, and my mandolin slicer (using it to julienne the potatoes rather than just grating them into small, uneven shavings), both of these qualities were achieved.

We were delighted with the results of both, and each on our third pancake, had to remind ourselves that restraint is in order when eating a whole meal consisting of fried potatoes. I enjoyed alternating bites from each type of pancake, delighting in sweet/salty/creamy/crunchy contrast of the traditional pancake, and cleansing my palate a bit with the spicy and citrus flavor from the more contemporary model.

Latkes and Indian Spiced Potato Pancakes
Adapted from Epicurious, December 2005

Serve pancakes hot with applesauce and/or sour cream.

Indian Spiced Potato Pancakes

1/2 cup frozen peas
1 medium onion, peeled
4 large russet or Idaho potatoes (about 3 1/2 pounds), peeled
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Greek yogurt
1 lime

Preheat oven to 200°F. Place 2 nonstick baking sheets in oven.

In small saucepan, bring salted water to boil. Add peas and cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, then rinse in colander under cool, running water. Set aside in colander to drain completely.

Using a mandolin (set to 1/8th inch matchsticks), (or a box grater or a food processor fitted with grating disc) coarsely grate the potatoes and place in colander set in sink. Coarsely grate the onion using a box grater or a food processor fitted with grating disc , add to colander, and set aside to drain.

In large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Whisk in flour, coriander, turmeric, and cumin. Mix in ginger, cilantro, and peas.

Press potatoes and onion to extract as much liquid as possible, then add to bowl. Season mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using wooden spoon or hands, mix well, but do not overwork. Add additional flour, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture still has a pool of liquid on the bottom.

In heavy-bottomed, 12-inch skillet (cast iron is highly suggested) over moderately high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter until hot but not smoking. Drop 4 scant 1/4-cup portions of potato mixture into pan and flatten with spatula to form four 3-inch pancakes.

Fry until bottoms are golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes, then turn over and fry until golden-brown and crisp, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season immediately with salt and pepper. Keep warm on baking sheets in oven while making remaining pancakes.

Combine 1 cup Greek yogurt with the juice of 1 lime and whisk to incorporate. Set aside for serving or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Using paper towels, carefully wipe out pan. And 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter and fry 4 more pancakes. Repeat with remaining batter, wiping out pan and adding 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter before each batch.

Serve pancakes hot with lime yogurt and wedges of lime.

This post serves as a friendly reminder that healthy delicious cooking need not involve a lot of skill or even recipes. When I’m feeling lazy (more often than you’d probably think), I just dip into the bag of fall goodies from the greenmarket. Chances are there’s something in there that can be sliced and or peeled, seasoned, and roasted.

There are no less than twenty varieties of potatoes available right now, not to mention root vegetables of all colors and sizes.

I even found some fresh lemon thyme and sage. It’s on it’s way out, so I bought extra to dry out and use when the snow is flying.

Next time you are in a cooking funk and ready to hit the speed dial for the Thai takeout guy, remember that there’s still a lot of good, seasonal eating to be had with minimal effort.

And even though these meals may feel a little bit like copouts, I assure you there’s never anything wrong with cooking fresh food at home. Especially when minimal effort yields a lot of great flavor.

Roasted Fall Veggies with Fresh Herbs

carrots (approximately 2 medium-sized per person)
potatoes (approximately 2 small per person)
good olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
minced fresh herbs (dill, parsley, rosemary, thyme, or sage)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash and peel the carrots. Scrub the potatoes and rinse thoroughly. Cut the carrots into 1 inch thick pieces, trying to keep them as uniform as possible for even cooking. Cut the potatoes into wedges about 3/4 inch thick at the thickest point.

On two separate baking sheets, toss the carrots and the potatoes in olive oil and spread them in single layers. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs to taste.

Put both pans in the oven and allow them both to roast for ten minutes, then turn the contents of both pans and return to the oven for another tem minutes. Roast until the carrots caramelize on the edges and are soft in the middle. The potatoes will become crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Top with more fresh herbs and serve immediately.

I’ve been busy climbing the walls, working through what are hopefully the last days of cubicle occupation for the rest of my life. No matter how much I’ve loved or hated the work I’ve done while parked in my cell in various, non-descript office buildings, The thing I will miss least about corporate life is the constant sitting. 

But the thing I will miss most are the friendships that come when you are lucky enough to work with people with whom you instantly click. And while I do not doubt that I will still make friends while at cooking school and in the places I go beyond, I’m not sure that anything bonds new friends so quickly as sitting two feet away from them for most of your waking hours, each and every week. Their trials become your trials. The stuff going on in their personal lives becomes your daily dialogue, as you travel from desk to conference room to the deli down on the corner, to, thankfully, happy hour.

I consider myself quite lucky that at every job I’ve had, with the exception of one (guess why I didn’t last there for very long?) I’ve made great, dear friends for life.

A few weeks ago, as I mentioned a few posts back, Brian and I were lucky enough to be invited to one such friend’s house upstate for a weekend of precious sun and delicious eating, thanks to the trifecta of amazing chefs in her inner-circle. On our last day there, as we savored every sunbeam that we could before heading back to monsoon city, and her brother prepared a simple, crisp slaw made from fresh snap peas, with a spicy-sweet dressing. I went back for seconds and thirds.

I spent a lot of time that weekend asking , “oh my god, what’s in this?”, to the point that I was annoying everyone, but somehow I never asked for this recipe. Then I started craving it with the appearance of snap peas at the green market, and was left to my own devices to cook it from memory. I know that I’m missing something in the chili department, my impulse was to use the less homogenous, sweet Thai chili sauce, but I was out and compensated with Sriracha instead. The results were delicious, a little sweet, a little acidic, quite spicy, and big on crunch.

Spicy Snap Pea Slaw

1 lb. fresh snap peas, washed, with the stems snapped off

3 green onions

1/4 cup rice vinegar

4 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or another light oil

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Sriracha, to taste

sea salt, to taste

Chop the snap peas lengthwise into thin strips, at a slight angle. Chop the green onions into thin rounds, and mix with the snap peas in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl, combine the rice vinegar, oil, lime juice and brown sugar. Whisk with a fork until the sugar is dissolved. Add the sriracha, a little at a time, until you reach desired level of taste and heat (I used three tablespoons and it was quite spicy). Toss the dressing with the veggies. Add salt to taste and serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, they were still tasty the next day.

I can stop my whining about the lackluster fare at the markets – spring has finally arrived, and at long last, the farmers are toting something fresh and new in the backs of those huge trucks. There’s lettuce and baby greens, ramps, asparagus, the first teeny-tiny strawberries, and so much more! And the best part: once the floodgates open, the produce just keeps getting better and better each week as the balmy weeks of summer unfold.

After all of the excitement of our extended weekend, Brian and I took it easy on Sunday and enjoyed a stroll in one of the smaller markets in the East Village. I have tons of love for the chaotic Union Square market, but with the construction on the park going on, it’s been a bit claustrophobic for me. Luckily, there are markets all over, happening at different times of the week, you need only chose the closest to your home or office, using this amazing map.

We ended up checking out the market at the Stuyvesant Town oval, since it’s really close to the apartment, and never seems to be crowded. I was psyched to discover that there were gorgeous bulbs of spring garlic (aka, green garlic) and even some tomatoes (hydro grown, so not the real deal, but an improvement over supermarkets).

And just like that, our dinner was born.

My favorite thing about the markets of June – November, other than the quality of the produce, is that they provide us with the opportunity to eat a menu dictated largely by nature. During these times, it becomes so freaking simple to pick up a ton of whatever is in season and work backwards from there, dreaming up (or researching) the best ways to use each week’s haul.

Sometimes, we have a lot of fun finding elaborate ways to use the fruits and vegetables, other times, a simple brush with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper is all we need to create a satisfying meal.

This bruschetta recipe falls sort of in-between. It’s very simple, and the mild, juicy spring garlic gives the prefect garlic flavor, without overwhelming you with bite. We grilled our bread, but you needn’t be as fancy, toasting under the broiler or even in the toaster oven will do. Be sure to only add salt right before you are ready to eat to avoid drawing the liquid out of the tomatoes. It’s the perfect accompaniment to other grilled veggies, or a crowd-pleasing starter at any BBQ.

Spring Garlic and Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Serves 3-4 people

4-5 tomatoes on the vine

1 bulb spring garlic, chopped finely

1 large handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt or kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/2 loaf baguette, cut into 3/4 inch thick rounds

Combine chopped tomatoes, spring garlic, and fresh basil in a bowl, gently mix, and refrigerate for at least two hours (no more than to allow the flavors to meld.

When you are ready to serve, remove tomatoes from the fridge and pour off some of the excess liquid, so the mixture is not too soupy but also not bone dry. Prepare your grill or turn on the broiler of your oven. If grilling, place the bread rounds on the grill and toast them on both sides, being careful not to burn them. If using the oven do the same, with the bread up close to the top of the broiler.

Arrange bread rounds on a plate. top each one with a few tablespoons of the tomato mixture, and allow a little of the juices to seep into the toasted bread. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Summertime cooking can be so beautifully simple.

How perfect that the seasons that beckon us to stay outside and play until after dark are the same ones that give us my favorite fruits and veggies, that require almost no preparation time or effort, allowing us to run that extra mile, extend happy hour, or take the long way home.

Artichokes are my favorite of all the warm weather foods that fall in this category.

Last night I picked up these globe artichokes, and it was just a matter of trimming them and steaming in a bath of water and a little dry white wine (optional)…

…before we were face first and elbow deep in the business of pure, unadulterated artichoke enjoyment.

I personally like to scrape the tender parts loose from the underside of each leaf using my teeth, saving the meaty hearts for last. There are few other foods that you can devour with such gusto, within the bounds of decorum. 

How to Cook Artichokes
The way my Mom taught me long ago 

1. Trim the stem and top each approximately 1 inch.

2. Steam the artichokes in a pot, with the flowers facing down and the stems facing up on high heat with about 2 inches of liquid (water, water and wine solution, or broth all work) for about 30 minutes, until the stems are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

3. Eat, one petal at a time (squeezes of lemon or a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar are optional), by pulling the petal through slightly clenched teeth to scrape off the tender “meat”. When you get to the heart, scoop out the fuzz with a spoon and cut off and leftover stem and enjoy!

In New York, you’re hard-pressed to meet a person who is completely indifferent to the food that they eat, which is why it’s near the top of my standard list of acceptable questions for getting to know a complete stranger (if you live in the city anyway): “What do you do?” “Where do you live?” … leading to the inevitable… ”Oh yeah? What do you pay per month in that neighborhood?” And soon, I’m out of the boring stuff and jump to, “What are your favorite places to eat?” As this is one of my favorite topics, it basically steers the conversation in a million different directions.

For example, if they say that they never miss weekend dim sum, take long subway rides to the outer boroughs in search of the most authentic representations of world cuisine, and are planning a trip to Thailand to do nothing but eat food from street vendors and be fit for custom-sewn business suits, then we’d start swapping stories and I’d pull out my phone and make little notes, like, “secret underground Chinese food court, Flushing”. 

And even if people are not so hard core, they at least have some important connections with food – how their mother made the best empanadas, or how they are addicted to the Turkish place on their block where they get free dessert when they smile at the cashier, how they met their husband at a hot dog cart, or how a bowl of kasha or meatballs, or sashimi, (or…, or…, or…, or…) and a glass of wine is all they need to forgive and forget a very cruel day. 

And everyone has their places. Their favorite sushi. Their favorite steakhouse. Their favorite tapas. If you disagree, they will passionately try to convince you to change teams with great gusto.

the jackpot for food conversation is, of course, when the person loves to cook him or herself, which prompts the conversation to run until the last bottle has been upended, then leave the party and continue in the Irish bar around the corner, until it reaches its conclusion when the lights come up and we’re booted into the snow at 5AM. That’s how I met Brian.

Why am I telling you this story? Because it was a better way to start the post than a rant about the gospel according to Rachel Ray with her cheerleading for home cooks for feeding their families meals prepared with lots of processed ingredients (and Dunkin Donuts). The point of this post was to talk about how it’s not hard to make meals in 30 minutes at home (completely healthy, non-processed) that are delicious and a bit different, and made from from 100% real food. Take this cauliflower that I cooked up using a few basic Indian spices, olive oil, and whole vegetables. It was delicious, and it only cost me about 4 bucks. There’s no better way to get personally involved with the food you eat than making it for yourself. Now you try! And then we’ll talk about it, endlessly.

By the way – for all you “tweeters” out there, click here to follow East Village Kitchen on Twitter. I’ll be updating with new posts, plus throwing in some random observations from my phone when the mood strikes. All the kids are doing it!

Cauliflower Curry
Inspired by the recipes of Six Spices: A Simple Concept of Indian Cooking by Netta Saluja 

1 cauliflower of average size

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 teaspoon red chili powder (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 big pinch salt

1 ripe tomato, chopped

handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Wash and cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, chili powder, and turmeric powder. Cook the spices in the oil, stirring, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the cauliflower and stir in the salt. Stir the cauliflower florets well, so each piece is coated with the oil and spice mixture. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat, stirring occationally until the cauliflower looks translucent at the edges and the stems become flexible.

Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional two minutes. If there is liquid left in the pan, raise the heat and cook it off, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

How appropo, a green hummus posted, today of all days. And while I had not planned on posting something so strikingly green for St. Patty’s Day, the act of posting something green was calculated and completely deliberate. After madeleines and cake, let’s pause to cleanse our paletes, shall we?

 I first tried edamame hummus at Rice, my favorite lunch spot in Dumbo. Their version is less homogenous, with visible chunks of edamame and little pools of creamy tahini, and I think that their version might also have chickpeas in it. They serve it in tiny dishes with delightful puffed rice crackers.

My version is creamy, with less tahini and a more intense lemon flavor. By the way, this is probably obvious to everyone but me, but head to the peanut butter isle when you are looking for tahini. The Union Square Whole Foods had about 8 varieties, but I’ve always been happy with Joyva brand, which has a nice, toasted flavor and a thicker consistency.

One of the lemons I used was a Meyer lemon, which was accidental but turned out to be a good choice, providing lemony flavor without making the hummus overly tart. 

I’d be remiss if I did not mention that I prepared this as an appetizer for a small dinner party I threw last Saturday, for people who are some of EastVillageKitchen.com’s biggest fans. We had a lot of fun, but that’s all I’m going to say for now, because the party produced fodder for several posts and would it be any fun if I discussed it in detail all in this first one?

Edamame Hummus

1 bag frozen, shelled edamame (approximately 3 cups)

3 tablespoons tahini

1 Meyer lemon 

1 lemon (or 2 if mayer lemons are not in season)

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more more for boiling

1/2 cup water (or more, at your discretion)

1/4 cup olive oil

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large, covered pot. Add frozen edamame and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes.

Place edamame, tahini, water, and olive oil in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Quarter the lemons and squeeze them through a strainer into the food processor. Blend the ingredients in the food processor for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides, and check consistency. If you prefer a thinner hummus, add additional water and add salt to taste. Blend for another 2 minutes until hummus is very smooth and you are not able to see any chunks.

Serve immediately or refrigerate in a covered container for up to two days before serving.

For a quick, nutritious, low-fat, yet filling and satisfying meal for two (with plenty of leftovers for bringing to work) look no further.

I’ve been getting into the Gourmet Everyday Quick Kitchen recipes in a big way during these hectic months of belt-tightening. This recipe, from the March 2009 edition, is absolutely stellar.  I only got my magazine a few weeks go, and already I’ve made it twice. 

The secret is in the spices, which are basic and when combined, give this dish a delicious kick that’s not too overpowering or spicy. I’ve been grinding many of my own (in this case, the dried chilies and the coriander) spices lately in my coffee grinder. This time I threw in the already ground spices as well to create a custom blend.

I’m a huge sucker for tomatoey recipes, and love that Gourmet is embracing one of my favorite adjectives. This recipe works great year-round, just try to use the highest quality tomatoes you can get.

I keep expounding upon the virtues of soaking dried chickpeas (so good, so cheap, etc.), but I’ve been terrible at actually planning ahead. I could do so much better!

The first time I made this I skipped the mint and the parsley and used some basil I had leftover, which worked great.  This time I got the proper ingredients and they made the dish so much more amazing, especially the next day, and especially the mint. If you can, go for it! I also added some rice vinegar for a little tang.

A nice dollop of yoghurt makes this dish super-special. The tangy yoghurt compliments the spices so well, it’s as good as any chickpea curry I’ve had at my favorite Indian places.  The best thing about this recipe: It’s ready in under half an hour and can feed (and satisfy!) you for days.

Tomatoey Spiced Chickpeas
Adapted from Gourmet, March 2009

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes

1 (1 1/2-inch) piece cinnamon stick

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar (balsamic would also work)

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped mint

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook cumin, coriander, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and cinnamon stick, stirring constantly, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes with juices, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, then add chickpeas and vinegar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick.

Stir in parsley and mint. Serve warm or at room temperature.