This recipe idea comes to us from our co-worker after returning from a relaxing trip out west. After hearing about the delectable dishes she enjoyed while on vacation in Tucson, AZ, we were wishing we had gone too! Georgia dined at El Charro Cafe in downtown Tucson. Established in 1922 and billed as one of the nation's oldest Mexican restaurants, the menu is anything but old! Serving up traditional Sonoran cooking styles with innovative Tucson flair, nearly everything looks to-die-for!
This dish from Chris Schlesinger is inspired by his many trips to Southeast Asia and is a beautiful and healthy mix of seafood, fruit and nuts. It embodies his signature boldness with intense flavors. Recipe courtesy of Chris Schlesinger for The Oldways Table.
Adding bread to a salad of greens and tomatoes is popular in the Mediterranean. Here it’s paired with cucumbers, radishes, and olives, in a tasty mix that delivers lots of satisfying crunch. Cracker bread is a thin flatbread that absorbs liquid without becoming mushy. Recipe from The Zuni Café Cookbook, by Judy Rogers, W.W. Norton & Co.
Serve this tasty dish for lunch, or as a first course for a meal that includes a light, grilled fish. You can substitute prosciutto, salami, or ham for the pancetta: toss it on the grill for just a minute before serving.Recipe from License to Grill, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, William Morrow and Co.
Think of this recipe as a model or basic risotto recipe. You can vary it in many ways, substituting other vegetables, alone or in combination, depending on the season: in spring, freshly shelled green peas or fava beans; in summer, peeled and seeded red-ripe tomatoes, zucchini, or sweet peppers roasted and peeled; or in autumn, fresh fennel or chunks of butternut squash.Recipe courtesy of Nancy Harmon Jenkins, The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, Bantam Books.
This recipe cleverly substitutes avocado for the thin slices of raw beef used in traditional carpaccio. Although it requires several steps, it’s very easy to master. And, you can use any of the marinated vegetables and the dressing with other salads. Recipe from Chef Pedro Alfaro, courtesy of the California Avocado Commission
This versatile recipe for baking fish calls for snapper, but you can use any other tender, flakey fish like bass, sole, or bream. Once you get comfortable with the baking method, try using different herbs, olives, and spices like ground coriander or even a touch of cumin. Pitted Niçoise olives are available at specialty food stores and are worth the hunt. Unpitted will work as well—just remember to tell your guests! Serve with roasted summer squash. Recipe courtesy chef David Shalleck.
Ana's replacement of beets for cucumbers is an interesting take on the Greek tzatziki, traditionally used a sauce or dip. Recipe courtesy of Ana Sortun, owner and chef, Oleana and Sofra, Cambridge, MA.
