When you move to New Mexico from the Midwest, things get confusing with the word “chili.” Suddenly a word that’s always had one simple meaning – a comforting, mildly spicy stew of ground beef, tomatoes, and beans – gains another spelling and several new meanings. “Chili” can be the aforementioned stew, or the spicier Texas…
Grill-Roasted Eggplant and Potato Curry with Tomatoes
I may have mentioned my love for eggplant once or twice. It’s in season now, so we’re luxuriating in it, eating it two or three times a week. One of my favorite methods is just to throw it on the grill, whole. The eggplant melts inside while the skin blackens and turns papery. I guess…
Japanese Curry Rice
I have hesitated for some time in putting this “recipe” on the blog, because it goes kind of like this: Follow the instructions on the box. But I finally decided to do it for three reasons: 1) Not many Americans know it exists; 2) It’s really delicious; and 3) It’s close to my heart. In…
The Farm Cafe’s Eggplant Burgers
Last year, before we went to Portland, I got some great food suggestions from a friend. We followed up on a lot of them – notably Voodoo Doughnut and Beast – but didn’t make it to The Farm Cafe. In my pre-visit research, however, I noticed that the cafe had received much praise for its…
Middle Eastern Mezze from the Grill, featuring Smoky Baba Ganoush
I love meals that consist of a variety of nibbles: bento boxes with their little jewel-box compartments of rice and veggies and pickles; rich and exciting dim sum served in little bamboo steamers from rolling carts; kaleidoscopic tapas spreads full of surprising flavors; and mezze, the rather less well-known Middle Eastern style of shared small-plate…
Chicken-Apple Burger with Grainy Mustard
I just realized that I’ve been so interested in bringing you tales of other people’s food this July that I haven’t posted a recipe in almost a month! Please accept my apologies, and an offering of an awesome summer recipe: a burger that is juicy, flavorful, and totally memorable, but still light. I wish I…
Salade Nicoise
Holy moley, look at the temperature out there! It’s been hovering near 100 for a week. Not when you want to heat up the house with cooking. It is definitely salad time. So last night I fell back on an old favorite: Salade Nicoise, a French composed salad. As with so many iconic dishes, there…
Baked Wild Mushroom and Brown Rice Risotto
Welcome to Unfussy Epicure’s 100th post! Woooo! Party! Thank you to all the guests at this table. I am so grateful that you’re with me on this journey. I’ve been saving this very special recipe for post number 100, and I’m so glad to finally get to share it with you! I found this…
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
After St. Patrick’s Day, I had a bag of leftover baked potatoes in the fridge. As I was trying to think of something interesting to do with them (not that I don’t love a simple baked potato, but I do adore transforming things), I recalled that stalwart standby, baked potato soup. I really like baked…
Kenyan Kidney Beans in Coconut Milk (Maharagwe)
It’s amazing how often I try something new and delicious because I’m too lazy to go to the store. That was the case last Vegetarian Week, when… Wait, I haven’t told you about Vegetarian Weeks. Let me do that real quick. I decided last December that, starting in 2012, I would cook and eat vegetarian…