Minestrone Romagna Style by John Spottiswood

This is the way minestrone is made in Romagna. It's not a lot of prep time, but you simmer the soup for a long time until all of the vegetable flavors mellow into one mild but delicious soup. The subtle flavors of this soup are even more delicious the next day, so it is a good dish to prepare in advance of guests arriving for a…

Curry Lentil Soup by John Spottiswood

This is a surprisingly light and tangy lentil soup. If you are used to thick and heavy lentil soups, this one will surprise you. It's very tasty and was a great complement to the pizza recipe I just put up. This is also adapted from a Greens restaurant recipe.

Top SF Chronicle Recipe: Pasta with Broccoli and Spicy Sausage by John Spottiswood

Our good friend Linda Hansen saved this top recipe from the SF Chronicle in 2004 and it has become one of her and our favorites. It was created at the Last Supper Club restaurant in San Francisco. We've adapted the pasta, broccoli, and sausage…

Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes by Mary Joseph

Creamy Lentil and Broccoli Soup by John Spottiswood

This is a creamy, flavorful, and incredibly healthy soup. The next time you're in the mood for split pea soup (also very healthy), try this instead. It has a wonderful body and a great hearty flavor. If you haven't had sumac before as a seasoning, this is a great dish to try it with. Sumac is commonly used in the middle east to…

Yellow Split Peas with Vegetables (Dal Takari) by John Spottiswood

Wow, this is such a wonderful dish and so easy to cook! The keys to this dish are the yellow lentils, fried potatoes, and cumin seed. You can change out the other vegetables (spinach is a nice addition as it adds to the creaminess of the dish). Make sure you fry the cumin seed and potatoes over sufficiently high heat that the cumin…

Cumin Rice by Joyce Leung

This rice is a delicious mix of cumin and cinnamon. It provides a nice, slightly sweet flavor, that is a perfect complement to any middle eastern dish. The only dishes I would avoid serving this with are sweet dishes with dates, figs, etc. I served it with my Braised Lamb with Beans. It was great!

Lentil Soup by Nancy Miyasaki

This is my super easy, staple Lentil soup that everyone eats and enjoys. It's healthy and mild, good for everyone.

Harira Soup by John Spottiswood

This is the traditional soup served at sunset to break the daily fast observed during the 30 days of Ramadan. Recipes vary from family to family throughout Morocco and the rest of North Africa. I'm particularly fond of this version. If you have not had this before, you MUST try it. It is truly delicious!

Garlic Ginger Green Beans by John Spottiswood

These are an excellent, healthy side dish to any grilled meat. I highly recommend them with the Chinese BBQ chicken recipe below, but honestly these would go well with just about anything. Unfortunately these were tapped out long before our chicken, so make more than you think you need. They are great the next day too!

Old-Fashioned, Homemade Lemonade by Elena Jimenez

During those hot summer days, this drink will quench your thirst!

Amazing Red Lentil and Tomato Soup by John Spottiswood

I never thought I would have a red lentil soup that could match the Turkish red lentil soup that I have been served in Turkish restaurants and that I've learned to make. So I had low expectations for this Indian spiced version. It completely destroyed my expectations and was absolutely delicious. It was great last night, and I had…

Caprese Pasta Salad by Lyndsey

Easy summer salad. Great side dish to take to picnics or bbq's.

Creole Pralines by Amos Miller

Better than a cookie (sorry bakers, but this is a Creole group) and with the true taste of New Orleans, Creole Pralines are one of the signature treats in the Big Easy! It is time to play 'soft ball', and we're not talking the sport - we're talking Creole candy. When the recipe calls for your concoction on the stove to reach the…

Eggplant and Peas Stew by John Spottiswood

This recipe was invented by my good friend Brian Bedrosian. He recommends that you "Should drink red wine while cooking and eating for best results." I haven't tried this one yet...but every other Armenian concoction I've tasted of Brian's has been outstanding!