Butter Bean and Tomato Soup
It’s creamy and soul-warming with unexpected nostalgia. You can eat it with buttered crispy bread or beef it up with grilled cheese.
Red Bean Gumbo
Red bean gumbo brings the comfort of “Monday beans” but makes it special with the added complexity of roux and eggs.
Shrimp Fettuccine
It’s sweet and creamy with just a little bit of spice. It packs a punch of flavor considering how simple it is.
Calabacitas
Calabacitas are are the perfect side of squash and corn that will go with just about any New Mexican dish and will pair perfectly with chile.
Refried Beans
Refried Beans are gloriously creamy with a flavorful neutrality that combines well with almost any Mexican dish. Canned ones have a bad reputation but with a little bit of jazzing up, they will become restaurant-style beans in just a few minutes.
Lentil Kufte
His aunt brought out a platter full of small golden patties, which I soon learned were lentil kufte. With the glorious sweet and deep notes of brown onion contrasting against the earthy lentils with a bit of fresh herbs, they soon became one of my favorite side dishes and is especially easy to feed guests because it’s eaten at room temperature.
Pickled Lemons
Pickled lemons are bright and bold and bring a freshness to an assortment of dishes such as fish, chicken, steamed veggies, salad, and sandwiches.
Swahili Bajia
These crispy black-eyed pea fritters have a spiced creamy interior. Pair it with green mango coconut chutney to bring on the bright fresh notes that contrast perfectly with the earthy peas.
Blueberries and Cucumbers with Pistachios and Yogurt
The Mozart of salads … it’s classic, uplifting, refreshing, brilliant piece of art, well you get the point. You can thank Vivian Howard from Deep Run Roots for this one
Spicy Moroccan Carrot Salad
A salad that is delightfully bold and sweet yet earthy. It’s the perfect contrast to something more mellow like a roast chicken or compliments something spicy like stuffed eggplant with lamb. You can even make it a chicken and carrot wrap for lunch on the go.
Garlic Mayonnaise
Mayo that is rich and creamy with a delectable bite of garlic. It’s even good enough to use as a dip.
Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb
This lamb dish celebrates the best of lamb with an abundance of spice that plays with the lamb flavor without overpowering it. Experience a medley of textures with the creamy eggplant, tender lamb, and bite of seeds.
Imam Boyeldi
Here’s where humble ingredients band together to show you how fine they work together to create a beautiful medley that will brighten up any plate, especially those that are heavy on the creams and browns
Charred Snap Beans
It’s the perfect combination of sweet and fresh. The sweetness of the snap bean is developed when the bean hits high heat and develops a wonderful caramelization while maintaining the crisp interior of a raw one.
Bacon and Cheese Quiche with Stewed Tomatoes
A bit of smokey flavor and a silky texture makes this quiche special but it’s the stewed tomatoes that make this quiche luxurious.
Adventures with Edward Lee
I've wanted to attend the annual Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s Verse and Vino fundraiser ever since I first heard about it many years ago.
Yogurt, White Bean and Garlic Soup
If you ever wished to have garlic bread in the form of a soup, this is it. If you never thought you wanted it, you should now. It’s creamy, it’s garlicky, it’s good.
Lulé Kebab
These meat logs are decadent and rich yet refreshing with just the amount of mint needed to play well in the background.