Vegetarian

Every Latin culture has their salsa. While more common in the States is the red tomato based stuff, this is the everyday salsa of my household: onion salsa. Heat is optional, but a little yellow hot pepper goes a long way. Try it on top of meats (excellent on canned tuna) and starchy foods like...

I love roast beets in the winter time. Fresh from the market beets are nothing like the canned or pickled versions. Try them in salads, soup, juice, or just by themselves. It's rumored that during WWII bakers used beets in place of sugar due to food rations, hence red velvet cake (although I don...

Puff pastry is the artist's dough. A little bit of creativity goes far in creating a beautiful and unique puff pastry treat. I like to sketch my ideas out before hand because the possibilities can be overwhelming. Whether it's a bear claw or a croissant, there's something magical about watching...

Pizza crust is quite simple to make. It just takes a little patience and a warm house. The first time I attempted to make pizza crust it was the dead of winter and my little Kips Bay apartment had terrible heat. Needless to say, my dough was not very successful. Here are a few pointers for a...

This is a very old family recipe, it comes from my Northern Italian great-grandmother who, my mother informed me, had some Greek influence in her cooking. It's incredibly easy to fix and a staple at family gatherings and parties. Traditionally, this pie is made in a large rectangular casserole...

This is an old family favorite my mother often made for breakfast on weekends. Traditionally, the spread is made with garlic and black Peruvian olives. However, if you do happen to find Peruvian olives, they are never pitted. As a young teen, I was often given the chore of pitting the olives and...

I feel pie crust is often the subject of much debate and speculation, but to clarify, pie crust is not difficult to make. It just takes practice. The big problem remains that pie (for most us, unfortunately) is an occasional treat, something for a special occasion we don't want to ruin. Don't...

When I lived in Kips Bay, my favorite brunch spot always served lemon curd with muffins before the main meal. While I always looked forward to this, the tangy yellow spread was a complete mystery to me. In fact, my only clue as to its namesake (other than the lemon part) was its custard-like...