The Recipe

Source: The Red Cat Cookbook by Jimmy Bradley

12 fresh whole sardines, about 5 ounces each, cleaned and gutted by your fishmonger [or by yourself, if you don't mind a little grunt work]
½ cup olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper
salsa cruda (recipe follows)
lemon wedges, for serving

Marinate and Grill the Sardines:

Put the sardines in a baking dish or other shallow vessel. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice and scatter the zest, red pepper flakes, garlic, and oregano over them. Turn them to coat with the marinade and let marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat a gas grill to high, or prepare a charcoal grill for grilling, letting the coals burn until covered with white ash.

Remove the sardines from the marinade and brush off any solids. Season with salt and pepper and grill until cooked through, approximately 3 minutes per side.

Divide the salsa cruda evenly among serving plates. Top with sardines, crossing them over the salsa. Serve right away, with lemon wedges alongside.

Salsa Cruda:

Makes about 4 ½ cups

2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup pitted, chopped black olives
½ small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
¼ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
¼ yellow bell pepper, or an additional ¼ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
½ small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
1 tablespoon sliced basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl, gently toss, cover, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The Recipe

Source: Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine by Daniel Boulud and Melissa Clark

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 (3 1/2-pound) beef shoulder; ask your butcher for the fattest part
coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups pearl onions, peeled
3 large carrots, peeled, trimmed, and roughly chopped
3 pounds Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced preserved lemon
freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 275 F.

Heat the olive oil in a medium cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer the beef to a platter and reduce the heat to medium.

Add the paprika, cumin, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Add the pearl onions, carrots, and Jerusalem artichokes, season with salt, and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in 4 cups water and the cilantro, preserved lemon, and lemon juice. Return the beef to the pot and bring to a simmer.

Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours, turning the meat halfway through.

The Recipe

Source: The Essential Mediterranean by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Makes 6 servings

5 to 6 medium carrots, peeled
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon harissa or hot red pepper paste, or to taste [See Recipe Below]
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped, pitted black olives, preferably dry-cured
¼ pound feta cheese, crumbled

Using the large holes of a grater, grate the carrots into a bowl. In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with the caraway seeds and salt. Stir in the lemon juice and harissa, mixing well; then add the olive oil. Beat with a fork or a small wire whisk to amalgamate and immediately pour over the grated carrots. Set aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes to develop the flavors.

Just before serving, stir in the olives and cheese.

For the Harissa:

Makes ½ to ¾ cup, about 8 servings as a garnish

15 medium to large dried red chili peppers
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
sea salt
4 or 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
about ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Rinse the chilies quickly in running water, then break off the tops and shake out the loose seeds. Set the chilies in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Weight a plate over the chilies to keep them under water. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, roast the coriander, cumin, and caraway in a dry skillet over medium heat until the aromas of the spices start to rise. Transfer to a mortar with a pinch of salt and pound to a grainy powder. Add the chopped garlic and pound to a paste.

Drain the chilies and discard most of the seeds and membranes. Using a spoon, scrape the softened pulp into the mortar, discarding the tough, papery outside peel of the peppers. Pound with a pestle to a coarse paste. Work in about ¼ cup of oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The sauce should be very thick but easy to spread.

If you’re not using it right away, put the harissa in a clean glass jar, smoothing the top, and pour a little more oil over to seal it. It will keep, refrigerated, for 2 to 3 weeks.

The Recipe

Source: The Sultan’s Kitchen by Ozcan Ozan

1 1/2 pounds small, firm zucchini, grated (4 cups)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and finely chopped, white parts only (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 eggs
1 tablespoon paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese (1 cup)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light olive oil or vegetable oil
1 recipe Yogurt-Garlic sauce (optional)

Place the grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle it with salt and let it drain for about 15 minutes. Squeeze out the excess juice and place the zucchini in a large bowl together with the scallions, dill, parsley, eggs, and paprika, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the feta cheese and flour a little at a time and incorporate them well.

Heat the oil in a skillet, then lower the heat to medium. Scoop out tablespoons of the zucchini mixture and gently drop them into the hot oil. Make sure you do not crowd the fritters in the skillet. Fry them all over until they’re golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain the fritters on paper towels. Serve them at once. Alternatively, serve them at room temperature with yogurt-garlic sauce.

[The yogurt-garlic sauce is simply plain yogurt with a few minced garlic cloves mixed in, and salt to taste. The recipe in this book calls for 1 2/3 cups plain yogurt and 4 garlic cloves. Refrigerate the mixture at least 15 minutes to allow the garlic flavor to infuse.]