Mediterranean

Lamb chops are always perfect for 30MM because they are quick cooking. If you are the type who only indulges in leg of lamb once a year at holidays, pick up some chops and try this one at home tonight.

The Turkish people claim to have a hundred ways of preparing eggplants. For them, it is the king and queen of vegetables. This is the classic purée that is also found in all the countries around the Mediterranean with a variety of different flavorings and trimmings. Serve it as a dip with bread or with crudités such as carrot, cucumber, and celery sticks.

Soy Free Tabbouleh, tabouli, tabouleh, taboolee . . . however you wanna spell it, it spells YUM! It has a clean, light flavor that just tastes healthy. If you have a food processor, now is the time to use it.

Ladolemono, with its one-to-one acid-to-oil ratio (as opposed to the usual one-to-three), is a classic Greek vinaigrette that gives a flash of brightness to grilled octopus, shrimp, squid, or the smoky, crispy skin of a whole branzino

Serve half of this fresh bread with the Tunisian Vegetable Salsa as a starter and the rest with the lamb .

This classic refreshing salad pairs perfectly with grilled lamb .

Let the yogurt work its marinade magic overnight in this stunning main course. Look for a small butterflied boneless leg of lamb at your supermarket, or ask your butcher to butterfly one for you.

This recipe comes from Rosita Missoni's Sardinian fish merchant, who recommends using a large flat white fish such as turbot, fluke, or halibut. You can substitute a firm-fleshed round fish such as branzino or black sea bass. Serve the fish flaked off the bone with the potatoes and a simple arugula and tomato salad.

Whole wheat couscous, a newcomer to supermarket shelves, gives this dish a nutty flavor—though standard couscous works just as well. Serve it with Slow-Baked Salmon or Miso-Glazed Salmon Steaks .

This salad is so simple and refreshing. The spiced matzo chips can be made a few days in advance and stored in a ziplock bag. I always make some extra to serve with soup or dips at another meal.
Parve
Gebrokts

The festive colors of this Mediterranean salad brighten a holiday meal, and its light, refreshing character makes it a great counterpoint to hearty winter dishes. It should be served as soon as it’s made, or it can turn soggy. You can prepare the individual ingredients ahead of time and store them in separate bowls, tossing everything together just before serving.

Nearly everyone loves an egg salad sandwich, especially with a bowl of hot soup. This one is made more interesting with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Plain white toast is traditional, but whole-wheat (wholemeal) or coarse country bread is a flavorful alternative.

Crispy cornmeal polenta is the health star of this salad: It may be easier for your body to absorb corn's carotenoids from milled products such as polenta, rather than from whole kernels.

I call this herb and spice rub North African because, besides the classic oregano and rosemary, it contains Tunisian and Moroccan spices such as caraway, cumin, and turmeric. In addition, it is spiked with harissa, the ubiquitous hot pepper paste that is to Arab North Africa what chile oil is to Asia. Use the same spice mixture to rub poultry, beef, or pork two to three hours before grilling and leave at room temperature. Or you can mix 3 tablespoons of this rub with 3 tablespoons yogurt and baste chicken breasts or legs or skewered lamb and pork before grilling. Better yet, leave in the spicy yogurt marinade in the refrigerator overnight.