Vegetarian

Charred on the outside, raw on the inside was my destiny. Everything changed with two discoveries by Sally: this lusciously spiced ginger-miso sauce and microwaving eggplant slices before they hit the grill. You cannot mess this up, no way, no how. (Why it never occurred to me, I’ll never know.)

 

Equipment:

Some people love ketchup; others, barbecue sauce. In our home, this peanut coconut sauce is king. My daughter Abigail loves it so much that I often jokingly offer her some chicken with her sauce! She usually responds with a snarky grin, "More sauce, please."

Ingredients

I wanted to call this recipe "Zuppa di Ceci con Pomodori," but my copy editor insisted that it be in English. But doesn't it sound better in Italian? For optimum flavor, use dried beans to make this hearty dish. However, the beans do require overnight soaking before being cooked, so in a pinch you can use canned garbanzos. Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that lends itself well to this soup, but feel free to substitute any pasta you happen to have on hand.

Essentially a lasagna with tortillas standing in for noodles, this is one of those dishes that can miraculously be on the table in short order, made from things you most likely have in your pantry and fridge. If you don't like, or you don't have, one of the ingredients, skip it. Or, if you have something else that you think might be appealing all layered in (like slivered bell peppers to sauté with the onions, kale, chopped, cooked broccoli — whatever the people in your home will eat), then fling it on in.

Carolina Gold rice “grits” from Anson Mills are short, uneven pieces of rice that have been broken during the threshing process. They cook up creamier than long-grain white rice, which can be substituted in this recipe: pulse it in batches in a spice mill or clean coffee grinder for 5 seconds to create the same effect.

Ingredients