My Merry Band of Tasters and I are always on the lookout for great side dishes, and these fritters got our attention. Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, they complement pork, chicken, sausage, seafood, and more. They also make a great meal on their own.
Serves 4
Australian lamb is one of the country’s leading exports (you can readily find it in US stores), and lamb dishes are exceedingly popular. While you can form the lamb into cigar shapes on bamboo skewers, I’m including a great sheet-pan hack for an easy prep. Note: Look for hulled barley rather than pearl for the salad as it retains more nutrients.
Serves 4 to 6
This flavorful dish is so simple to make. Barramundi is a popular Australian fish, often sold here, but you can substitute snapper, cod, or mahi-mahi. Cans of Thai curry paste and bottles of Vietnamese fish sauce are readily available in supermarkets or online. I’m partial to the Maesri brand of curry paste and Three Crabs fish sauce for its milder aroma.
Serves 2
’Nduja is a flavorful, spicy fermented paste made from pork belly and Calabrian chile peppers, the source of its deep red color. The paste melds perfectly into olive oil, creating a vibrant sauce. You can find it at specialty markets and online. Note: For hearty appetites, allow 2 eggs per person.
Serves 4
These tasty bites can be a luscious lunch or a tempting appetizer. Choose the sweetest variety of cherry tomatoes, red or yellow, available.
Yields 8 tartlets
For his pesto, JuanJo used semi-matured goat cheese rather than Parmigiano-Romano (see more in the Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in Newsletter). It was simple, fast, and stunning. He dolloped it on just-roasted tomatoes, and it’s equally delicious on bruschetta, as a sandwich spread, tossed with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water, served with grilled fish or chicken, and stirred into warm white beans.
Yields 4 servings
Summer’s bounty of cherry tomatoes is ripe (pun intended) for a rich and spicy clam sauce. While clams may seem daunting, they’re no more complicated to steam than a lobster. Just be sure to buy the freshest—and smallest—ones you can find.
Yields 2 servings
Looking for a grain-free wrap to replace pitas or tortillas? This sheet pan hack is so flavorful you may never go back! It gets its goodness from sweet onions and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano. You can also cut the cooked sheet into shapes to top burgers or enjoy on their own as snacks. Bookmark this one for next autumn: Cut into rounds to make delicious toppers for French onion soup (use any sweet onion when Vidalias are out of season).
Makes 3 wraps
This makes a satisfying lunch and a great appetizer for your next get-together. I love the tangy, fruity taste of sumac, a spice that’s finally getting the attention it deserves. If you’ve got the grill on, drizzle olive oil on the bread and toast over the coals.
Yields 4 lunch or 8 appetizer servings
This Mediterranean lamb dish is delicious as is, but for another dimension of flavor, serve with tzatziki sauce.
Serves 4
Also known as Patagonian toothfish, Chilean sea bass is one of the most popular seafood options in the US. Flaky and buttery, this deep-sea fish is typically fished off the coast of southern Chile. Cod fillets are a good substitute. The mango salsa is also great with chicken or pork. Feel free to sub with the Peach Pebre recipe from page 11 if you wish.
Serves 4
This rich dish can be served as a light main course or as an appetizer. Popular in Santiago, it’s traditionally baked in a ceramic vessel from the nearby town of Pomaire, famous for its burgundy-colored clay.
Serves 4