Sephardic Eggplant and Tomato Relish

The following tasty eggplant-tomato relish, or side dish – called “alburnia” in Ladino – comes from the Sephardic cuisine, which I’ve mentioned here quite a few times.

Radish and Beet Greens Frittata

Too often, we find at the store beets or radishes, with their fresh greens cut off. This is a real shame, as the greens are highly nutritious and flavorful.

Eggplant Preserved in Olive Oil, with Oregano and Garlic

Eggplants are one of my most favorite vegetables. They can be prepared in so many ways, and in each they demonstrate a new flavor and texture, as in the following recipe.

Leeks with Rice

After the fairly heavy meals of Thanksgiving weekend, I opted for a lighter, vegetarian dish. As I had some nice fresh leeks at hand, I recalled a simple and tasty dish from the Sephardic cuisine:  “Prassa con Arroz”, i.e. “leeks with rice” – and was quickly set on making it.
The dish includes mostly leeks, with very few other ingredients and minimal seasoning, which let the unique fresh, oniony leeks flavor shine.

Tri-Color Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Ham

Mac and Cheese, with its irresistible combination of pasta with a tasty cheese sauce, is one of the ultimate comfort food dishes.

Beet and Beet Greens Fritters

Whenever I find fresh beets with their greens, I immediately grab a bunch. Most often, I use the beets and the greens in separate recipes, but this time, however, I decided to use both in the same dish, and came up with the fritters you see here.

Sephardic Fried Eggplant with Vinegar Parsley Sauce

The following recipe comes from the Sephardic cuisine*, of which I mentioned here quite a few times. Its name in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) is “peshkado de tierra” i.e. “fish of the earth”, as the eggplants are cooked in the same manner as fried fish (as shown in THIS post). The dish was served as a vegetarian substitute when fresh fish was scarce, or as the main dish for Friday’s lunch, with the more elaborated Shabbat’s evening dinner in mind, which always included fish and meat dishes.

Sephardic Spaghetti and Cheese Bake

Unlike last week’s time consuming recipe, the following recipe requires very little effort or ingredients.
The original bake, which is known in the Sephardic cuisine as “Makarron reynado”, is a simple mix of cooked spaghetti, Feta cheese, eggs and milk, baked until set and golden.

Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Bake

The following tasty vegetable bake, was inspired by Mac n’ Cheese dish, with its cheese sauce and crispy topping. Here, instead of pasta, I used a mixture of steamed cauliflower and fresh, thinly sliced, Brussels Sprouts, for different textures and colors.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pancakes

Roasting sweet potatoes brings out their flavor to the fullest; the process concentrates their flavor, they caramelize at the edges and become a real treat.

Eggplant, Mushrooms and Cheeses Bake

Both mushrooms and eggplants have unique texture and mild flavor, that blend beautifully with cheeses. In the dish here, I decided to combine both in one bake, and the result was just what I was hoping for: