Faux Pho MAKES: 4 appetizer or 2 lunch servings TIME: About 1 hour, depending on garnishes The Vietnamese meal-in-a-bowl soup known as pho is always tricky for vegetarians because fish and meat are normally included, and prominently. But there are vegetarian options,...
Farro Soup MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 11/2 hours or more, largely unattended Farro is an ancient grain, a form of wheat that has enjoyed a popular revival in the last couple of decades thanks to our quest for “new” ingredients and the popularity of classic regional...
Greens with Fruit, Cheese, and Nuts MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 20 to 30 minutes The classic combination here, a restaurant standard from the nineties, is pears, Gorgonzola, and walnuts. But all sorts of trios are possible, ranging from an all-American mix of apples,...
Green Salad with Caramelized Onion-Thyme Dressing MAKES: 4 servings TIME: About 1 hour The sweetness of the slow-cooked onions, accentuated by a bit of honey and offset by the perfumed bitterness of thyme and olives, perfectly complements a mound of bitter greens. The...
Egg Noodle Soup with Mushrooms MAKES: 4 servings TIME: About 45 minutes The noodles in this soup are made entirely of beaten eggs, which are cooked in a thin layer just until set (you can do this ahead of time or while the soup is simmering). Once the sheet of egg...
Egg Drop Soup, Eight Ways MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 15 to 30 minutes, depending on variation The idea of scrambling eggs into a pot of simmering liquid is not unique to Chinese restaurants or even to China. In fact, my starting point is a Colombian dish, enriched with...
Five-Layer Avocado Salad MAKES: 4 to 6 servings TIME: 20 minutes Serve this festive salad family style, as part of a Mexican buffet, with Naked Tamales with Chile Cheese Filling, or as the centerpiece of a light lunch. Whenever you serve it, you’ll enjoy the...
Endive and Roquefort Salad MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 15 minutes I like a salad you can eat with your fingers, and this is a beaut because the endive serves as both an ingredient and a spoon (you can even eat it standing up). Each of the major ingredients can be swapped...
Curried Coconut Soup with Lemongrass MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 40 minutes A Thai-style soup that becomes quite substantial when you add fried tofu (or try Crunchy Crumbled Tempeh). This soup is also wonderful with a couple of spoonfuls of Steamed Sticky Rice or a cup or...
Creamy Watercress, Spinach, or Sorrel Soup MAKES: 4 servings TIME: About 30 minutes Watercress is among my favorite greens; I find its assertively peppery, herbaceous flavor irresistible. Using it as a soup base tames its spiciness somewhat but without sublimating its...
Eggplant Salad with Miso MAKES: 4 servings TIME: About 30 minutes The typical way to prepare this traditional Japanese salad is to boil the eggplant, and I give directions for doing it that way. But if you have the time and energy, sautГ© the cubes in a little peanut...
Cucumber Salad with Soy and Ginger MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 30 minutes, largely unattended This is likely different from most cucumber salads you’ve ever tasted, but nondairy, easy, and delicious. 1 to 11/2 pounds (about 3 medium) cucumbers Salt and freshly ground...