Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 10-12 as a dip

Inspired by: various yogurt sauces used in combination with spicy cooking – I was looking for a nice flavor balance with some curried chicken kabobs and have since found that this sauce is fabulous with so many different things!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2-3 tablespoons dried dill (dried dill infuses much more flavor than fresh)
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced (optional – I often skip this and almost always skip it when I’m making the dip a day or two ahead as the garlic tends to get too strong)
• 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
• dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (optional – but I love pepper – it goes in most everything!)

Preparation: Mix all ingredients well in small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes: Lasts for a while in the refrigerator but the garlic gets stronger over time so if you plan to keep it for a while, I suggest using little or no garlic.

Serve With: Curry chicken kabobs, any other spicy meat or poultry, fabulous on salmon or as a dip for a smoked-salmon wrap, and great alone as an appetizer dip with raw veggies or bread.

Yogurt Dill Sauce with Smoked Salmon Wraps

Time: Approximately 30 minutes of prep time and 3 hours of cook time.

Serves: 8-12

Inspired by: I’ve always enjoyed lentil soups and they can be so healthy. Many Armenian and Turkish versions of lentil soup include apricots. I love the concept of that, but often find they use too many and overpower the soup. After experimenting a bit, I like this version because it adds some depth and interest to the flavor without throwing it out of balance.

Supplies: Large soup pot

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions (2 small onions or one large onion)
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 6-8 medium tomatoes chopped (or 1, 28 oz can organic fire roasted diced or crushed tomatoes)
• ½ cup chopped dried apricots
• 2 cups lentils (any color)
• 6 cups water to start (you may add another 3-6 cups while it’s cooking)
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ½  teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cayenne (could use a curry powder instead or for part of this to change flavor a bit)
• ½  teaspoon crushed ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

Garnish – Finishing Touches:

• Fresh parsley – chopped
• Paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste (I typically add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt)
• Freshly squeezed lime juice

Preparation:

• Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.
• Add lentils, tomatoes, apricots, water and spices.
• Simmer for 3 hours, or until the lentils are completely soft. Add hot water as needed to keep the soup to your desired thickness.
• Add additional salt & pepper if still needed.
• When serving, squeeze some lime juice over the top, and garnish with paprika and parsley.

Note: You can of course skip the lime and the other garnishes, but I love lime juice drizzled on this lentil soup – I think it brings out a beautiful flavor.

Wine Suggestions: This soup has a spicy kick to it, but also a hint of sweetness. A medium bodied red with some nice fruitiness and/or a bit of spice on it would be perfect such as the 2006 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel (45% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 5% Counoise) or a similar Southern Rhone blend. I’d probably also try a Rioja or a lighter-style Zinfandel (something like Hartford Court is nice). If you prefer white, the best match would be something off-dry such as a Kabinett Riesling. I had an inexpensive Riesling from Washington recently that was actually a very good pairing – Eroica from Chateau St. Michelle. What I enjoyed about this one is that it’s only slightly off dry. Eroica is the result of a winemaking collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Bob Bertheau and famed Mosel winemaker Ernst Loosen.

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

Inspired by: Trying to make a pretty “finger food” for a party and knowing that this mustard makes everything taste fabulous. I think this wrap has pretty holiday colors (red and green) when cut into small sandwich bites.

Ingredients:

• 1 tortilla (I prefer the green spinach tortillas or something like these made with roasted bell pepper and chili)
• 4-6 thin slices of peppered turkey from your local deli
• 1 – 2 slices of provolone cheese
• 1 handful of spinach leaves
• 2 thin strips of roasted red peppers (roast your own or from a jar is fine)
• 1 teaspoon yummy mustard

Preparation:

• Spread the mustard on the tortilla – leave the top inch mustard free (so it doesn’t squeeze out when you roll it).
• Add the following in layers so they are spread evenly across the bottom third to half of the tortilla – spinach leaves, turkey, cheese, roasted red pepper.
• Then roll the tortilla and all the fillings starting from the bottom.
• Spear with a toothpick through the middle to help hold it together, or wrap in foil

Note: For parties these make great bite-sized sandwiches if you cut the wrap into 4-5 slices and secure each with a toothpick. You may need to cut off the ends.

Wine Suggestions: To balance the spiciness of the mustard, the best matches would be an off -dry or fruity white such as a Viognier, Torrontes, and possibly a Pinot Gris or Chenin Blanc, or a medium bodied spicy red with some good ripeness such as a Southern Rhone Syrah-Grenache blend.

Time: 5-10 minutes

Serves: 12 as an appetizer

Inspired by: When I first decided to learn to cook, I started with all Armenian foods I had as a child. Although hummus wasn’t actually something I discovered until I was an adult, it seemed like one of the basics that I should know how to make and include in my “Mediterranean-themed” meals. I’ve come to love the simplicy of making it and how healthy it is as snack or appetizer with raw veggies.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans garbanzo beans (15 oz cans)
• Juice of 1 to 1 ½ lemons (ideally, just a tiny bit more than ¼ cup)
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• ¼ – 1/3 cup Tahini
• ½ to ¾ cup water (usually needs at least ¾ cup)
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (can add up to 3 teaspoons of cayenne to make a very spicy hummus)
• Salt to taste (usually between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon)
• Garnish: light olive oil, paprika and parsley

Recipe:

• Drain garbanzo beans and rinse well in colander.
• Blend garbanzo beans, lemon juice, garlic, Tahini, 1/2 cup water and spices in food processor until smooth and to your desired thickness. Add salt to taste – usually at least ¼ teaspoon. Add additional water a little bit at a time until it is your desired consistency.
• Serve in a low, wide dish. Drizzle with a high-quality olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. If available, garnish with parsley.

Wine Suggestions: A crisp white or light red. If go heavier on the garlic, a light red such a Spanish Rioja is perfect. If you go really spicy, then a medium-bodied, spicier Syrah-Grenache based Southern Rhone could be nice or even an off-dry white to balance the flavors.

Time: 15-20 minutes

Serves: 8 as an appetizer

Inspired by: A Persian friend of mine made this for a party and I loved all of the flavor nuances in it. I believe this is a combination of her recipe and others I’ve read on the web and then my own refinements. The Persian name for this spread is nan-o panir-o-gerdu.

Ingredients:

• ¼ pound feta cheese
• 2 cups shelled walnuts (Whole Foods or Trader Joes)
• 2 tablespoons fresh scallions – chopped
• 4 tablespoons fresh basil  – chopped
• 4  tablespoons fresh mint – chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of one lime
• 2 – 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Pita bread or lavash (soft or crunchy) or raw veggies

Preparation:

• Chop scallions and basil and mint leaves by hand or in your food processor. Don’t chop too fine. Remove from food processor.
• Don’t clean food processor – toss walnuts in and whirl until finely chopped.
• Add the feta to the nuts and chop/blend the two.
• Then add garlic, pepper, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and mix well.
• Taste and then add salt if needed and add additional olive oil for flavor and texture – but if you like the thicker consistency, don’t add too much oil.
• Remove mixture from food processor and hand mix with the scallions and herbs.

Note: I saw an identical recipe recently that also included 2 tablespoons of tarragon.

Serve with: Use as a dip with cut up pita bread or raw vegetables, or as a spread on lavash or crackers.

Wine Suggestions: The herbs in the spread pair well with herbal, aromatic whites such as a Spanish Verdejo or Sauvignon Blanc  – although many Sauv Blancs will be too herbatous or grassy and that could take away from the beautiful delicate flavors in the spread. If you are going for a Sauvignon Blanc, a White Bordeax is probably your best option. A Grüner Veltliner could also be a good option or any light crisp white such as an Albarino, Chablis or a light White Burgundy.

Time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Inspired by: Yummy flavors of ginger-infused meals in so many Asian-style restaurants. I read about ten “ginger-chicken” recipes one day and then used the one I liked the most (by blogger Joey Randall – The Village Voice) because it seemed to be the healthiest. I may have modified it slightly.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons grated ginger (fresh)
• 1-3 gloves crushed garlic (fresh)
• 3 tablespoons organic soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 – 2 cups thinly sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced red pepper
• 1 cup sliced yellow pepper
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1 cup broccoli in very small pieces
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 (8 oz) can diced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• Butterhead lettuce (like Boston or Bibb) for 4- 6 servings

Recipe:

• Cut chicken into thin strips.
• Combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Pour over chicken to marinate while prepping vegetables.
• Heat wok or large skillet. Pour in olive oil and heat. Remove chicken from marinade and carefully add to pan. Cook until tender – about 5 minutes.
• Pour marinade over chicken. Add the veggies. Cook 3 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring often.
• Remove from heat. Add almonds.
• Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken mixture into lettuce leaf and roll up.

Wine Suggestions: An aromatic white that is slightly off-dry will work well with the ginger and spice of this dish. We drank a dry, 2006 Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner and while it’s one of my favorite Grüners with beautiful aeromatics, I think a fruiter or slightly-off dry wine would have been a better pairing. Here are a few suggestions starting with off-dry and ending with dry.

• Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (California)
• Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica Riesling (Washington)
• Slightly off-dry Riesling (Germany or Austria)
• Torrontes (Argentina)
• Sauvignon Blanc (California or New Zealand)
• Grüner Veltliner (Austria)