Kalamata Hummus

Two favorite Mediterranean flavors - hummus and olives - come together in this easy, healthy, and delicious dip.

Serve with Pan-Grilled Pita Wedges, pita chips, and/or fresh veggies for dipping. I also like to garnish this with additional olives.

RECIPE:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, reserving the chickpea liquid
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 small clove garlic, crushed through a press or finely minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor, including 2 tablespoons of the chickpea liquid. Puree until fairly smooth. If too thick, add more chickpea liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

-- 8 appetizer servings

Spinach, Mushroom, and Feta Pizza (12-inch)

Feta cheese gives a Greek-style flair to this pizza, which also features fresh spinach and crimini mushrooms.

Crimini mushrooms are fairly easy to find in most supermarkets these days, and are often marketed as "baby portobellos". But, if you cannot find them, you can substitute regular white mushrooms.

RECIPE:

1 Basic All-Purpose Pizza Crust (12-inch) or Thin Pizza Crust (12-inch) (or your favorite 12-inch pizza crust)
6 to 8 ounces fresh spinach
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 small clove garlic, minced
8 ounces fresh crimini (brown) mushrooms, sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare the pizza crust and press into a 12-inch pizza pan, or form it into a 12-inch round on a baking sheet, with the edges slightly thicker to contain the toppings.

Remove the tough stems from the spinach and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Add half of the minced garlic, and saute for a minute or two, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic get brown. Add the spinach, along with salt and pepper to taste, and saute over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Remove the spinach from the skillet and set aside. Wipe any residual spinach liquid from the skillet.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and the remaining garlic, along with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 4-6 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through and most of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Set aside.

Spread 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese evenly over the pizza crust. Top with the mushrooms and then the spinach. Sprinkle the feta evenly over the pizza, and then top it off with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 12-18 minutes, until golden.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing

-- 3-4 servings

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Parsley

Some of the most delicious Mediterranean-style recipes are also the simplest. This is an example.

This is my version of spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and oil), with plenty of chopped Italian parsley for a fresh accent and an optional dash of red pepper flakes for some kick. It's pretty much like my Grandma Marianna used to make. She, however, added grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. You could do that, too. But I omit it here because this vegan-friendly version really has enough flavor on its own - and it's healthier this way.

RECIPE:

8 ounces dried spaghetti
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes (optional; more or less to taste)
1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Add the garlic, along with the red pepper flakes, if using. Saute for a minute or two, just until the aroma starts to emerge. Do not let the garlic get brown.

Add the cooked/drained spaghetti to the garlic-oil mixture, along with the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss lightly over medium to medium-low heat for a minute or two to blend all the flavors.

-- 3-4 servings

Crepes with Creamy Tarragon Mock Chicken and Mushrooms

This is a variation on our recipe for Creamy Tarragon Mock Chicken and Mushrooms in Puff Pastry Shells. Here, the mock chicken mixture is served in crepes rather than in pastry shells. The result is equally elegant and equally delicious!

I like to garnish these crepes with whole tarragon sprigs. In the photo above, the sprigs I used just happened to be in blossom, so the little yellow flowers added an extra lovely touch.

RECIPE:

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup chicken-style seitan, or other non-breaded mock chicken product, thawed if frozen, diced
1 cup fresh white mushrooms, sliced
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 tablespoons quick-mixing flour (such as Wondra), or sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup mock chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 to 8 Basic Skillet Crepe Shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add the seitan, and saute until the seitan is lightly golden. Remove the seitan from the skillet and set aside.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and tarragon, and sautee over medium to medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet, leaving any butter and mushroom juices in the skillet. Set the mushrooms aside.

Whisk the flour into the pan juices, and then slowly whisk in the broth, salt, and pepper. (Go easy on the salt, as the broth is salty.) Whisk over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until thickened. Lower heat to medium-low.

In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and cream. Stir 1 tablespoon of the broth mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Then whisk the egg yolk mixture into the skillet.

Add the seitan and mushrooms back into the skillet. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, to blend the flavors.

In a baking dish or pan, fill the crepes with seitan-mushroom mixture. Fold each side over to enclose the filling.

Cover and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the crepe filling is bubbly.

-- 3-4 servings (2 crepes per serving)

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Garlic and Olive Oil

I grew up eating a lot of fresh leafy greens, which were grown in the family garden. Swiss chard was always one of my favorites.

This is how my grandmother prepared it - simple, easy, and cheap, but delicious and so very nutritious. Chard takes longer to cook than spinach, but don't overcook it. It should be wilted and tender, but not mushy.

RECIPE:

1 large bunch of Swiss chard (about 1 pound) - green, red, or rainbow
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Remove and discard the tougher stems and spines from the chard. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Rinse the chard well and drain, but do not dry. The water clinging to the chard will help to steam it during the cooking process.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and saute for a minute or two, until softened and fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.

Add the chard to the skillet and saute for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to wilt.

Cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes, until the chard is almost tender.

Uncover, season with salt and pepper, and saute, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes, until the chard is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

-- 2-3 servings