Black cod is my new favorite fish – it is very delicate, flaky and simply delicious. And the tomato-saffron combination is one of the most versatile accompaniments to any sea food dish – such as black cod over with tomato-fennel-saffron broth or the Saffron tagliatelle with tomato, fennel, saffron sauce and pan fried shrimp
Author: Bogomil Balkansky
Squid ink pasta with tomato-fennel-saffron sauce and pan fried shrimp
I am still learning how to make pasta but this one turned out all right :). I am fascinated with squid ink because of its ability to make food black, and there aren’t too many black things we eat. And there is also the deep sea flavor. This is the second squid ink dish that…
Tarator – chilled yoghurt and cucumber soup
Since I am in Bulgaria right now, there is hardly a better tribute to Bulgarian summer than the tarator (таратор). When I was a kid it was a fixture of our summer menu – for lunch and dinner. Incredibly simple and fast to prepare – it can bright up the summer menu.
Chilled English peas soup
English peas are one of my favorite spring ingredients, and this recipe is another re-incarnation of the English peas puree with mint. If you simply thin the puree with some liquid – voila! you have got a soup.
Black cod with caramelized fennel and Manila clams in tomato-fennel-saffron broth
Black cod is a very delicate, flaky fish and is one of my favorites. The tomato-fennel-saffron broth is something that I have been making for a long time, and it is one of the best accompaniments for any kind of sea food. This is a luxurious dish – perfect to impress at your dinner party.
Agnolotti dal plin stuffed with English peas and ricotta
For the longest time I had a phobia from anything that involves dough (so no bread or any type of baking) but recently I have been getting into pasta making with increasing success. Agnolotti dal plin (agnolotti with a pinch) is the first pasta I learned in a cooking class, and this is the second…
Crab salad with avocado and grapefruit
When life gives you lemons, you make a lemonade; and when friends give you a Harry and David grapefruit basket, you … keep making dishes that involve grapefruit: Braised endive and citrus salad, Caramelized fennel and grapefruit salad, and now crab salad with grapefruit.
Cheeseburger
Who doesn’t love a juicy cheeseburger! Since I don’t have a good grilling set up, I have defaulted to pan frying steaks and burgers. A burger makes a delicious dinner that you can whip in 15 min.
Brussels sprouts with pancetta and lemon
This side dish is healthy (green vegetables) yet filling and decadent (pancetta). It can be made for thanksgiving, or as an accompaniment to any meat dish.
Lamb marinated in pomegranate molasses
This dish was inspired by our time in Turkey in 2013 when we spent 2 months in Istanbul. Pomegranate is a staple of Turkish (and Persian) cuisine and is used pervasively in salads and meat dishes. Pomegranate molasses is also used in the spinach salad with pomegranate seeds.
