Appetizers

We experimented with the familiar cast of characters used to develop vegan cheese-like sauces—cashews, nutritional yeast, and miso, along with various vegetables. Tasters were largely distracted by their vegetal flavors and pasty textures. The most neutral-tasting ingredient in the lot was potato, and we had a revelation when we broke a cardinal kitchen rule: We whirred boiled potatoes in the blender at high speed to release as much gummy, gluey starch as possible.

Most sweet potato soup recipes call for so many other ingredients that the sweet potato flavor is muted. By cutting back to just shallot, thyme, and butter and using water instead of broth, we put the focus back on the main ingredient. We also puree some of the potato skins into the soup for extra earthiness. However, the real key to intensifying the sweet potato flavor was using only a minimal amount of flavor-diluting water. To do so, we let the sweet potatoes sit in hot water off heat for 20 minutes to make use of an enzyme that reduces their starch content.

This noodle dish celebrates the pungent, spicy notes of ginger by both infusing it in stock to create a warming broth and frying it with shallots and panko to create crunchy ginger crumbs you’ll want to sprinkle onto everything: eggs, rice or even a savory porridge. Feel free to double the amount of the ginger crumbs, if you like; they’ll keep in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to one week. Serve these noodles with your protein of choice — tofu, fish, leftover roast chicken — or any cooked vegetable for a complete meal.

Muhammara is a spicy-tart dip for flatbread made from walnuts and roasted red peppers. The name comes from the Arabic word for reddened. The dish originated in Syria, where it often is served alongside hummus and baba ganoush.

Aleppo pepper is made from ground dried Halaby chilies; it tastes subtly of cumin and fruit, with only mild heat. Look for it in well-stocked markets and spice shops, but if you cannot find it, simply leave it out — the muhammara will still be delicious. Serve with flatbread or vegetables for dipping or use as a sandwich spread.

Tarka is an Indian technique that blooms herbs and spices in hot fat, infusing it with bold flavors and aromas while cooking off any raw, harsh notes. And it’s an excellent way to season popcorn. The cumin and curry blend in this recipe is bold and savory; if you prefer a mixture of sugar and spice, see the Spicy-Sweet Tarka Popcorn alternative that follows.

Years ago, I was attempting to reverse my daughter Valentine's disdain for cauliflower. She was always my veggie-loving kiddo, so I was stumped by her dislike of one my favorites. Who doesn't love roasted cauliflower florets, with those crispy caramelized golden edges?

I’m all about snacks. Whether it’s something to crunch on during a movie, or giving dinner guests something to munch on while dinner’s in the oven, any new additions to my snack game are welcome.

If I can make those snacks healthy, that's even better. If I can somehow give chickpeas the addictive crunch and cheesy taste of a bag of Cheetos? Holy moly — hold me back from going into full-on snack-attack mode.

Chile powder adds sting, honey lends sweetness, and butter gives a creamy richness to these succulent roasted shrimp. Even better, the dish comes together in minutes, making it an ideal after-work meal or extremely speedy appetizer. The shrimp are also excellent tucked into a baguette for a shrimp sandwich. If you happen to have a jar of hot honey (chile-spiced honey), you can use that instead of combining the honey and cayenne. Just be sure to use a light hand with the lime juice at the very end; hot honey also contains vinegar, so taste as you go.

An amazing spice and nut mixture that can be sprinkled on salads or pasta dishes, mixed with olive oil and brushed on pita or pizza dough, or coated on chicken or fish and then grilled. You can also take some great bread, dip it in olive oil, then in the Dukkah... heaven. Enjoy!

Popular in Greece, where it’s called bouyourdi, these slices of feta baked with tomatoes are popular as a little nibble before a meal. Serve with crusty bread. The recipe comes from Greece resident Aglaia Kremezi, who has written many volumes on the cuisine of her country. Wild oregano is collected on mountains in Greece and dried (it’s available at specialty markets).