Latest news with #OmidRoustaei
Boston Globe
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Cooking from a crop of delightful new cookbooks
Both Catalano and Roustaei are first-time authors. London-based Sodha has written three previous books, but she's relatively unknown here. I found The cover of 'By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear' by Hailee Catalano. 'By Heart' has a sweet cover illustration by Advertisement Catalano, who grew up in the Chicago suburb Elmhurst, spent every Sunday at her grandmother Tina's house, where meatballs and gravy were often on the menu, and sometimes stuffed fresh artichokes. You'll also find Chicago-Style Braised Italian Beef Sandwiches (think ' Hailee Catalano, author of 'By Heart' Emily Hawkes Tina's Chicken Bake begins with potatoes, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts from a jar or can (the ones in brine, not in a marinade). She sets chicken thighs on the vegetables and bakes it for an hour. During that time, all the chicken juices soak the vegetables. At the end of cooking, Catalano removes the chicken pieces from the dish, runs the vegetables under the broiler to char, and serves the dish with a fresh herb sauce. It's simply wonderful. Her Spanish Zucchini Tortilla is also outstanding and soon I'll be making her branzino with anchovies or her creamy corn orzo and other summery dishes. Beef Stew with Poached Eggs, an Iranian dish called Bij Bij, from 'Bitter & Sweet' by Omid Roustaei. Weldon Owen But it's not summer yet, so I snuck in one of the last hearty dishes of the season, this from 'Bitter & Sweet.' Roustaei's Beef Stew with Poached Eggs, called Bij Bij, comes from the He simmers ground beef, chunks of potatoes, and tomatoes, with turmeric as the single spice; the other seasonings are garlic and unripe grape juice called ab ghureh (or lemon juice if you can't find it). He tops servings with a poached egg. The recipe is a gem. Advertisement Omid Roustaei, author of "Bitter & Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen." Sama K Rahbar Roustaei, who was raised in Tehran and was 12 during the To that end, you can discover Iranian ingredients such as the unripe grape juice in his beef stew; sumac, a lemony spice ground from red berries of the same name; dried fenugreek leaves. "Bitter & Sweet" by Omid Roustaei. He offers recipes for roasted carrots served on a spread of feta whirred with sumac, he makes sour cherry rice that goes with tiny meatballs (the cherries come fresh and frozen), and cooks chicken with pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts. Meera Sodha is well-known in London, where she writes 'The New Vegan' Meera Sodha, author of 'Dinner: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes for the Most Important Meal of the Day' David Loftus 'The ability to put a good dinner on the table has become my superpower. I believe it's a potent tool we all possess to make a positive change to our days, to our relationships and to our lives, and so I want it to become your superpower too, every night of the week.' Advertisement Her meatless repertoire is very appealing. She simmers lentil soup with harissa and preserved lemon; seasons a potato and spinach curry with mustard and cumin seeds, coriander, and chile powder; shapes falafel from chickpeas, carrots, and chickpea flour. Meera Sodha's 'Dinner: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes for the Most Important Meal of the Day.' A recipe for Crispy Oyster Mushroom Skewers is pretty wonderful (though 1¾ pounds of oyster mushrooms does add up). Tossed in honey, soy sauce, and grated ginger, then threaded onto skewers, the mushrooms are meaty and delicious after 20 minutes in a very hot oven. She adds a lovely side salad of raw, thinly sliced bok choy, cucumber, and celery in a soy sauce and rice vinegar dressing. I think Sodha is right that putting a good dinner on the table night after night is a real achievement. When that dinner is something you never made before and you're delighted with the results, it turns what might be a chore into real pleasure. Crispy Oyster Mushroom Skewers from the cookbook 'Dinner: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes for the Most Important Meal of the Day' by Meera Sodha. David Loftus Sheryl Julian can be reached at
The Independent
25-02-2025
- The Independent
'The Caspian Chef' sets out to demystify Iranian food in a new cookbook
Mealtimes by the Caspian Sea were always displays of abundance. Omid Roustaei's extended family would gather every summer, swimming at the beach in the morning and returning to mounds of food at the family villa. Pomegranate, bitter orange, dried lime, walnut and olive appeared on repeat. The earthy scents of cumin and coriander blended with sweeter cinnamon and cardamom — maybe even pulverized rose petals. Plus, there were herbs. Handfuls of parsley, cilantro and dill tossed into stewing pots and served by the bunch for munching at the table. 'To us in Persian food, herbs are not treated as little, cute things you put on the side of the plate, but rather herbs to us are vegetables," said Roustaei, author of the new cookbook 'Bitter and Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen.' 'When we cook a dish, we use mounds of herbs.' The tranquility of a childhood mixing cosmopolitan Tehran with summers in the north would be shattered when he was about 10 years old. The Iranian Revolution was brewing, and several years later he left the country, first going to the Netherlands and then Arizona. It took decades for Roustaei to return to his Iranian roots and explore the cuisine of his youth. Eventually, he made his way to Seattle, began giving cooking classes, and started a blog called The Caspian Chef. Besides making tasty meals, Roustaei hopes that making Iran's culinary traditions more visible serves as a type of diplomacy. He sheds light on universal traditions, like caring for your family and bringing people together. 'Through the food, which always feels like this safe gateway, it allows people to get to know Iran and who Iranians truly are,' said Roustaei, who is also a psychotherapist. He attempts to demystify what is a fairly complex cuisine. What Iranians consider 'plain rice,' for instance, is actually more of an art form. The rice is scented by saffron and maybe mixed with yogurt, which produces light and fluffy grains with a crispy layer of golden tahdig, meaning 'bottom of the pot.' The book is filled with dishes that would have been familiar on that long-ago family table, but many include personal twists that reflect a modern lifestyle. One, khoresh fesenjun, reminds Roustaei of his mother. Bone-in chicken is braised in a dark sauce made from sauteed onions and ground walnuts. Reflecting Iranians' penchant for sour flavors, the sauce is brightened by sweet-tart pomegranate paste, which is made by patiently simmering the vibrant juice until most of the liquid evaporates. Since she didn't have a food processor, his mother crushed one walnut at a time on a wooden tray, mashing each piece with a river rock. Making it took hours. For the average American home cook, a food processor or blender gets close enough, and pomegranate molasses is easier to find than the paste. It will still be delicious, evoking the pleasures of the Caspian Sea. 'I find it to be really easy to prepare, accessible and yet profoundly unique in its taste,' he said. The recipe: Chicken in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce From 'Bitter and Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen,' by Omid Roustaei Ingredients: 2 cups walnuts 2 tablespoons neutral oil 4 chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds), bone in and skin on 1 onion, diced ½ cup pomegranate molasses ½ cup water ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2–4 tablespoons sugar (optional) ½ teaspoon saffron threads, ground and bloomed in 1 tablespoon hot water Directions: In a food processor, chop the walnuts and process until finely ground. Set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil and cook the chicken, skin side down until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Place the chicken on a plate, and set aside. Lower to medium, cook the onion until aromatic and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add the walnuts to the onion. Reduce to medium-low and stir continuously for 2–3 minutes. The walnuts should appear slightly dense and sticky. Add the pomegranate molasses, water, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pot and immerse in the sauce. Partially cover the pot with the lid and raise the heat to simmer gently. When it bubbles, reduce to low and cover. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom with a flat-edge spatula to inhibit crusting. After 40 minutes, taste the sauce and add more pomegranate molasses or sugar if needed. You're aiming for a robust pomegranate flavor with a balanced sweet and tart profile. Simmer until the sauce becomes deep maroon and the chicken falls off the bone, up to another hour. Stir in the bloomed saffron. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. The natural oil from the walnuts and chicken will rise to the top. That's a sign of a khoresh that is jā-oftādeh, a Persian culinary term for a well-prepared stew. Serve with steamed basmati rice. ___
Associated Press
25-02-2025
- Associated Press
‘The Caspian Chef' sets out to demystify Iranian food in a new cookbook
Mealtimes by the Caspian Sea were always displays of abundance. Omid Roustaei's extended family would gather every summer, swimming at the beach in the morning and returning to mounds of food at the family villa. Pomegranate, bitter orange, dried lime, walnut and olive appeared on repeat. The earthy scents of cumin and coriander blended with sweeter cinnamon and cardamom — maybe even pulverized rose petals. Plus, there were herbs. Handfuls of parsley, cilantro and dill tossed into stewing pots and served by the bunch for munching at the table. 'To us in Persian food, herbs are not treated as little, cute things you put on the side of the plate, but rather herbs to us are vegetables,' said Roustaei, author of the new cookbook 'Bitter and Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen.' 'When we cook a dish, we use mounds of herbs.' The tranquility of a childhood mixing cosmopolitan Tehran with summers in the north would be shattered when he was about 10 years old. The Iranian Revolution was brewing, and several years later he left the country, first going to the Netherlands and then Arizona. It took decades for Roustaei to return to his Iranian roots and explore the cuisine of his youth. Eventually, he made his way to Seattle, began giving cooking classes, and started a blog called The Caspian Chef. Besides making tasty meals, Roustaei hopes that making Iran's culinary traditions more visible serves as a type of diplomacy. He sheds light on universal traditions, like caring for your family and bringing people together. 'Through the food, which always feels like this safe gateway, it allows people to get to know Iran and who Iranians truly are,' said Roustaei, who is also a psychotherapist. He attempts to demystify what is a fairly complex cuisine. What Iranians consider 'plain rice,' for instance, is actually more of an art form. The rice is scented by saffron and maybe mixed with yogurt, which produces light and fluffy grains with a crispy layer of golden tahdig, meaning 'bottom of the pot.' The book is filled with dishes that would have been familiar on that long-ago family table, but many include personal twists that reflect a modern lifestyle. One, khoresh fesenjun, reminds Roustaei of his mother. Bone-in chicken is braised in a dark sauce made from sauteed onions and ground walnuts. Reflecting Iranians' penchant for sour flavors, the sauce is brightened by sweet-tart pomegranate paste, which is made by patiently simmering the vibrant juice until most of the liquid evaporates. Since she didn't have a food processor, his mother crushed one walnut at a time on a wooden tray, mashing each piece with a river rock. Making it took hours. For the average American home cook, a food processor or blender gets close enough, and pomegranate molasses is easier to find than the paste. It will still be delicious, evoking the pleasures of the Caspian Sea. 'I find it to be really easy to prepare, accessible and yet profoundly unique in its taste,' he said. The recipe: Chicken in Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce Ingredients: 2 cups walnuts 2 tablespoons neutral oil 4 chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds), bone in and skin on 1 onion, diced ½ cup pomegranate molasses ½ cup water ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2–4 tablespoons sugar (optional) ½ teaspoon saffron threads, ground and bloomed in 1 tablespoon hot water Directions: In a food processor, chop the walnuts and process until finely ground. Set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil and cook the chicken, skin side down until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Place the chicken on a plate, and set aside. Lower to medium, cook the onion until aromatic and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add the walnuts to the onion. Reduce to medium-low and stir continuously for 2–3 minutes. The walnuts should appear slightly dense and sticky. Add the pomegranate molasses, water, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Return the chicken to the pot and immerse in the sauce. Partially cover the pot with the lid and raise the heat to simmer gently. When it bubbles, reduce to low and cover. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom with a flat-edge spatula to inhibit crusting. After 40 minutes, taste the sauce and add more pomegranate molasses or sugar if needed. You're aiming for a robust pomegranate flavor with a balanced sweet and tart profile. Simmer until the sauce becomes deep maroon and the chicken falls off the bone, up to another hour. Stir in the bloomed saffron. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. The natural oil from the walnuts and chicken will rise to the top. That's a sign of a khoresh that is jā-oftādeh, a Persian culinary term for a well-prepared stew. Serve with steamed basmati rice.
